Oregon coach history: Top 5 coaches who made significant contributions to Ducks' football program

The Oregon Ducks have had several coaches make an impact on their program; however, only three of their 22 head coaches have spent more than a decade leading the program. While there is no debate for the top spot, take a look at the five top coaches in program history below.

#1 Oregon coach: Mike Bellotti

Mike Bellotti is far and away the best coach in Oregon Ducks history. Bellotti, who coached Oregon coach from 1995 until his retirement and transition to athletic director in 2008, has the most wins, most conference wins and most bowl wins in program history. He retired with an all-time record of 116-55 as well as a 6-6 record in bowls.

Bellotti is often credited with turning the Ducks into a legitimate football program and the contenders that they are today. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

#2: Len Casanova

Len Casanova was the Oregon coach from 1951 until his retirement, which saw him also transition to athletic director, in 1966. Casanova led the program, which was then known as the Webfoots, to a record of 82-73-8 and was just 1-2 in bowl games. Casanova was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977.

#3: Rich Brooks

The third spot was a tough decision between longevity and success. Ultimately, longevity won out as Rich Brooks is the longest-tenured and second-winningest coach in Oregon Ducks history. He led the program from 1977 until he moved to the NFL in 1994.

He fell just short of the 100-win mark, leaving the Ducks with a 91-109-4 record and a 1-3 record in bowls. While he has an overall losing record, that is largely due to a 24-49-4 record over his first seven years.

#4: Chip Kelly

If Chip Kelly remained the Oregon coach for more than four seasons, he would likely be higher on this list. In the end, he wound up fourth for an impressive, but short, tenure that lasted from 2009 until 2012. The Ducks had a 46-7 record under Kelly, giving him the best winning percentage in program history, including a 2-2 record in bowl games.

#5: Mark Helfrich

Mark Helfrich coached the Oregon Ducks from 2013 until 2016. While his tenure ended on a bad note as the team finished just 4-8, he led the program to a 37-16 record overall as well as a 2-1 record in bowl games.