• March 29, 2024

Analyzing Chip Kelly’s Coaching Staff

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Oregon v Kansas StateChip Kelly met with the media Monday afternoon to discuss his new coaching staff, made up of 21 assistants, among other things.

With the news reported by Adam Schefter regarding Michael Vick’s restructured contract with the Eagles just a few short hours before the press conference, much of the talk was on Vick and not on the staff. However, Kelly, along with the assistant coaches who met with media after the main event, gave plenty of information on which direction the 2013 Eagles would be headed.

Kelly, who refused to label his defense as a 3-4 or a 4-3, sounded ecstatic every time “Billy Davis” came from his mouth. “Just a bunch of guys talking football; a lot of intelligent questions with a lot of intelligent answers,” is how Kelly described his meeting with the new defensive coordinator. Davis will likely have full reign over the defensive operations while Kelly runs the offense.

Jerry Azzinaro, who came from Oregon with Kelly, will be the defensive line coach while holding the title of Assistant Head Coach as well. “We think alike 99.9% of the time,” said Kelly in regards to Azzinaro. Having no history with Billy Davis, Kelly’s go-to guy on defense will likely be Azzinaro.

Something that was pleasant to hear looking back at the 2012 Eagles staff was that “no one really has an ego” on this 2013 staff. Kelly continued to stress the fact that everyone on the staff was “a great fit” and that they were all on the same page with everything. Hiring an assistant before a coordinator hadn’t worked well in the past (ex-DL coach Jim Washburn) but with this group there seems to be chemistry already. Another thing that Kelly stressed was that, on gameday, there will be no micromanagers.

Pat Shurmur was brought in as the offensive coordinator and from what we’ve learned so far, it is only a title. Kelly said Monday that he has approached him on multiple occasions just to ask suggestions on what to do in specific situations from a head coaching standpoint given Shurmur’s past.

Another thing that Kelly liked about the former Browns head coach was the fact that he knows the facilities in Philadelphia. As an assistant coach with the Eagles for ten years, Shurmur knows his way around the organization and knows the attitude Kelly hopes to restore.

Shurmur said that he and Kelly have not gotten into extensive talks but that the belief is that Kelly will be calling the plays on offense. This should come as no surprise as Kelly is primarily offensively minded and hopes to integrate a new style of offense to the league, certainly not an identical one to the one ran in Oregon – similar, no doubt.

“It was important to get guys with NFL experience because that’s one thing I don’t have,” said Kelly. Both of the Eagles coordinators in 2013 will have 37 combined years of NFL experience. With Kelly having no NFL history, it is a plus to have so much NFL experience surrounding the rookie coach.

The new coach also solved the mystery of what a “Sports Science Coordinator” is. Shaun Huls, the man in the position, will work alongside the strength and conditioning staff and help players in recovering from injury. Huls previously worked in strength and conditioning and worked in the Navy’s Special Warfare training programs.

Kelly has hired a wide cast of characters and a group of 19 (Duce Staley, RBs and Ted Williams, TEs returning) new faces to the Eagles organization. NFL experience is not lacking in this new group of coaches, something that will prove to be very helpful as the Kelly’s career progresses in the league.

With the entire staff in position and free agency looming a month from today, many questions will be answered as far as what this staff thinks of the Eagles current roster and what direction they may be heading in. March and April will be an exciting couple of months for the Eagles staff and fans alike.

Follow Brenden on Twitter @brendenp2011 or email him at BPeddigree2011@gmail.com.

Brenden Peddigree

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Frank22
Frank22
February 13, 2013 10:35 am

the biggest reason I think CK will be a succesful coach is what was pointed out in the article. He seems to “get it” in regards to asking for help and not assuming that hes knows the intricicies of the NFL game a a whole. That should be very refreshing to Eagles fans. I hope he provides a loose team that physical and fundamentaly sound. I also am not as down on this staff.

Biglion821
Biglion821
February 13, 2013 10:44 am

21 coaches for a 53 man roster it better be some serious teaching going on down in South Philly this better the most disciplined team to ever take the field.

gmcliff
gmcliff
February 13, 2013 12:34 pm

My feelings about Coach Kelly are not from as much doubt that he can get it done, as it does have to do with Howie Rosemans in making personnel decisions.

