Chip Kelly reportedly found his offensive coordinator.
The 49ers are hiring former Lions running back coach Curtis Modkins as their offensive coordinator, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Modkins, 45, served as Jim Caldwell’s run-game coordinator and running backs coach since joining the Lions in 2013. The Lions ranked third in the NFL in 2013 in total yards gained by running backs with 2,769 yards.
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But the Lions ranked last in the NFL in rushing yards last season at 83.4 yards per game.
Modkins was offensive coordinator/running backs coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2010-12. The Bills ranked fourth in rushing average (5.0) and sixth in rushing yards (2,217) in his final season on Chan Gailey’s staff.
On Wednesday, Kelly explained what he wants from his offensive coordinator.
[MAIOCCO: What Chip Kelly wants from offensive, defensive coaches]
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“I’m really looking for diversity, someone who comes from another system so we can continue to add and make what we do better,” Kelly said. “I think the collaboration when I went from Oregon to Philadelphia, to sit in a room with an offensive line coach from Alabama (Jeff Stoutland) and (offensive coordinator) Pat Shurmur, who was the head coach at Cleveland, (running backs coach) Duce Staley, who coached at Philadelphia, and (wide receivers coach) Bob Bicknell, who coached for the Buffalo Bills, and (tight end coach) Justin Peelle, who played here (for the 49ers) and played in Atlanta, and all of together put together the Philadelphia Eagles offense.
“I really want to replicate that and bring in some people that have some different viewpoints and different ideas and have done it differently, and we collectively as a group come together, and (ask) what’s the best, based on the personnel we have, to be successful offensively.”
More to come...