Please lock this one up mods

[Chester McFloppy]

for this so-called NFL-ready offense

First time I've ever heard Oregon's offense referred to as "NFL-ready."

 

[D Fly]

Did not want this guy at all. smh

 

[IATT]

FROM Peter Kings Monday Morning Quarterback:

9. I think that, while I agree that the Eagles' aggressiveness in interviewing the best college coaches (minus Nick Saban) in the country is good, it says much about the impression of this franchise that Chip Kelly, Bill O'Brien and Brian Kelly all either turned down the chance to coach the team or withdrew their names from consideration after being interviewed.

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I understand the vagaries of college coaches interviewing for jobs, and how some of them (most, maybe) want to use the interviews to better their lots in college. But the Eagles have averaged 10.4 wins a year, with nine playoff appearances since the turn of the century. That's about as good as it gets, aside from the Super Bowl drought, in a highly competitive league. But now, this could be a team trending downward.

startclickprintexcludeendclickprintexclude

Owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a club statement: "There is no question we spent a considerable amount of time and effort looking at who we thought were the best collegiate candidates for our head coaching job. We did so knowing that there was a remote chance that these coaches would leave their current posts. We understood that going into the process, but we wanted to leave no stone unturned while trying to find the best head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. We have no regrets about the effort we made in that direction and we will continue to proceed as planned in our search."

startclickprintexcludeendclickprintexclude

Fine. But would three premier college coaches say no to the Steelers? The Giants? The Packers? Don't think so.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130114/peter-king-monday-morning-quarterback-divisional-playoffs/#ixzz2IAl01b00

 

[dajoka004]

Fine. But would three premier college coaches say no to the Steelers? The Giants? The Packers? Don't think so.

That's like asking if the premier college coaches would have said no to the Eagles immediately after the 2004 season. Peter King is an idiot.

 

[lyonbc1]

Fine. But would three premier college coaches say no to the Steelers? The Giants? The Packers? Don't think so.

That's like asking if the premier college coaches would have said no to the Eagles immediately after the 2004 season. Peter King is an idiot.

Yeah that was so stupid to include at the end of the article, if any of those teams were 4-12 then you know a coach wouldn't wanna go either welp he's wrong anyways just wish we could rock the oregon style nike jerseys but that was more a Phil Knight-School situation...either way I'm happy, everything I've read is that he's a great leader and has a tremendous work ethic and isn't married to one system...at UNH he threw it 50 times a game while at Oregon he ran the ball more, this could be great

 

[stillin729]

Macy's in the Philly area has a crap ton of Nike Eagles gear all at 50% off plus another 15%

Time to go stock up, I'm excited again! You got me Jeff and Howie

 

[big van vader]

What good is scoring 49 if we're going to give up 50?

I'm cool with the hire but the defense NEEDS to be addressed.

 

[stillin729]

What good is scoring 49 if we're going to give up 50?

I'm cool with the hire but the defense NEEDS to be addressed.

That's what a defense coordinator is for

People need to relax and not be quick to judge right away, he could be the next Lombardi or he could be the next failure

 

[IATT]

What good is scoring 49 if we're going to give up 50?

I'm cool with the hire but the defense NEEDS to be addressed.

That's what a defense coordinator is for

People need to relax and not be quick to judge right away, he could be the next Lombardi or he could be the next failure

def need a strong DC

http://igglesblitz.com/philadelphia-eagles-2/answering-some-chip-kelly-questions/
[h1]Answering Some Chip Kelly Questions[/h1]
Posted: January 16th, 2013 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 35 Comments »

We’ve got a lot to talk about.  Rather than trying to cover everything in great detail, let’s just cover a variety of the hot topics.

Why Chip?  What Happened? Chip was their top target all along.  It was hard for him to leave Oregon, especially since the Eagles were talking to him 48 hours after his team’s season had just ended.  I think Chip still liked the idea of the NFL, but decided to stay put.

As time went by, the thought of going to the NFL tugged at him.  Think about last weekend’s playoff games.  The Niners won with a college style offense.  Their coach, Jim Harbaugh, was just at Stanford going against Chip a few years back.  Seattle scored 28 points with a rookie QB…on the road.  Should have had 31 or 34.  Their coach, Pete Carroll, was just at USC taking on Chip a few years back.  They were beat by Atlanta, whose offense is run by Dirk Koetter, former Arizona State coach who pushed a an aggressive, sped-up attack when he was in college football.  The Pats scored 41 points and won.  Their no-huddle offense was influenced by Chip himself.

