You can't tell me there is a single college coach who hasn't entertained the thought of coaching in the NFL. Even Mr. College Football himself, Joe Paterno, verbally agreed to coach the Patriots back in the early 70's and then backed out.

That brings us to today where there are now 6 vacancies in the NFL and more on the way.

Mike Bellotti just turned 55 and it's now or never for Bellotti if he wants to give the NFL a shot.

Not too many college coaches have had success in the NFL (see Dennis Erickson and Butch Davis). But is this an itch that Bellotti wants to scratch ?

Bellotti is the king of Eugene. He gets the best table at The Electric Station. He gets paid close to a million dollars a year and in Eugene a million goes a long ways.

But coaches and players always want to know if they can compete on the highest level, and in this case it's the NFL.

Bellotti has been asked in the past if the NFL interests him and he always said he didn't want to think about it until his kids were out of the house. Right now two are in college and the other child is 12 years old. But if he waits 5 more years the NFL dream would probably be over.

So as we start the New Year Mike Bellotti has to be asking himself what he wants to do now. Maybe he wouldn't even be considered for an NFL job ? Maybe Bellotti feels his college career isn't complete until he coaches in a National Championship game ? Something he hasn't done yet.

With all these coaching vacancies in the NFL you have to wonder if the NFL came calling, would Bellotti listen.

Ron
RPivo@kgw.com

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