In Philadelphia, Chip Kelly was a polarizing figure as head coach of the Eagles.
Front-line offensive players such as Lane Johnson, DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Evan Mathis all eventually sided against him. Many didn’t like the way they were treated. The way Kelly’s fast-paced, spread offense was run also came under fire.
Johnson, a top Eagles draft pick and standout offensive tackle, told the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News that perhaps Kelly’s ego “got in the way.”
“Too much power, control,” he said. “Not being human about things. Not working together, with the team, instead of being a dictator.”
So, after three seasons, the Kelly experiment ended in Philadelphia with hard feelings. And, when the 49ers hired Kelly as head coach earlier this offseason, many NFL analysts warned that the Niners were making a mistake.
But so far, so good in San Francisco.
Though it’s very early – Kelly hasn’t yet coached a game, let alone begun training camp – many of the 49ers have talked about the excitement of starting over with Kelly and the energy that he and his staff have brought to the franchise after a season in the doldrums under Jim Tomsula.
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The latest 49er to voice his enthusiasm is running back Carlos Hyde, who should be an important piece of the Kelly offense in 2016.
Hyde, coming off an injury, is healthy and fit again and feels comfortable in an offense much like the one he was in at Ohio State.
“I feel like the team has bought into his system,” Hyde said on an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio recently. “Even though it’s new to most guys, I’m kind of familiar with the system from college. But I definitely feel like everybody has bought into the system. And guys are just really looking forward this season. Guys are really looking forward to make a name for themselves.”
Kelly has billed his offense as a run-first attack, and wherever he’s been – Oregon or Philadelphia – he’s used a corps of running backs and utilized them in both the running and passing games. That has Hyde eager to see what’s ahead.
In two NFL seasons, Hyde has caught just 23 passes. Short passes to running backs were largely absent from the 49ers game plan in 2015.
“I definitely believe that his system will showcase all my abilities,” Hyde said. “Not just as a ball carrier, but also as a threat in the passing game. … To me, this system is just a blessing in disguise. I’m really looking forward to this year.”