I’m sure part of Chip was seeing this and wondering how he would do on the big stage.  Could he make his ideas work at the highest level?

Howie Roseman is a very persistent man.  He doesn’t take “no” lightly.  Chip said no to the Eagles, but Howie stayed in touch with his agent, just in case.

My guess is that last night after the Eagles talked to Gus Bradley and had met with Ken Whisenhunt and Lovie Smith and Jay Gruden and Brian Billick…Lurie and Roseman decided to take one more run at Chip.  Why settle?  Go for your first choice, if you can get him.  They made a final pitch and this time Chip said “yes”.

Is Chip a bad guy for leaving Oregon like this?  Less than 48 hours ago Chip was at a recruit’s house trying to get him to come to Oregon.  Does that make him a liar and a jerk?  I’m sure some feel that way.  If at the time Chip intended to stay at Oregon, I’ve got no problem with him.  If he knew he wanted out, then recruiting kids is questionable.

Some will say that Chip found out about pending NCAA sanctions and bolted.  Maybe.  He knew about them back in early January, but didn’t leave.  I really do think this was a case of an idea nagging at him.  It wouldn’t surprise me if part of this is Chip’s desire to prove that he’s not Steve friggin Spurrier, 2.0.

Will Michael Vick be the QB?  I don’t think so.  Chip is a demanding coach that puts a ton of pressure on his QBs.  They must make the right reads in the run game.  They must make the right reads in the passing game.  All sacks are blamed on the QB.  Chip has high standards and will not settle for less.

Vick has been a running QB, but that doesn’t mean he’s been a good decision-maker while running the option.  Those are two different things.  Vick isn’t an ideal decision-maker in the passing game.  He also takes too many sacks and turnovers have been an issue for years.

Maybe Chip will want him.  Possible.  I just think it is unlikely.  And the real key here is money.  Vick would have to take a major pay cut before the discussion about keeping him could even take place.  I don’t know if Vick will do this.

Schemes?  One huge misconception is that Chip needs a running QB.  That is not the case.  He needs a good QB.  At Oregon Chip used mobile QBs because they were available and fit what he was trying to do out there.  I’m sure Chip would love a gifted passer with running skills, but passing ability, leadership, and decision-making skills are more important than mobility.

Chip’s offense is built on the run game.  He does like to run some read-option.  In order for that to be effective you need a QB who can run a little, but it is the threat of the QB running that is the key to freezing the unblocked DE.  That allows the RB to have space.  If Chip can find a QB who can occasionally run for 5 yards, he can do a lot of what he does.  If he has the right pocket passer, he’ll use that guy to pass and his RBs to run.  Chip will build based on his personnel.

I do expect to see plenty of no-huddle.  Chip wants to run a lot of plays.  He wants to put pressure on the defense.  This isn’t always easy on his defense, but don’t think that Chip is purely a one-sided coach.  He’s not Mike Martz.  Chip has ideas, but isn’t stubborn.  He’ll adjust to fit the NFL game.

As for defense, I think he’s more of a 3-4 guy, but we’ll have to wait and see what he says.

Staff?  I have no idea who Chip will hire on offense.  Will he bring in NFL guys?  Oregon guys?  I’d love for him to have an older NFL coach on the staff so he could use that guy’s experience when some strange situations popped up.

On defense Chip needs to hire a strong, veteran coach.  Lovie Smith has said he will not be a DC this year.  The Bears are paying his salary for 2013 so why work as a DC when you can get ready to make a run at being a HC in 2014.  I’d forgotten about the Bears paying him this year.

There are some other veteran coaches available.  We’ll see who Chip goes after.  I’d prefer a DC with NFL experience, but would be open to a college coach with the right track record.  The key is to hire someone with an established system and plenty of experience.  We’ve had brand new DCs for 3 of the last 4 years.  We need experience.

Uniforms?  The crazy uniforms were an Oregon/Nike thing, not a Chip Kelly thing.

* * * * *

There’s lots more to discuss, but we don’t need everything covered at once.

I know that I’m excited.

