Chip shot

Joe Cleveland is relieved that the Chip Kelly infatuation is over and done without him being named the 16th full-time head coach in Cleveland Browns history.

I never understood the infatuation with the guy, other than his college teams tend to score a lot of points.

This was Kelly's second flirtation with the NFL in as many years. Last season, he appeared to have a deal in place with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but walked away. They wound up hiring Greg Schiano from Rutgers.

This season, the Browns, Eagles and Bills all staked out Arizona to try to interview the University of Oregon coach after his Ducks finished beating the tar out of Collin Klein and Kansas State, 35-17. In the meantime, all three interviewed some candidates that were affiliated with the Arizona Cardinals (Ray Horton and ex-head coach Ken Whisenhunt) along with former Saints offensive coordinator and Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone while they waited for Kelly's game to finish.

Jimmy Haslam III and Joe Banner were up first on Friday, and they wined and dined Kelly for about seven hours. It was to the point that many media members were saying that Kelly to the Browns was essentially a "done deal." However, Kelly walked away from that meeting without a contract, expressing a desire to meet with the Bills and Eagles.

On Saturday, the Eagles wined and dined Kelly for over eight hours. It caused Kelly to cancel his follow-up meeting with Haslam and Banner that evening.

By Sunday, Haslam and Banner decided that it wasn't worth the trouble and flew back to Ohio. Kelly wound up spurning the Eagles overtures as well, getting a hefty pay raise to stay put at Oregon when it seemed all but a virtual certainty that he was going to leave for the NFL.

The Browns fan base seemed divided about Kelly, although most of them weren't sold on the so-called offensive "genius" taking his gimmicky zone-read offense to the NFL. For every one who thought that Kelly's playcalling would revolutionize Browns football, there were at least three who feared the worst.

This is what happens when a college coach who has never been affiliated with NFL in any fashion -- as a player, front office person or an assistant coach -- gets talked to. Kelly would have been the ultimate boom-or-bust choice to be the head coach of the Browns.

Haslam and Banner ultimately walked away because they didn't believe he was fully committed to being an NFL head coach. They were right. Better to find that out now than this time next season, when Kelly pulls a Bobby Petrino and leaves midway through his first season to go back to the college ranks.

The NFL is a different animal than Division I college football. There's no Southwest Louisana States on your schedule in the NFL. Sure, there's usually a handful of teams that suck in the NFL (like the Browns, sad to say), but the beauty of the NFL is that any team can win on any Sunday.

You don't have that assurance in college football. Thanks to recruiting, there is a big disparity between the haves and the have-nots in Division I football. Teams aren't as focused on building a defense in college and seem to be more focused on putting up gaudy offensive numbers instead.

That's Chip Kelly in a heartbeat, and that's what the Browns almost got.

To be honest, I don't see the appeal of a Chip Kelly. It's not like his hands are lined with BCS National Championship rings or anything.

Kelly was an assistant coach at such football hotspots like Columbia, Johns Hopkins and New Hampshire before becoming Oregon's offensive coordinator in 2007. In his two years as the offensive coordinator, the Ducks led the PAC-10 in both scoring and total offense each year. When Mike Bellotti was promoted to athletic director, Kelly ascended to the head coaching job.

Kelly's first game as a head coach, which was a 19-8 loss to Boise State, was marred by running back LaGarrette Blount's punch to a Bronco player's face following the game. Kelly kicked Blount off the team.

Kelly wound up winning PAC-10 Coach of the Year honors and won Oregon's first PAC-10 championship since 1995. He became the first rookie head coach to win the PAC-10 outright title in his first season. His Ducks wound up losing to Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor and the Ohio State Buckeyes, 26-17, in the Rose Bowl to finish 10-2.

The next season, the Ducks went a perfect 12-0 in the regular season and finished as the No. 2 team in the BCS standings, earning a berth in the National Championship Game. Against Heisman Trophy-winner Cam Newton and Auburn, the Ducks trailed 19-11 before a touchdown and 2-point conversion with 2:33 remaining tied the score. However, a failure to tackle Michael Dyer on what wound up being a 37-yard run highlighted a game-winning 73-yard drive by the Tigers, and Wes Bynum's chip-shot field goal with no time remaining handed Kelly's Ducks a 22-19 loss.

Kelly's Ducks won the PAC-12 each of the last two seasons and qualified for BCS bowls each year. They defeated a Russell Wilson-led Wisconsin team, 45-38, in the 2012 Rose Bowl, then beat K-State in the Fiesta Bowl a few days ago.

His teams were 46-7 overall over the last four years and were known for their flashy uniform combinations and overall team speed and offensive prowess.

Kelly's methods achieved some legitimacy within the NFL when Bill Belichick, the NFL's so-called "genius" coach of the New England Patriots, summoned him to talk two seasons ago and share some of his offensive secrets. While the Patriots don't run a zone-read option offense, they have utilized his spread tendencies, the break-neck speed of offensive plays and the simple playcalling terminology to make that happen. New England has had one of the best offenses in the NFL the last several seasons.

