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San Francisco 49ers: What to Expect from Chip Kelly’s Offense in 2016

By Peter Panacy

Dec 6, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly looks on from the sidelines during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly looks on from the sidelines during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /
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August 1, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive assistant Ejiro Evero during training camp at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
August 1, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive assistant Ejiro Evero during training camp at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Applying Chip Kelly’s Scheme to the 49ers Offense

It would be nice if Kelly could simply throw out everything associated with the 49ers offense last season: offensive coordinator Geep Chryst’s game plan, quarterbacking struggles, a banged-up running game and a last-place finish in what was a boring, uninspiring offensive approach.

But, as stated previously, the NFL is a player’s league. And Kelly will have to adjust his game plan to suit what San Francisco has, and will have, entering the 2016 season.

A lot of this will start up front.

San Francisco’s offensive line ranked dead last in the league in run blocking, according to Football Outsiders, and this unit was a measly 31st in pass protection with an adjusted sack rate of 9.1 percent.

Kellly’s offense rarely uses a running back to add to protection schemes, as Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus points out:

Combine this with the considerably high number of shotgun plays and spread formations seen from Kelly, and it’s easy to draw a conclusion the 49ers will need help along the O-line.

The 49ers offense shouldn’t be unfamiliar with a shotgun approach — 61 percent of player were out of shotgun last year — but the no-huddle scheme will be something almost entirely different for the players carrying over into 2016.

San Francisco ran just 61 of 970 plays without a huddle last season.

This means streamlined communication from Kelly on down to the players themselves. But the new approach doesn’t necessarily translate into one single speed on offense.

Kelly’s offense will have to vary its approach based on what opposing defenses are doing. It’s nothing new to NFL ranks, but something not exactly seen from San Francisco’s offense in 2015.

Next: Finding the Right Quarterback