 

[stillin729]

Damn I just copped $175 Destroyer jacket, $70 thremafit hoody, $35 Dri fit for $104.63 [emoji]128515[/emoji]
View media item 220733

 

[airuphere23]

I'm happy Chip Kelly is the head coach of this team, and I do think he has what it takes to be successful with this team, just as long as he can implement the right personnel then I think he'll have success here. I don't think Nick Foles is the guy he wants in his system, and it's clear the Eagles were in awe of his innovative style of a fast paced offense in Oregon....


Will Mike Vick be back? With the way he's played as of the last couple of seasons....I hope not. Plus he's older now, his prime is already here, and I don't see Vick being that dynamic QB like he was with Atlanta. Just hope they address the O-line, pick up some fast defensive players through the draft and free agency, and a good solid defensive coordinator for starters. The QB situation might not be addressed until 2014 if Foles stays on the roster and fails. Overall, I'm content though with this hire.

 

[VinMillerHearn58]

Now we just need to see who the next DC is. We also need to address the o-line, and the defense.

 

[IATT]

Now we just need to see who the next DC is. We also need to address the o-line, and the defense.

if we can get joeckel at 4 then we should be good on the Oline.. herremans moves back to guard IF peters can come back healthy

then mathis and watkins can battle it out for the next guard spot.. mathis played well next to peters though

i'm just curious what we do IF joeckel isn't there, since he's the only no brainer pick..

but they are saying we may move to a 3-4 and if that is the case, then we need a NT.. so star may be the pick.. since cox, jenkins and landri can all play the end spots in the 3-4.. we just need that big body to plug the middle (granted we did bring back dixon)

 

[VinMillerHearn58]

Now we just need to see who the next DC is. We also need to address the o-line, and the defense.

if we can get joeckel at 4 then we should be good on the Oline.. herremans moves back to guard IF peters can come back healthy

then mathis and watkins can battle it out for the next guard spot.. mathis played well next to peters though




i'm just curious what we do IF joeckel isn't there, since he's the only no brainer pick..

but they are saying we may move to a 3-4 and if that is the case, then we need a NT.. so star may be the pick.. since cox, jenkins and landri can all play the end spots in the 3-4.. we just need that big body to plug the middle (granted we did bring back dixon)

Should we try to get Lovie Smith as DC?

 

[Nike Jordan]

Lovie Smith is sitting out for 2013. He only wants to be a head coach, not a DC.

 

[IATT]

well what i am hoping is that we can get john gruden to come in as OC, since he was willing to take that position at oregon to work and learn from chip.. but his wife stopped that from happening because she didn't want to move up there..

we just need some coaches on staff who have NFL experience.. but they are saying we may go after UGA's DC or UF's DC

switching to a 3-4 might not be a bad idea for us.. i think graham, hunt and trent should all be able to play OLB.. and kendricks played ILB in cal's 3-4

and as i mentioned above, we have the DEs for it

 

[IATT]

[h1]http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...rs-surrounding-chip-kellys-move-to-the-eagles[/h1][h1] [/h1][h1]Questions and Answers Surrounding Chip Kelly's Move to the Eagles[/h1]
By Chuck Klosterman on
January 16, 2013 5:25 PM ET

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Chip Kelly is the new head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. This is more exciting than it probably should be; obviously, coaches change jobs all the time. But this feels different, somehow. Kelly is the best contemporary offensive mind in America (that’s an arguable designation, but it’s certainly the argument I would make if you put a gun to my head and started asking bizarre, subjective questions about football strategy). The Eagles are an elite NFL franchise in total disarray, habitually hounded by a fan base that despises everything (including themselves). There are landmines aplenty, all in the form of questions. Here are the main ones:

Why is this happening? The main explanation is that the Eagles likely view Kelly the same way I do — they see him as the best available brain. They continued to pursue him even after he declined their first offer. But there might be something more here: The moment Colin Kaepernick broke away for his defining 56-yard run against the Packers, a debate about the future of football abruptly ended. There is no longer any question over the theoretical value of “collegiate” concepts like the read option. Traditional pro-style offenses still dominate the landscape, but the fastest way to make a bad team average — or, in the case of the Eagles, the fastest way to make an average team good — is to attack opponents the way Oregon attacks the Pac-12. The Bears' decision to hire Marc Trestman from the CFL seems tangentially connected to this philosophical sea change; the NFL is slowly accepting that it needs new ideas.

