placeholder image

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports


Kelly & Kap? Not so fast

Brandon Graham
Jan 18, 2016 at 1:43 PM

Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.

When Jim Harbaugh was hired, champagne was uncorked.

When Jim Tomsula was hired, a collective groan infested Twitter.

Chip Kelly announced as the new head coach of the 49ers? Emotionally charged might be the most accurate way to describe fan reaction.

"Players don't like him."

"Finally, someone who can save Kap!"

"He's a weirdo."

"This is exactly what our offense needs."

"His scheme has been exposed and defense is a foreign concept to him."

Regardless of your take on the hire, no one can blame Jed York and Trent Baalke for being risk averse with this decision. Chip Kelly is a bold choice.

This offseason has proven to be a less-than inspiring time to be in search of a head coach. Trent Baalke has to wonder if the team would even be in this position had they hired Adam Gase instead of Tomsula last January (probably not).

Was Sean Payton ever really "available"? Maybe, but at what cost?

Was Hue Jackson truly the team's first choice? All sources indicate an offer was never made.

A contingency of fans longed for the "Mike Shanahan Time Machine" hoping a link to a past Super Bowl would restore the franchise to greatness.

In the end the was Chip and given that he was reportedly the first guy to interview for the job, could it be deemed that he was the front-runner all along? I imagine some version of that will be put out into the universe whenever the introductory press-conference takes place.

The fans who seem thrilled and/or at least most satisfied with this hire appear to be the ones most hopeful for a Colin Kaepernick career-resurrection. This group see's Chip Kelly coming to town as an assurance that the 49ers still see value in getting Kap back on track.

"Look what he did with Mariota! Chip will do wonders with Kap."

I'm among the few who do not necessarily see a Chip/Colin combo as automatic as others. His ability in the zone-read is certainly a strength, but what of his slower-than-average release? Short and intermediate route inaccuracy? These are attributes that Chip Kelly's offense are predicated on.

That's not to say I'm not hopeful that Kelly could fix, or at least improve, the issues that haunted Colin Kaepernick this past season. If he can get number seven on track, then this hire will more than likely be a rousing success.

I believe Chip Kelly has provided a mixed-emotion amongst fans notably because it forces them to re-evaluate their feelings about Colin Kaepernick.

The Kap camp rejoices, while the other half proclaims, "I thought that ship had sailed."

Who is the right quarterback for Chip Kelly?

Sam Bradford? Nick Foles? Jared Goff?

The team will say all the right things regarding current players on the roster (i.e. Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert), but my sense is that Chip Kelly already knows who he wants behind center in 2016.

And just like his hiring, the quarterback decision will be just as polarizing.

The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
Enjoy this article? Follow us to never miss more!

Powered by Follow.it


Comments

More San Francisco 49ers News

placeholder image

49ers an abomination? GM John Lynch says team has been undisciplined, not "playing clean"

By Marc Adams
Nov 30

Someone has stolen the San Francisco 49ers and replaced them with a team that looks like a shell of its old self. The 2024 version of the defending NFC Champions is stale, sloppy, and prone to playing down to its opponent. Not surprisingly, the 49ers currently stand at 5-6 and...


placeholder image

No Nick Bosa or Trent Williams at final 49ers practice before Bears game

By David Bonilla
Dec 6

Defensive end Nick Bosa and left tackle Trent Williams were absent during the early portion of Friday's practice, the segment open to the media. Neither player has participated in practice this week, raising significant doubts about their availability for Sunday's matchup...


placeholder image

Sidelined 49ers: Who's out against the Bears?

By David Bonilla
56 mins

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir is set to return for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears after missing last week's matchup against the Buffalo Bills due to a knee injury. Safety Talanoa Hufanga, recently activated from injured reserve on Saturday, will also...


placeholder image

49ers' Kyle Shanahan on blocking out online noise: 'Don't make someone else's reality your reality'

By David Bonilla
Nov 29

Kyle Shanahan takes a pragmatic approach to handling online criticism—he ignores it. The San Francisco 49ers head coach recently opened up about his mindset during a challenging season for his squad, which was once considered a Super Bowl favorite but is now 5-6 and...


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone