Helfrich should be 1st Oregon coach fired since 1976
Considering Oregon hasn't fired a head coach since 1976, the Ducks job comes with a certain degree of security.
That being said, Mark Helfrich is really going to test the school's patience after an atrocious 2016 campaign.
In a season loaded with setbacks, the last one was perhaps the most damning, as Oregon lost the Civil War rivalry Saturday to Oregon State for the first time since 2007.
Not even the Chip Kelly-led offenses from a few years prior could overcome what is arguably the worst defense in program history, allowing 45 points per game in Pac-12 play.
The offense can still score points in bunches, averaging 32.8 in conference play, but simple math tells you that's not good enough.
Rich Brooks was named head coach in 1976 and stayed with the Ducks though 1994 before leaving for the NFL. Next on the scene was Mike Bellotti, who had served under Brooks since 1989. He excelled with the promotion, leading the Ducks to three 10-win seasons.
Bellotti would move from the sideline to the office after the 2008 season, taking a job as the athletic director and promoting Kelly from the offensive coordinator position. Kelly would take the program to new heights before heading to the NFL after the 2012 season.
Another promotion would fill the role, as the offensive coordinator Helfrich was given the job, and he kept the Kelly train rolling for his first year with a national title game appearance.
He dropped to 9-4 in his second season before laying down the 4-8 stinker in year three - the first time Oregon has lost eight games since 1991.
While the main problem is certainly the defense, Helfrich had to sign off on the Brady Hoke hire before the season. The former Michigan coach was brought in to fix the disastrous unit led by Don Pelham in 2015. Not only did Hoke fail to fix the problems, but they got even worse under his watch.
Oregon used to make up for a lack of recruiting talent with its exciting, fast-paced offense that put speedy playmakers in space. Unfortunately for the Ducks, they're no longer the only school running that system, and have fallen behind.
Without that offense to hide an awful defense, the team crashed back to reality in 2016. ESPN's Darren Rovell reported that Nike founder, and top Oregon booster, Phil Knight is willing to pay $10 million-plus per year for a new coach to win a title now.
Whether that comes to fruition or not, it's becoming clear that a new voice from outside the program is needed to return Oregon to prominence.