OK, sure. But why is this really happening? Probably because the NCAA is going to impose sanctions against the Oregon Ducks (I have absolutely no proof of this, and I hope I’m wrong — but we’ve all seen this scenario before). There’s also some suspicion that Kelly is less popular in Oregon than logic might dictate: While visiting the Pacific Northwest over Christmas, I happened to read a story in the Willamette Week that claimed Duck boosters dislike Kelly’s unwillingness to perform all the bureaucratic ******** required of modern coaches at major programs (speaking at fundraisers, representing the school at public functions, stroking the local media, etc.). Though the article was considerably less then totally convincing, I don’t doubt the premise. Kelly might have felt curious friction from an Oregon administration unusually willing to part with a guy whose record there was 46-7.

Does this mean Michael Vick now stays in Philadelphia? Probably not (although that possibility suddenly seem twice as plausible as it did yesterday). Vick’s issue is supposedly with Philadelphia’s offensive line; the Eagles’ problems with Vick focus on the amount of money he expects to earn ($32 million over the next two seasons) and the rapid erosion of his skills. He appears to be a man headed for someplace like Minnesota. However, it’s hard not to fantasize about Vick orchestrating Kelly’s Blur offense. Even if he’s lost two steps, a healthy Vick would be a read-option nightmare: How many defensive ends could be reasonably tackle him on the edge of space, one-on-one?

Isn’t this the worst possible offense for Nick Foles? Yes and no. Foles is a 6-foot-6 ectomorph who ran a 5.14 40 at the 2012 NFL Combine. There are certain things he simply could not do in a high-octane, run-oriented offense. But who is to say that the system Kelly used as Oregon will be identical to what he unleashes in Philly? They’ll certainly play faster, but not necessarily in a fashion that’s reliant on the quarterback’s mobility. It might just be a hyper version of how the Patriots operate. Playing at Arizona as a senior, Foles directed an up-tempo, no-huddle spread scheme and passed for 4,334 yards. In fact, it’s possible that Foles was one of the central reasons Kelly wanted this particular job.

What does all this mean for the rest of us? If you’re in a fantasy keeper league and you happen to have LeSean McCoy on your roster, do not let him go, even if your newborn child is in danger.

 

[D Fly]

Eh..I'm probably overreacting.

I just hope it turns out to be the right move.

 

[VinMillerHearn58]

Imagine our team holding up those large pictures that dictate the play that we are running.

 

[D Fly]

Was browsing the Eagles' message boards and came across this post, a Ducks fan's take on the Chip Kelly hire. Thought it was an interesting read.

So, as a long-time Oregon fan, who is also excited to see what Chip Kelly will do in the NFL, I have been reading your forum all day. Here are some thoughts from somebody who has followed Chip Kelly and what he did at Oregon closer than any of the national pundits who have been spewing opinions all day. I'm going to try and focus on stuff I haven't seen much about, because it's the kind of stuff I'd be interested in if he was coming to my team.

-He is a brilliant QB coach and evaluator. As a coach, he made Dennis Dixon (a guy who was an interception throwing, time-splitting head case his junior year) a Heisman Trophy favorite before his injury. He then made Jeremiah Masoli (a guy who is 5'10" on a good day and can't throw for crap) into a household name. He follows that by taking Darron Thomas (a solid talent at best...as evidenced by the lack of NFL interest) and making him into a collegiate star. And now this season, he finally has Marcus Mariota (a true talent and future NFL QB) and he becomes one of the top QB's in the country as a Freshman. One thing we quickly learned at Oregon is if Chip offered a QB (no matter what the recruiting "experts" said), then he is going to be a stud. Oregon was the first school to offer both Mariota and Johnny Manziel (and in fact both originally committed to Oregon before Texas A&M got into the picture). He also once had a verbal from Taj Boyd of Clemson. So, when it comes to quarterback, if Chip decides on Vick or Foles or brings in a Dixon (backup possibility) or Alex Smith or decides to draft someone, his track record would suggest he knows what he's doing.

-Two other quick points on QB's. He wants a passer who can run, not the other way around. Chip also stresses to his QB's that they should avoid taking unnecessary hits. Philosophy is first down, touchdown, get down. He wants them to be a threat in the read option game, but not to take a shot to pick up a few extra yards here and there. Though Marcus Mariota gained 700 yards rushing this season, I'd say he took about 2 big hits all season on running plays (took more than that in the pocket, but those happen no matter your offensive philosophy).

