According to multiple reports released Saturday, the Oregon Ducks have promoted offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich to head coach. The move is expected to be announced Sunday. In addition, the Ducks promoted wide receivers coach Scott Frost to offensive coordinator.
Oregon expected Chip Kelly to return as the team's head coach after he flirted with the NFL in the days that followed the team's victory over Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl, but Kelly ultimately chose to take over as the head man of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Throughout his NFL recruitment, sources inside the University of Oregon athletic department indicated that the Ducks would name Helfrich the head coach if Kelly were to bolt to the NFL.
Although virtually unheard of since joining the Ducks, Helfrich has quietly served as Oregon's offensive coordinator since 2009, helping Oregon to two BCS bowl victories and a BCS national championship appearance.
The Register-Guard and CBS Sports have both reported that the Ducks will make the formal announcement on Sunday, at which time they'll also inform the Oregon fan base that wide receivers coach Scott Frost will take over as the new offensive coordinator.
Frost, like Helfrich, also joined the Oregon coaching staff in 2009, Kelly's first season as head coach of the Ducks. Frost, a Nebraska native, has been a target of the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the last couple of seasons, but he vowed to remain at Oregon and he's now expected to reap the benefits of his loyalty by earning a promotion to offensive coordinator.
Nick Aliotti will remain the team's defensive coordinator, a position he's held since 1999. On Thursday, USC attempted to hire Aliotti away from Oregon, but he declined. The 2013 season will be Aliotti's 22nd season as an Oregon coach.
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