Kelly says he’s not interested in USC gig
PHILADELPHIA — Chip Kelly became part of the speculation for the head coaching job at the University of Southern California moments after the job became available this past weekend.
Kelly’s success at Oregon, where he went 467, along with what would become a 1-3 start with the Eagles supposedly made him a candidate whom the Trojans should consider after Lane Kiffin.
Kelly had some fun with the rumors yesterday. Asked how he would handle any overtures from USC, he said he didn’t deal with hypotheticals.
“We’re getting close. Real close,” Kelly continued amid laughter. “No. I’m the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. I’m very, very excited to be here. I have no interest in anything like that. I’m here.”
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How long Kelly stays is another question.
In addition to giving Kelly a five-year, $32 million contract, the Eagles have invested a ton of resources into his coaching staff, which is one of the largest in the league, and his scientific approach to training, from diet to conditioning.
With a three-game losing streak, the Eagles are beginning to look like a rebuilding team. They’re three-point underdogs versus the winless New York Giants, who entertain them Sunday at the Meadowlands.
Kelly is adamant about being judged strictly on the bottom line.
“Honestly I don’t think you should look at anything else,” Kelly said. “That’s what we all get graded on at the end of the day is wins and losses. I think we as a group understand our plan and the process of how you win and how you lose and what contributes to that and that’s what this deal is about. But at the end of the day if you’re not winning enough games you’re not going to be here very long and if you are winning games, you’re going to be around.”
As poorly as the Eagles have played, this is a good year to be bad in the NFC East. If the Eagles beat the Giants (0-4) and the Dallas Cowboys (2-2) are beaten by the Denver Broncos, which is all but a certainty, the Birds would be 2-0 and atop the division.
When Kelly was informed of that possibility, he told his players he “called the league office.”
“I wanted to find out when we get the trophy — when the trophy presentation would be,” Kelly said to laughter. “They had the same response. They started laughing because it doesn’t matter if you’re in first place in the first week of October. What matters is, are you in first place after Dec. 29? But this week contributes to being in first place on Dec. 29. So let’s not waste energy and time on, ‘hey if this happens and this happens and this happens.’ Our job as a team is to prepare to play the New York Giants.”
While Kelly says he’s “really aware” of the Eagles-Giants rivalry, he doesn’t know much more than what he’s been told and seen.
“There’s actually the NFL Network, (a show on) the biggest rivalries in the league,” Kelly said. “I think that was voted No. 1. There’s a history of the game. There’s Herm Edwards picking up the fumble. There’s DeSean Jackson’s punt return. There’s a lot of history. It’s the closest opponent. They’re right up the road. We’re very aware of what the battle between New York and Dallas is.”
And while Kelly was on the subject of the Giants, he dropped one of the favorite sayings of Bill Parcells, who coached them to a couple of Super Bowl titles.
“The bottom line is, as Bill Parcells said a long time ago,” Kelly said, “you are what your record says you are. So we need to change that. The way we know how to change that is how we prepare. I think these guys have had a good week so far preparing.