-He is known as Big Balls Chip because of his 4th down decision making. When he took over as head coach, he analyzed the mathmatical data that says coaches punt and kick field goals far more often than they should if they're trying to maximize points scored. Plus he just believes that going for it more often puts strain on your opponents and sets an aggressive tone for your team. I suspect he will be a little more conservative in the league, but that just means he won't go for it on 4th and 4 from his own 38 (did it multiple times this season) on the opening possession. I still think he will go for it on any 4th down of a manageable distance once his team crosses the 50.

-An athletic center is a key to doing all the things he likes to do with his offense. Oregon had Max Unger (all pro for Seattle this season) when Kelly arrived and now have a future NFL'er in Hronnis Grasu. These guys are used in a ton of different ways. They pull a ton, are expected to get to the second level often and are huge in the screen game. I'm not sure what the Eagles current center is like, but if he is athletic, that will be a big plus. Oregon had Jordan Holmes (solid, but not a stud) in between the two guys I mentioned and they were forced to scrap some of their most effective plays.

-He will often play multiple backs at the same time, as long as one has the ability to be a threat catching the ball. In his early years as OC this happened less because he didn't have that versatile back, but over the past 3 seasons, he found tons of ways to get combinations of LaMicheal James, Kenjon Barner, and DeAnthony Thomas on the field at the same time. This lead to huge matchup issues and headaches for opposing defenses. It seems Philly has some guys well suited for some of this.

-His offense is great for tight ends and he uses them in a myriad of ways. When he had Ed ****on (Ravens), he flexed him often because he was a great receiver and blocked well in space. With David Paulson (Steelers), he put him on the LOS more often because that's where he was most effective and now he has Colt Lyerla (crazy athlete) and used him all over the place.

-His Oregon teams basically never had a letdown. They didn't play close games against inferior opponents, they obliterated them and then played backups the entire second half. He was a master motivator and has, by all accounts, some of the most efficient/unique practices in football at any level. How that will translate is up to debate, but my money would be on him figuring out how to make it work with the Eagles.

I know this is a long post, but hopefully (for those that stuck with it) you got some interesting tidbits of information. If you have any questions I might be able to answer, I'll be checking back and will do my best to answer them.

 

[IATT]

[h1]http://www.csnphilly.com/football-p...24091&feedID=704&awid=5516300431112933774-711[/h1][h1]Source: Kelly eyeing Georgia's Grantham as def. coordinator[/h1]January 16, 2013, 6:20 pm function landing_eagles_290_getCommentInfo(response){if (response.errorCode == 0) {var commentCount = response.streamInfo.commentCount;var commentPhrase = commentCount != 1 ? 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Todd Grantham led the Georgia Bulldogs to the nation's 18th-ranked scoring defense in 2012. (USA Today Images)

A league source tells CSN's Derrick Gunn that new Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is trying to convince Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to take the same position in Philadelphia.

Grantham joined Georgia in 2010 and guided the Bulldogs to the nation's 18th-ranked scoring defense this past season (19.6 points against per game).

Grantham does have NFL experience with previous stints as an assistant with Dallas, Cleveland, Houston and Indianapolis.

The Eagles' defense struggled throughout 2012. Juan Castillo was fired as defensive coordinator and replaced by Todd Bowles in mid-October. The unit finished tied for 29th in scoring defense (27.8 points per game) and tied for last in the league in takeaways (13).

http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-georgia-sports/2012/11/25/nick-saban-gives-some-love-to-todd-grantham/
[h1]Nick Saban gives some love to Todd Grantham[/h1]
9:38 pm November 25, 2012, by AJC Sports

Nick Saban gave out a lot of love for UGA during his Sunday teleconference for the SEC Championship game

Much of Saban’s love was for Todd Grantham, UGA’s intense defensive coordinator. Grantham worked under Saban at Michigan State as an assistant from 1996-98.

Nick Saban hired Todd Grantham as an assistant at Michigan State (AP)

The way Saban reminisced, it was like the two were together drawing up X’s and O’s yesterday. Saban dared to rank Grantham as one of his best ever assistants – a group that includes Derek Dooley, Will Muschamp and Kirby Smart.

