First-year Oregon offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said he didn't want gory details.
He didn't need to know why Dennis Dixon lost grip of the team at the end of last year's 7-6 season, or why the talented, dual-threat quarterback finished with more interceptions (14) than touchdown passes (12).
It was February, and Kelly had just arrived in Eugene after 13 years at Division I-AA New Hampshire.
Kelly and Dixon met over a clean slate.
"He had three coordinators in four years," Kelly said Tuesday from Eugene. "I told him we were both on the same side. I said the more successful he is the more successful I am. We didn't have time to figure out if we liked each other or not. We were kind of thrown into this."
It was the beginning of a beautiful partnership.
Dixon and Kelly have teamed up to turn Oregon's spread into the Shred Offense, setting up an intriguing matchup on Saturday when No. 9 USC plays at No. 5 Oregon. Both teams are 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference.
Oregon ranks second nationally in total offense, averaging 550 yards a game. The Ducks gain an average of 6.94 yards a play while scoring 46.6 points per game -- the kind of numbers USC's offense used to put up.
USC Coach Pete Carroll, on Tuesday's conference coaches' call, described Oregon as "ridiculously effective."
USC counters with the nation's third-ranked defense, coming off a shutout win at Notre Dame.
"They're the best offense we've seen probably since we've been here," Carroll said of Oregon.
Dixon, a senior, leads the Ducks from head to webbed toe. He is the team's second-leading rusher with 416 yards and seven touchdowns and he has completed 69% of his passes for 1,728 yards and 16 touchdowns with only three interceptions.
Oregon has been running the spread offense for three years, but never like this.
Kelly took over when Gary Crowton left to become offensive coordinator at Louisiana State, and he has added elements to college football's most en vogue offense.
Kelly is more rooted in the West Virginia spread, pioneered by Rich Rodriguez, in which running the ball is just as important as the pass. While at New Hampshire, Kelly visited Clemson in 1999 when Rodriguez was the coordinator there.
"You need balance on the field," Kelly said. "I think that's the one thing we've done."
Last year, Oregon averaged 182 yards rushing a game and 241 yards passing. This year, the Ducks are averaging 294 yards rushing and 256 yards passing.