I have this feeling that he will draft, and bring in from free agency the same mediocrity that Andy Reid brought in, making it clear he had as much to do with the evaluation of these players as Reid, and Banner did, producing the same inexcusable results.

IrishEagle
IrishEagle
February 13, 2013 12:44 pm
Reply to  gmcliff

gmcliff,

I don’t know who made the personnel decision to keep Mike Vick, but I can’t think of a worse start to the Kelly era.

DCar
DCar
February 13, 2013 1:57 pm
Reply to  IrishEagle

Agreed! If they even think of doing the same with ASSomugha & Cole, I’m going to turn in my fan-card! 2 more turds, that need to be flushed!

haveacigar
haveacigar
February 13, 2013 2:05 pm
Reply to  DCar

you are missing the point! chip is the man- mv finally has an offense that ‘fits his skill set’– the vick lovers get their wish! we are in for a great ride! i’m off the vick hater team!

RealTalk777
RealTalk777
February 13, 2013 2:16 pm
Reply to  DCar

Cole…that is very debatable. The wide 9 scheme was not the ideal situation for Cole. Cole’s numbers regressed as soon as the wide 9 came to town. Yea he had 11 sacks in 2011 but his total tackle numbers fell off. Cole had 12.5 sacks on two occasions with the Eagles, and ranked high in tackles in the DE position. Cole should be considered for one more year and see if he has lost it, or the wide 9 impacted his game.

gmcliff
gmcliff
February 13, 2013 8:59 pm
Reply to  IrishEagle

Irish, I was not one of those who got bent outta shape over the resigning of Michael Vick. In fact I predicted it would have a chance to happen, when talk started about the Eagles signing Dennis Dixon. I would take Vick over a Practice Squad player, any day of the week.

But Irish, I also see we need draft picks because a lot of other players are so over valued, like Cole, Mathis, Graham, Herremans, Nate Allen, even Maclin.

CT
CT
February 13, 2013 1:08 pm

It’s a very solid coaching staff on paper with alot of EXP to help CK. It might even be a great coaching staff because of the no ego trait and them all wanting the same goal and working together. Like the article stated, they all think alike.. Thats something we have not had in a while in a coaching staff.

I’m just hoping this staff can watch from the last few seasons that this season has produced, and has realized you cannot be a buddy buddy coach to the players. You have to get on their ass.. The navy seal trainer will do this, considering the fact thats what he does for a living.

Stevo
Stevo
February 13, 2013 1:27 pm

Good job on the article… very well written.

Im in a sit back and watch kind of mode. Everyone has a lot to prove and so…. im not getting any hopes and im not getting my undies in a knot.

About the coaches….. its not what I wanted but…. i hope to be wowed at somepoint. I like the D style…. i think it fits us….. lets see if they can get it done.

About FA- they need some slam dunks. Any big name brought in and we will hear about how we can win by buying but lets face it….. we need a SS, FS and 1 more monster in the front 7. Lets also not forget that we have probs at the CB spot. This cant all get fixed in 1 or even 2 drafts. We need to buy.

about the draft- we need safe, solid picks. OT? DT? LB? no idea…. but it better be right,

about the QB- stock pile them and let them play. See what we can get via a trade or…. let Vick and Floes and Rookie compete.

What im looking for…… I dont expect a SB this year. But I want to see is a TEAM effort. I want to see that 2 RB set we hear about. I want to see glimpses of something special. And… you never know….. playoffs could happen. Biggest thing for me tho…… stop with the me me me crap. Fine these guys.

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
February 13, 2013 2:04 pm

Positive Article
Howie GM
Chip HC
simple — I hope it works
I used to love to rip Feets McNabb, Joe and Andy ( I’ll miss those guys)
New regime, clean slate, Good Luck
Go Birds

Monolith
Monolith
February 13, 2013 3:53 pm

Very Good article, and well presented pro and con comments. Makes me feel bad about my previous rants.

As always LONG LIVE THE EAGLES

phillylifer033
phillylifer033
February 13, 2013 6:05 pm

Wow finally some positive!What im hoping for in free aencty is the the Eagles hit some homeruns in the lesser signings,thats what I think theyve struggled with for the last few years.