Here’s what Saban said:

“Todd is an outstanding coach, coached on our staff way back at Michigan State. That seems like a long time ago.  But had a lot of good experience in the NFL. I’ve always been really close to Todd professionally and personally.  I think he’s done a phenomenal job there (at Georgia). There are some similarities in the system and scheme they use relative to what we use.  But I just think he has done a really good job. (He) has his own ideas and methods about how he does it.  I think their players play extremely well.  I think that always has something to do with the coach, the system, (and) how it’s taught. They do a really good job.”

“If you’re going to rank assistants, he’s one of the two or three best I’ve ever had on our staff.  Did a phenomenal job for us.  I certainly have a lot of respect for what he’s done at Georgia.”

What do you think about Grantham? Is Saban correct? And will Grantham, like his other favorite assistants, eventually be a head coach? Please post below.

 

[IATT]

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Getting to know Eagles head coach Chip Kelly

Chip Kelly's hiring as the Eagles' head coach has raised a few key questions:

Which quarterback will fit Kelly's system? What's his biggest challenge in jumping to the NFL? What will the Eagles' defense look like?

NBC Sports analyst and former NFL head coach Tony Dungy joined John Boruk on SportsNite Wednesday to discuss those topics.

Your son Eric played this past year -- he's a sophomore wide receiver at Oregon -- so you have a little bit of insight on what Chip Kelly does in that offense and his coaching style.

My son has actually been there three years and is a redshirt sophomore, and I’ve known Coach Kelly since then, and I tell you, Philadelphia is getting a tremendous coach. In watching him practice and seeing what they do in the spring and training camp when I was there, they practice a lot like a NFL team.

I don’t think the adjustment is going to be too big and, I don’t know this for a fact because I haven’t talked to Coach Kelly in about two weeks, but I have to think, in watching Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson do what they have done in the playoffs has led him to know that there is parts of what I do that can work and we can put pressure on people with a mobile quarterback and do some things. 

I think he’s going to have fun there, but he’ll do what his personnel dictates. That’s the one thing I really enjoyed watching them over three years. He had three different quarterbacks -- Jeremiah Masoli and then went to Derron Thomas and then to Marcus Mariota this year -- and they did a little bit of different things with each one, but they played to their strengths and won a lot of games. So again, I would have to be very excited if I were a Philadelphia fan.

Which quarterback would fit Chip Kelly’s system (Michael Vick or Nick Foles)?

Well, I think that’s going to be a money driven decision and we’ll see what happens. I do know Coach Kelly really liked Nick Foles. I watched Nick play against Oregon twice and have two outstanding games and throw the ball all around and make plays and I know Coach Kelly likes playmakers, so it’ll be interesting to see. I think Michael could flourish in that offense, for sure. It’s just that probably will come down to money.

But the one thing I can tell you about Coach Kelly, he will adjust to his personnel. He’ll use guys in the way they can be used best. I know De’Anthony Thomas was a highly recruited kid to go to USC and play corner because people didn’t think he was big enough to play on offense and certainly not big enough to play running back, and Chip told him, ‘You come here and I’ll find a way to use you and make you a dynamic player,’ and that’s what happened. They used him in the slot. They used him in some different ways running the ball and got the ball to him and he’s a great player. So I think that’s really coach’s strength is getting the most out of his personnel.

What is Chip Kelly’s biggest challenge in his jump to the NFL?

The biggest challenge for anybody coming in is just getting people to believe and there is going to be some skepticism from his players and from everybody at first. Is this really going to work? Is this guy a pro coach? But I’ll tell you what, he’ll do well once they get to know him and once they just see his demeanor and what he thinks about football. He’s going to impress them and once he gets everyone to believe, they’re going to be effective.

Do you feel as if a guy in Chip Kelly -- he brings an innovative mind that maybe other teams and other coaches around the league will catch on to and will follow once he gets here?

Well, he thinks outside of the box, and he’s not afraid to be a risk taker and be a little different from the crowd. I know this was Philadelphia’s first choice. I happened to talk to both Chip and Jeffrey Lurie way back when this thing first started. I have a little bit of self-interest -- I was trying to talk like a dad and talk Coach Kelly into staying, but also talk from the perspective of being a former NFL coach and the things the Philly organization could give Coach and what it’s like coaching in the NFL and that type of thing.