Because "Don Belichick" seemed to give his seal of approval to Kelly's methods, many NFL teams were willing to risk their franchises for this unproven commodity. The Browns, included.

While the Browns waited for Kelly, Marrone (who was believed to be their second choice) accepted the Bills head coaching position. Also, Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien, Belichick's former offensive coordinator, interviewed with the Browns and Eagles but decided to stick around (especially after PSU gave him a nice pay raise).

Alabama coach Nick Saban, whose Crimson Tide are playing Notre Dame in tonight's BCS National Championship Game, was believed to be Haslam's first choice. However, both publicly and privately, Saban has said he's not leaving Tuscaloosa. We'll see if that's still the case 24 hours from now, but it appears he's out of the running.

So, where does that leave the Browns?

Of course, that Baltimore-shilling AFC North blogger for ESPN was trying to say that not landing Kelly made Haslam and Banner look bad. That same person couldn't stop typing sonnets dedicated to that accessory-to-murdering linebacker on the Ravens who decided he was ready to retire this week, so you see where his objectivity plays in.

Here's a few people to keep your eyes on this week:

1. Whisenhunt -- Haslam was reportedly impressed with the former Browns special teams coordinator (1999), Steelers offensive assistant (2001-06) and Cardinals head coach (2007-12). Under Whisenhunt, the Steelers reached their first Super Bowl since 1995 in 2004, where they won, 21-10, over Mike Holmgren's Seahawks. The defining play of that Super Bowl was Whisenhunt's decision to call a flea-flicker wide receiver pass from former college quarterback Antwaan Randle-El to Hines Ward that went for the game-clinching touchdown. Two seasons later, Whisenhunt was passed over by the Steelers to replace Bill Cowher for Mike Tomlin, and he took several Steeler offensive assistants with him to Arizona. Two seasons later, he took the Cardinals to their first-ever Super Bowl against (coincidentally) the Steelers. His 9-7, AFC West champion Cards led Pittsburgh, 23-20, following 16 unanswered fourth-quarter points with 35 seconds left before Santonio Holmes made the play of his life for a fantastic, six-yard touchdown reception, which gave the Steelers a 27-23 victory. The Cardinals have struggled since Kurt Warner retired following the 10-6 2009 season and haven't found a capable replacement, going through Matt Leinart, Derek Anderson, Max Hall, Kevin Kolb, John Skelton, Ryan Lindley and Brian Hoyer. All four started this past season, which the Cards squandered their first 4-0 start since 1974 and finished 5-11. His ties to the North Division, and his ability to turn around a moribund franchise, makes him appealing to the Browns.

2. Lovie Smith -- Smith is reportedly going to be interviewed by the Browns this week. Smith had been the head coach of the Chicago Bears since 2004, where he compiled an 81-63 regular season record. Like Whisenhunt, Smith took a team to the Super Bowl (the 2006 Bears), where they lost, 29-17, to the Indianapolis Colts. Prior to the Bears job, he was the defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams from 2001-03. The 2001 Rams reached the Super Bowl, but were stunned, 20-17, by the heavy-underdog Patriots. Smith led the Bears to the playoffs three times over his 9-year career, but was let go after the final game of this season despite a 10-6 overall record. The Bears squandered a 7-1 start and wound up missing the playoffs when the Vikings knocked off the Packers in one of the season's final regular season games. Smith has a defensive background, which may not appeal to Haslam and Banner. However, Smith's teams have won, and he does have a Super Bowl to his resume. In fact, his resume is arguably more appealing than Whisenhunt's is because of his win-loss record and more recent success.

3. Bruce Arians -- Arians guided the Colts to a 9-3 record as their interim head coach while Chuck Pagano was sidelined due to leiukemia. Arians helped rookie first-round choice Andrew Luck blossom in his first professional year while lending some stability to an otherwise rocky coaching situation. However, the 60-year-old Arians is currently hospitalized in Baltimore with an undisclosed illness. The illness prevented Arians from fulfilling his duties as the team's offensive coordinator in yesterday's 23-9 playoff loss to the Ravens, and may be a red-flag to some prospective suitors. The Chargers, Cardinals and Eagles have also sought permission to interview the long-time assistant, and it looks like he'll parlay that successful interim stint into a head-coaching gig. Arians does have links to the Browns -- he served as the offensive coordinator under Butch Davis from 2001-03 before becoming a Steelers offensive assistant from 2004-11. He was their offensive coordinator from 07-11, helping Ben Roethlisberger reach two Super Bowls during that span and winning one. He was the offensive playcaller for the the 2002 Browns team that reached the playoffs with a 9-7 record -- still the only team in the expansion era to reach the postseason -- and helped turn a non-descript backup journeyman quarterback in Kelly Holcomb into a decent starting quarterback. He was forced out by the Steeler brass before last season because they felt he was "too close" with Roethlisberger, and the offense struggled with Todd Haley calling the plays this season. Haslam was a minority owner of the Steelers while Arians was the team's offensive coordinator.

