Chip Kelly to Ducks Fans: Keep Looking

"Nope. Nope. Nope."

That was Chip Kelly talking about the chances of him returning to Eugene to coach the Oregon Ducks now that his protege, Mark Helfrich, has been fired.

"I just felt bad for Mark," Kelly told reporters in San Francisco where he was getting his 49ers ready for next week's game against the Bears.

"I love him like a brother. He's a tremendous person. He's a hell of a football coach, but he's an even better person. I felt for him and the rest of the guys on that staff. It's an unfortunate thing that goes on in this profession. We all knew it when we signed up for it, but when it happens you're still kind of taken aback by it."

Helfrich, who took over for Kelly four years ago, was fired Tuesday.

"We want to thank Mark for his eight years with the University of Oregon and appreciate his efforts on behalf of Oregon football," Oregon Athletic Director Rob Mullens said. "We wish Mark and his family the best."

Helfrich took the Ducks to the college football national championship game in 2014. Unfortunately, that was followed by a 9-4 season last year and a 4-8 record this season.

His departure may have become inevitable when the Ducks ended the season by losing to Oregon State for the first time in nearly a decade.

"No one wanted Mark to be more successful at Oregon more than me," Mullens said Tuesday night. "For the past several months I've grown concerned over the direction of the program. We were not competitive in a number of games and we were on a poor trajectory."

Mullens said the school will search "far and wide" for their new coach.

Helfrich coached the Ducks to a respectable 37-16 record in his four years at the helm.

"It is a great honor to have served as the head football coach at the University of Oregon," Helfrich said. "It is with respect and disappointment that we receive this decision. Plain and simple — we didn't win enough games this season.

"Thank you first to my wife, Megan, and our family, the fans, the campus community, the board, our donors and administration. To our coaches, staff and their families, it is impossible to communicate my gratitude for the environment we got to work in every single day."

There was little positive to be said about the season for the Ducks. In addition to seeing their streak against the Beavers end, they failed to make a bowl game for the first time since 2004 and their streak of 110 consecutive home sellouts - started in 1999 - came to an end.

It was also the first since in 25 years that they lost at least eight games.

Their first loss of the year was embarrassing to the team on a couple of levels. First, the loss was to Nebraska, coached by former Oregon State Coach Mike Riley. Second, the team tried for two-point conversions after all five of their touchdowns, converting only once. They lost 35-32.

The Ducks were also on the losing end of lopsided losses to Washington (70-21), USC (45-20), and Stanford (52-27).

Nike founder - and Duck alum - Phil Knight has reportedly pledged $10 million per year salary if the Ducks can find the right head coach.

Possible contenders to take over for Helfrich include Western Michigan Coach PJ Fleck, former LSU coach Les Miles and Alabama offensive coordinator Les Miles.

Photo San Francisco 49ers