I think he was intrigued by that and he wants to step up to the challenge, and I think he’s going to do it. Again, the big thing I saw in three years was utilizing personnel, and the National Championship game was my son’s first year, and Auburn had 10 guys drafted off that team -- that was Cam Newton, Nick Fairley and that group -- and Oregon played them right down to the last play, lost on a field goal on the last play of the game, and the only guy they had drafted that year was Casey Matthews, who went to Philadelphia. But that was, I think really spoke to what Coach Kelly can do -- take guys that might not be prototypical players, but use them in a way they can perform and produce.

What do you see in terms of the Eagles' defense with Chip Kelly as the head coach?

Well, I think, No. 1, the reason why they hired Chip Kelly was not to fix the defense. He’ll get that done and he’ll get a competent person in there to run that side of the ball. But I know they hired him to be explosive and to move the ball and score points and I think that is his philosophy: ‘Hey, we’re gonna put pressure on people to keep up with us scoring' and I think Philadelphia will do that. I think you’ll see some really good offense, and the one thing he’s not going to micromanage the defense. He’s going to set a tone for the whole team, and the way they’re going to play and the attention to detail and the focus and the attitude and they’ll play good defense.

I think it’s a great move and there’s no doubt in my mind Coach Kelly is going to be a special coach in the NFL.

 

[IATT]

[h1]http://igglesblitz.com/philadelphia-eagles-2/chip-chip-hooray/[/h1][h1] [/h1][h1]Chip Chip Hooray[/h1]
Posted: January 17th, 2013 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 16 Comments »

I really am excited by the hiring of Chip Kelly.  I fully acknowledge that this could go wrong…very wrong.  But the potential for greatness is there.  This is the kind of coach you roll the dice on.

We’re going to hear 2 main kinds of criticism.  First people are going to talk about Steve Spurrier over and over.  I’ve covered this before, but it’s worth re-visiting.  Kelly is nothing like Spurrier.  Nothing.

Chip leaves, eats, and breathes football.  Spurrier loves football from July to January.  Then he wants to re-charge his batteries.  Spurrier isn’t lazy, but he believes that NFL coaches work too much and don’t accomplish as much as they should.  He sees that as a waste of time (Juan Castillo shrieks in horror).  Spurrier wanted to come to the NFL and show the league that he could be successful doing things his way.

He came to the league highly unprepared.  He didn’t understand the practice format.  He didn’t know how things were done.  Steve played in the NFL in the 1970s and then was away for about 25 years.  He made a lot of assumptions that proved to be wrong.

The Skins were also a highly disorganized franchise.  My favorite story is that Spurrier watched some STs film with the players one day and then called out a guy’s name.  Spurrier wanted to correct the guy about something he did.  No one in the room answered to Spurrier.  Finally another player responded that he had seen the guy clearing out his locker that morning and thought he had been cut.  That’s exactly what did happen.  So the team cut a player without the head coach knowing about it.

That will never happen with Chip Kelly.  He is a hands-on guy that will know what’s going on with every part of his team.  He’s not a control freak or micro-manager, but he believes in knowing everything.  He’ll let his coaches coach and his players play.  He just wants to be in control of the overall situation.

Chip is very systematic with how he looks at leadership.  He believes in vertical leadership and horizontal leadership (his specific phrases).  Vertical is from him to his coordinators to the positional coaches to the support staff to the players.  Horizontal is within the players themselves.  The veterans and/or team leaders take what is coming from the top and spread it among their teammates.

While Chip is new to the NFL, he’s not flying blindly.  He has met with NFL staffs over the years to teach them his ideas and pick their brains.  He consulted with Tony Dungy, whose son plays at Oregon.  They didn’t discuss Peyton Manning’s Buick commercials.  Chip asked in-depth question about roster building and roster management.  Chip takes in ideas from all over the place.  He wanted to make Oregon as good a football organization as possible, while also preparing for the day when he did go to the NFL.

Spurrier was an offensive guru, but not really a complete football coach.  He’s had 4 football jobs.  He played QB in college/NFL.  He coached QBs in college.  He became an offensive coordinator.  He’s also been a HC.  Compare that to Chip.  He played QB in high school.  He was a DB in college.  He coached on defense at Columbia.  He then coached RBs for a year at New Hampshire.  He was the DC for Johns Hopkins for a year.  He then went back to UNH to coach RBs before shifting to the OL.  From there he went to OC and eventually became a HC.

