The Case For Mark Helfrich As Head Coach

[win4ever]

As mentioned in the other thread, I think we need to go for a spread system that can run both passing and rushing plays at a similar clip so it makes it harder for teams to gameplan against us.    

 

Helfrich, for those who don't know, is the current coach of the Oregon Ducks, and took over for Chip Kelly.   He runs a very similar system as Kelly, obviously helped by having a Heisman candidate QB and some speedy playmakers. 

 

Why We Should Hire HIm:

 

1.  The league is geared towards passing, and the spread system takes advantage of it.  Helfrich learned from one of the best in Kelly, and we've seen his system translate well to the NFL already with the Eagles.  The system they run in Philly needs a possession WR (Maclin this year, Cooper last year), a speedy WR (Jackson last year, possibly Huff/Sproles this year), and a speed back (McCoy).  Even their drafts are set up so there is a back to each (Mathews as the possession guy and Huff as the speed guy) so there isn't a lag incase someone gets hurt.   We are set up that way as well, with Decker the possession guy, Harvin the speed guy.  We lack the speedster RB, but this upcoming class is loaded in RBs, and there should be a good speed option guy available in the 2nd to 3rd round range.   

 

2.  We will have a shot at Mariotta, either by being the No. 1 pick or being close enough that we can trade up for him.  The current leader in the clubhouse is Oakland, and they play the Rams and the Bills as possible upsets (Not likely, but their best bets at this point).  Although at this point, I'm almost hoping they beat the Rams, to eliminate another QB contender, because I think they have the tie breaker on draft position based on our Week 1 win, so I assume they would need to have a win more than us to place us ahead of them.  Although don't quote me on this.    After that, it's the Bucs/Jags/Titans that are our biggest competition.   The Titans and Jags play one another once more in the season, rooting for Titans to win that one.  The Bucs will be interesting because they face a horrible schedule right now, and their only real option at a win might be the Redskins game.  But I think their strength of schedule might be tougher, but who knows, the NFC South has been horrible this year.    However, having a shot at Mariotta means we can bring him in to a system that he's familiar with from college, so the transition theoretically should be smoother.  We would also have the WR set up, and we can supplement talent at WR/RB with the draft and free agency money.   

 

3. He's been excellent at developing QBs pretty much everywhere he has gone.  Did well with a no name QB and helped with the reassurance at Boise State, by letting Bart Hendricks be a star in college.  He then went to Arizona and developed Andrew Walter from a nobody to breaking Pac 10 records and get drafted in the mid rounds.  Then went to be OC at Colorado and did Ok.  And he's been at Oregon as the OC  or HC since '09, helping them become one of the most exciting teams out there on offense.  And if you go back and look at the recruiting ranks, Oregon wasn't really a top 10 contender when recruiting rankings came out those first few years, so it wasn't like they were doing this with a system that was masked by superstar recruits at every position (Hello Saban, Nick).    

 

Why He Should Accept a Jets Offer: 

 

1.  He's going to lose his stud QB, and every college that doesn't replenish like Alabama is going to have a transition period until they find the next stud.  Similar to say Stanford after Luck, WV after Geno (Yeah I know, but he was still a stud college QB), TCU after Dalton, etc.  He will have to go through a slight rebuild at Oregon (not as drastic because they are a recruiting juggernaut now) so his stock may not be this high for a few years.   

 

2.  He can accept a new challenge, and move onto the NFL like Kelly.  He will have a clean slate and after the disaster that was the Jets these past few seasons, any improvement is going to reflect positively on him.  He will have a roster that can be replenished in free agency, leading to an infusion of talent, so the Jets are bound to be better next year as long as they spend money, and get a QB.  And if players get healthy, he can also have his defense improve just from a health standpoint with the CB position.  He'll have a loaded DLine as well.  

 

3.  He has a shot at getting his QB from Oregon, so he doesn't have to change his system that much, and just have the other players adjust to it.  Makes the transition that much easier for him.  

 

Saying all this, as a Jets fan, I don't expect this to happen, mainly because I don't trust Woody to think outside the box too much, and most likely will go with some retread so they can "right the ship with hardnose football like it's supposed to be played".  

[j4jets]

Words, words, words. Yet, there's no vacancy. 

[Jack Straw]

TL;DR

[win4ever]

Words, words, words. Yet, there's no vacancy. 

 

There will be soon, I really doubt Rex survives this downfall.  

 

TL;DR

 

Helrich > Rex

[pdxgreen]

Sorry. Helfrich is a Coos Bay boy like Steve Prefontaine. He dreamed of being an UO quarterback when he was a kid. He already said at his hiring that he was at his dream job and he wouldn't leave. Try Mike Reilly up the I-5 corridor. He's got NFL experience.

[win4ever]

Sorry. Helfrich is a Coos Bay boy like Steve Prefontaine. He dreamed of being an UO quarterback when he was a kid. He already said at his hiring that he was at his dream job and he wouldn't leave. Try Mike Reilly up the I-5 corridor. He's got NFL experience.

 

Yeah, I'm not sure if he's available or if he wants to leave quite yet.  But if he were open to leave, I think he'd be a great target.  

[New York Mick]

Lou Holtz II