The Two Former BSU Coaches Who Will Save Oregon Football

Mario Cristobal has left Eugene and the Oregon Ducks to return home to coach his alma mater, the Miami Hurricanes. The Ducks find themselves once again looking for their next head coach—the leader who would get them into the College Football Playoffs and eventually compete for national championships.

There's no valid reason why Oregon cannot be the kings of the west in college football. The problem has been picking coaches that weren't committed to the program's long-term success.

I will argue that the Oregon Chip Kelly years were historic for college football fans. SEC folks were concerned that Kelly would provide a western foil to their dominance. Many of Kelly's innovations at Oregon are now mainstream fundamentals in college and pro game.

Kelly left Oregon, and both have lost the allure that once captivated the game. Mark Hellfinch loved the Ducks, but he got the boot. Then love them and leave them. Willie Taggart got the job. He dissed Eugene after only one year to return to Florida State. His dream job turned out to be his professional nightmare.

Enter the unproven Cristobal, who won the Pac 12 a few times and has the Ducks on the right path. Cristobal, like Taggart, liked Oregon; he didn't love it. He's an east-of-the-great river kind of guy who played at Miami. There's no surprise that he would eventually go home.

This now leaves the Ducks looking for another head coach. Why not the Batman and Robin of Boise State Football? Chris Petersen is from our area. He has considerable ties to the region and Oregon. Can you imagine what Pete could do with Oregon's resources and the backing of Nike's Phil Knight? At Oregon, Pete will have every resource known to man and will not have to deal with unrealistic expectations that pushed him out of Washington. Chris Petersen has a great gig and a great life. However, Oregon is the one job that has the potential to fuel his return to college football.

If not, Pete, why not Harsin? Bryan Harsin, as we've detailed Harsin is under siege at Auburn. He fired his offensive coordinator while being on pace to have one of the worst recruiting classes in the SEC. Harsin's success in the region, both in recruiting and on the field at Boise State, would be a perfect fit for the Ducks. Plus, Harsin wouldn't be looking to leave for another opportunity. Why leave the Pac-12 where life is a lot easier than living with the college football crazies in the SEC?

Will Oregon make the call to Harsin or Petersen? Chip Kelly is rumored to be the top candidate for the Oregon job. However, are fans getting the Oregon Chipper or the UCLA Chipper? There's a big difference in performance and results.