Which guy do you think is better prepared to deal with every part of a football team?

* * * * *

The other criticism we’re going to hear about Chip is that the Eagles just replaced one pass-happy coach for a college guy who wants to do the same thing.  Sometimes you’ll even hear that this is like the Run ‘n Shoot.  Ugh.

In 4 seasons as HC at Oregon, Chip’s teams finished 3rd, 5th, 4th, and 6th nationally in rushing.  While the OC at New Hampshire, Chip had a RB set the I-AA career record for rushing yards.  Does that sound like a passing coach?  Does that sound like the Run ‘n Shoot?

Chip wants to move the ball.  He wants to score points.  He feeds the ball to his best players.  At Oregon, that meant giving the ball to Jonathan Stewart, LeGarrett Blount, LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner, and De’Anthony Thomas.  With the Eagles, that will mean feeding the ball to LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown.  If injuries leave the Eagles with Dion Lewis and Chris Polk as the RBs, we’re going to throw the ball a lot.  Chip is more greedy than stubborn.  He’ll do whatever is working.

While Chip is a running coach, he needs a QB who can throw the ball.  Chip’s offense is built on some simple principles.  Load the box and he’ll throw.  Keep both Safeties deep and he’ll run.  Think about all those times we saw teams putting Safeties 20 yards deep to prevent DeSean Jackson from burning them.  We still threw the ball over and over.  Chip will run.  Again, greedy over stubborn.  Andy wanted his pass plays.  Chip wants yards and points.  He doesn’t care how they come.

There is this perception that Chip is a crazy coach who does crazy things.  His ideas are all built on logic.  If he has a game where the team throws a lot, there is a reason behind it.  In watching his Oregon teams, it was encouraging to see that when the original plan wasn’t working as expected, he went away from it.  He figures out what is working and focuses on that.

Chip isn’t coming to the NFL to prove that he’s smarter than the coaches already here.  He’s not coming to show that his system is pure genius.  I think he wants to be tested at the highest level.  He’ll mix his ideas with some conventional NFL thinking.

* * * * *

Word is that Chip wants to hire Todd Grantham as his DC.  Grantham currently works as the DC at Georgia.  Grantham runs the 3-4 down there.  That’s also what he ran as the DC for the Browns from 2005-2007.

Grantham would be a solid hire.  He’s got an excellent background, having worked under such defensive coaches as Nick Saban, Vic Fangio, Dom Capers, Romeo Crennel, and Wade Phillips. Those guys won’t win any beauty contests, but they can coach.  Those are some of the best 3-4 minds in the game.

The knock on Grantham is that he didn’t produce top defenses at Cleveland.  His units at Georgia have been good, not great.

I would be okay with the hire because I’ve said all along that I want a veteran coordinator with an established system.  I want someone who can teach his ideas to the other coaches, as well as the players.

Based on current personnel, the 3-4 would look like this:

OLB Trent Cole
DE Fletcher Cox
NT
DE Cullen Jenkins or Cedric Thornton
OLB Brandon Graham

ILB Mychal Kendricks
ILB DeMeco Ryans

There is no natural NT in place right now. We can sign or draft one. Antonio Dixon has the built to play the spot. Does he have the toughness? Getting battered by 2 guys, play after play, isn’t easy.

As for Ryans…the Texans didn’t trade him because he couldn’t play in the 3-4. They just didn’t want to pay him a ton of money while having a star ILB in Brian Cushing. Ryans was coming off injury and getting older so keeping him around didn’t make good business sense.

I’ll write a lot more about Grantham if he is our guy.

 

[lyonbc1]

Really excited about this hire fellas, a lot will come down to who his DC ends up being and we should know that within the next week...heard a lot of rumblings of us switching to a 3-4 but Kelly seemed to say that will be evaluated depending on returning personnel and who the coordinator is After this trainwreck of a year its good to have some excitement around our squad

 

[lyonbc1]

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/...-reid-helped-bring-chip-kelly-to-philadelphia

Respect to Big Red, hope when KC comes to visit this year he gets a huge ovation that guy is class even though it was time to part ways