Kelly the litmus test of a chip

Chip Kelly is now the man in Philly, but will his offense work in the NFL? (Getty Images)

The NFL game right now is truly fascinating. It’s evolving in so many interesting ways. Many traditional staples remain, but different concepts and tactics have taken hold. This has been particularly evident on the offensive side of the ball, where the infusion of what were once viewed solely (and negatively) as college schemes become more and more prevalent. There has been increasing integration between Saturday football and Sunday football, the most noticeable, of course, being the read option and the Pistol.

There’s more to it than that, however. It’s the mindset and mentality of offensive coaches in the NFL, many of whom have now come from the college ranks and have therefore coached offensive concepts utilized extensively in the NCAA. One thing that’s extremely important to remember, and will be the driving force behind the further assimilation of college and pro football is this: coaches coach what they know. That may seem simplistic, but it’s true.