Chip Kelly's debut as 49ers head coach didn't go entirely as he'd hoped, but there is no question he's making his mark.
The team ran 78 plays and doubled the Texans' play total in the first half (50 to 25). What was once a major source of frustration in Philadelphia now seems to be a source of amazement in the Bay Area among players.
"You look at ball games in the last year -- we were 52 (plays) total through the whole four quarters," tight end Vance McDonald said, via the Sacramento Bee. "Yeah, it's really fun. I knew this offense, going into the first preseason game, would open things up. It was just fun to get out there and let loose and wear the defense down."
While Kelly's offense didn't look identical to the one he ran in Philadelphia, he could just be operating a more vanilla version of the scheme for the sake of the preseason -- something he didn't necessarily do as head coach of the Eagles.
It is not a surprise to see the 49ers working at a rapid pace, but it is important for Kelly to continue hearing rave reviews about his offense from players. During an epic locker room turn in Philadelphia, it was his play calling and number of plays that ultimately became the rallying cry for disgruntled offensive players. The 49ers are hoping to strain the positives from his system and build for the future.
