NFL

Former coach Andy Reid often hinted at a committee, but when the chips were down he rode his starter. Shurmur and Chip Kelly, however, appear set on using two backs. "It's a long season, and a guy can run out of gas quickly," Shurmur said. "If you have guys who are different, you can use them in different ways, and you try to play to their strengths." From LeGarrette Blount and Jeremiah Johnson, to LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, to Barner and De'Anthony Thomas, Kelly was a believer in two-back rotations at Oregon. The exact split between McCoy and Brown will likely come down to how much Brown improves this offseason. His issues with ball security and bouncing runs to the outside as a rookie were major red flags.