Chip Kelly

SI: The four new coaches in the Pac-12 all plan to play some version of the spread. Is that better or worse for defensive coordinators?

CK: The toughest thing for a defensive coordinator is when everybody is different. When there's a lot of carryover, there's a little more familiarity. It's when [there's a] drastic [change] from week to week that it's more difficult to prepare.

SI: What are your thoughts on the playoff?

CK: One by-product is that the nonconference schedule is going to [continue] softening because people are afraid of a loss. I worry about that. We like playing those games, but we had the question last year: What if we didn't open with LSU, and we were a one-loss team [losing] to USC? Where are we? Are we in the mix?

SI: WHAT'S THE BEST INVENTION OF THE LAST HALF CENTURY?

CK: DIGITAL VIDEO. LESS THAN 10 YEARS AGO [WHEN I WAS AT NEW HAMPSHIRE] ONE OF OUR COACHES HAD TO FLY TO CHICAGO TO EXCHANGE FILMS. IT WAS AWFUL.

SI: What music do you listen to?

CK: I'm all over the map. That's why I love Pandora. I can go from the Dropkick Murphys to Frank Sinatra to Journey.

SI: How much of your favorite music—any Broadway?—winds up getting played during practices?

CK: Very, very minimal. I've got nothing to do with that. I had a little bit more juice early in my career. Now I've been phased out. I still think they play The Lion King a little.