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10 best college football coaches who have never won a national title

By Dante Pryor

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Chris Petersen (C) of the Washington Huskies celebrates with his team after defeating the Boise State Broncos 38-7 in the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Chris Petersen (C) of the Washington Huskies celebrates with his team after defeating the Boise State Broncos 38-7 in the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 03: Head coach Chip Kelly of the Oregon Ducks participates in a post-game press conference after they defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 35 to 17 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 3, 2013, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 03: Head coach Chip Kelly of the Oregon Ducks participates in a post-game press conference after they defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 35 to 17 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 3, 2013, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

Best seasons: 2010 (12-1, loss in BCS title, finished No. 3), 2012 (12-1/won Fiesta Bowl, finished No. 2)

Chip Kelly is on this list for what he did at Oregon, not currently what’s going on in Los Angeles. Part of him being on this list is also what he did in the NFL.

No, he did not have long-term sustainable success in the NFL, but he did bring elements of what we know as the RPO offense to the league. Much of what he did well in Philadelphia has been copied. If nothing else the boldness to bring collegiate offensive philosophies to the pro game was his contribution while a professional coach.

As the head coach of the Oregon Ducks, many wondered if the Ducks were the new national powerhouse. While at Oregon, Kelly leveled the Ducks from a mid-tier program to national power in the Pac-12.

Mike Belotti inherited the program from Rich Brooks who laid the foundation. Under Belotti, the Ducks became a consistent bowl team and winner. They began to compete for top-level recruits in Southern California because of their “unique” jerseys in the 1990s. Belotti’s best year came in 2001 when he finished No. 2 in the country with an 11-1 record.

Kelly inherited a program that was healthy and had a consistent pipeline in California. He brought this hybrid spread, the zone-read offense to Eugene. He also brought something to college football we hadn’t seen since the days of Arthur Cooley and Mississippi Valley State: he brought tempo to big-time college football. They were fast and played fast.

Kelly’s tenure in Eugene is as much what if as it is innovation. On the balance, Oregon might have won a national title if Kelly stays, but he didn’t so we will never know.

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