With spring football on the horizon, Bellotti had a decision to make

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Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, right, talks with quarterback Dennis Dixon after an Oregon touchdown against Washington in this Oct. 20, 2007, file photo.

By Nick Krupke KVAL Sports and KVAL.com Staff

Story Published: Mar 13, 2009 at 6:00 PM PST

Mike Bellotti with the Ducks

  Mike Bellotti

By the numbers
  • 14 seasons
     
  • 116 victories with the Ducks
     
  • 12 bowl games
     
  • Two Pac-ten championships
     
  • 8-and-6 against Oregon State in the Civil War
     
  • Only coach to ever lead Oregon to a 10-win season. That happened four times in   2000, 2005 and 2008 plus an 11-win season in the fiesta bowl run of 2001.
EUGENE, Ore. -- With spring football at the end of the month, Mike Bellotti had to make a decision:

  • STAY: Take charge of spring football at the end of the month and coach the Ducks through one more season after announcing he'd move to the athletic director's office at a time of his choosing and turn over the helm of Oregon football to Chip Kelly; or
     
  • GO: Take 116 victories over 14 years -- the winningest record in University of Oregon football history -- and head for a new leadership role with a department he knows well: Oregon athletics.

Some thought Bellotti would make the call this quick, but the decision still made news outside the world of college football:

The Ducks will take the field for spring ball March 30, 2009, under head coach and former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

Bellotti will step into an advisory role to athletic director Pat Kilkenny -- and take over Kilkenny's job July 1. 

This succession plan was previously announced on Dec. 2.

Bellotti stepping down as Oregon football coach

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Mike Bellotti is stepping down as Oregon's football coach to become the school's athletic director, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will be promoted to head coach.

Bellotti, who has coached the Ducks for the last 14 seasons, takes over his new position July 1, replacing athletic director Pat Kilkenny. Kelly becomes coach on March 30, the opening day of spring practice.

The moves first were announced in December, but no timetable was set for the transition.

Bellotti will serve in the interim as senior counselor to Kilkenny, who will step down June 30.

Oregon's athletic department scheduled a news conference Saturday to discuss the transition. Bellotti would not comment until then.

Bellotti, 58, has gone 116-55 as coach of the Ducks. This past season Oregon went 10-3 with a 42-31 win over Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl. The Ducks finished the season ranked No. 10

Under Bellotti, the Ducks have gone to 12 bowl games. In 2001 Oregon won 11 games, including a 38-16 victory over Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl to finish ranked No. 2

Bellotti joined the Ducks as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Rich Brooks in 1989.

Kelly, who has been at Oregon the past two seasons and designed the team's spread-option offense, becomes the Ducks' 30th coach, and the third in the last 33 years.

Kilkenny was named AD in February 2007 and said at the time he planned to serve in that position for two years.

A prominent booster, Kilkenny has spearhead plans to build a new basketball arena to replace venerable McArthur Court.

(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.)

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