4. Marc Trestman -- Trestman's name has suddenly popped up on the NFL radar ever since the Bears sought to interview him for their vacant head coaching gig. Trestman has been the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League since 2008, and his team reached three straight Grey Cups in his first three seasons, winning the last two in a row (2009-10). He is 59-31 in five seasons as a head CFL coach and is a respected offensive coach. In fact, he has deep ties with Browns legend Bernie Kosar. He served as Kosar's offensive coordinator at the University of Miami from 1981-84 (including that 1983 National Championship year), then joined the Browns' coaching staff in 1988 as Kosar's quarterbacks coach. He served as the offensive coordinator in 1989 under Bud Carson, which was the last year the Browns reached the AFC Championship Game, before he resigned under pressure after some up-and-down play calls. He stayed in the NFL from 1990-04 with the Vikings, 49ers, Lions, Cardinals, Raiders and Dolphins as an offensive assistant, varying from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. Prior to joining the CFL, Trestman was the offensive coordinator at North Carolina State from 2005-06. He is actually a licensed Florida attorney after graduating from Miami Law School in 1983. Browns fans old enough to remember yelling for Trestman's head during 1989 (like me) may not be comfortable with the idea of him being the head coach. However, the 56-year-old Trestman has become a respected offensive mind at the professional ranks. The Browns are set to interview him this week.

5. Mike McCoy -- The 40-year-old McCoy was one of the candidates reportedly interviewed by Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert two years ago when they ultimately decided to hire Pat Shurmur. McCoy has been the Broncos' offensive coordinator since 2009, when he stayed with John Fox after Fox left the Carolina Panthers to take the Broncos' job. McCoy had been an offensive assistant with the Panthers since 2000 after a two-year quarterbacking career in the CFL and a successful collegiate career at the University of Utah. McCoy has helped three different starting quarterbacks with the Broncos have successful seasons. Kyle Orton set career-highs in virtually every passing category in 2009, and Orton finished fourth in passing yards in 2010. In 2011, McCoy adopted a new offensive scheme on the fly to accomodate new starting quarterback Tim Tebow, and the team not only led the NFL in rushing using an option scheme, but also reached the playoffs and won their first-round game with Tebow under center. This season, McCoy switching things up with Peyton Manning under center, and Manning is enjoying an MVP-esque season for the Broncos. The Bears, Cardinals and Eagles have also requested to interview McCoy, and the Browns may have to wait until after the Super Bowl if they believe he is their guy. McCoy's versatility and ability to get the very best out of his offensive personnel, along with his age, make him a very appealing head coaching candidate.

I would expect the Browns' next head coach to come from that group of five names, unless Saban suddenly has a change of heart in the next 48 hours or Haslam is able to pull Jon Gruden out of thin air.

None of those five are as "sexy" as Chip Kelly. However, they all may be more stable hires in both the short and long-term for a franchise that is desperately trying to become a perennnial winner that has a lot of young building blocks already in place.

One other good thing to come out of this -- Kelly, Marrone, O'Brien and Saban were all head coaching candidates being built up by NFL "insider" Michael Lombardi, who has been linked to a Browns front office job since midseason. It appears that Lombardi was unable to deliver on any of these candidates, which I'm sure doesn't help his future job prospects here in town.

Losing out on Chip Kelly is not the worst thing ever, Browns fans. In reality, the Browns probably avoided hiring the next Steve Spurrier, Bobby Petrino, Butch Davis, Howard Schellenberger, Lou Holtz and Dennis Erickson, among other college coaches that became NFL washouts. I can only imagine how much the Ravens and Steelers would have licked their chops trying to stop that gimmicky Kelly offense in December.

Hiring Kelly would have prompted another change at quarterback. Supposedly, Kelly told Haslam and Banner that none of the Browns' current quarterbacks could run the type of offense he wanted to run. What's disturbing is that Haslam and Banner were still interested in hiring the guy. Weeden was already linked to being possibily traded to the Kansas City Chiefs (where Tom Heckert could wind up being Andy Reid's hand-picked GM) before the Browns decided the risk outweighed the reward on Kelly.

Who knows, perhaps any one of these new hires will prompt a change at quarterback again. Weeden's rookie season was certainly an up-and-down one, but perhaps a change in schemes -- away from the basic West Coast offense Shurmur was trying to install to a more vertical-based, run-oriented attack -- would help him develop more as a second-year quarterback.

Joe Cleveland, for one, was ecstatic that the rumors (by the way, nice job, media, for blowing every little rumor out of proportion and virtually assuring everyone that Kelly was the new head coach) were unfounded and Kelly will keep his gimmicky-ass in Eugene, Ore. Now, let's bring in a proven commodity and turn this Brown and Orange ship around.

Until next time, remember that Cleveland Rocks!