Is Helfrich the Right Fit?
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Mark Helfrich. Photo Credit: Athies22, CC
Through one season, though, Oregon’s Mark Helfrich is better than both former Ducks coaches. It’s true - his 11 victories in his first year on the job are the most in University of Oregon history. But the grousing was about those two losses to Stanford (again) and Arizona, a squandered opportunity at a national title.
But that’s where expectations reside within this program, which Helfrich knew all too well when he was promoted from his post of offensive coordinator in January 2013. While he’ll never complain - asked recently what he knows now that he didn’t before, a chuckling Helfrich said, “A million things, literally” - it’s hard for some, like former defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti, to remain silent when (and if) the hire is questioned.
“Chip went to four BCS games in a row - whoever stepped into that seat was going to be judged harshly or with a fine-tooth comb,” said Aliotti, who can be seen this fall serving as a studio analyst for the Pac-12 Network. “… But I think Mark’s outstanding and the best is yet to come."
The learning curve
“From your first to second year, just like from your first to second game, you make a quantum leap.”
In a former life, this writer covered Kansas State football, including what was supposed to be Bill Snyder’s final season. Under Snyder, the Wildcats went from laughingstock to contender - read Bill Connelly’s fantastic recent piece at SB Nation for more information on how that happened - and they did so with Snyder using his quarterback, in large part, as a runner.
Snyder’s successor, Ron Prince, installed a pro-style offense. That, along with a litany of other ideas and traditions the first-time head coach introduced, was doomed. He was a failure, mainly because he attempted to radically change a culture that was working just fine.
Know who Prince’s successor was? Snyder.
The point? Usually, it’s best to stick with what is tried and true, especially when it’s a new experience for the person in charge. Which is precisely what Helfrich did in Year One, churning out wins at the usual high pace - remember, Kelly lost seven games overall and four conference games in four seasons - but without placing his own personal, identifiable stamp on the final product.
There’s time for that.
“I think there’s a great learning curve,” Aliotti said. “Anybody doing something for the first time, if they work at it, they’re going to be so much better in their second year because you learn on the job. There’s no manual that tells you how to be a head coach or how to be a parent. It’s just something you grow into as you’re doing it.
“Mark has the IQ, the acumen to be an outstanding coach. I think he’s good already.”
Photo Credit: "Mark Helfrich" by Athies22 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
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