Division III coach blames Eagles' Chip Kelly for loss in national quarterfinal
In a Division III national quarterfinal game on Saturday, Linfield College (Ore.) demolished Widener University (Penn.) 45-7.
Afterward, Widener coach Mike Kelly expressed a bone to pick with Eagles coach Chip Kelly. Turns out Kelly allowed Linfield to practice at the NovaCare Complex, the Eagles' practice facility, during the week.
Kelly, who coached the Oregon Ducks from 2009-12, also visited Linfield's practice there on Friday with Eagles quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, a former Oregon quarterback.
No love, apparently, was given to Widener, which is about a 15-minute drive away from the NovaCare Complex.
Turns out Kelly didn't appreciate Kelly's gesture. Or he felt neglected as an in-state, small-school coach. Probably both.
From Philly.com:
"Make sure you put in the paper that we thank Chip Kelly and I hope the Seahawks do well tomorrow," Widener coach Mike Kelly said. "He was helping them out. Maybe somebody in Philadelphia ought to buy him a map so he knows where he lives now. But, go Seahawks."
The Eagles (9-3), as Kelly indicated, host the Seahawks (8-4) on Sunday. The whole thing is kind of silly. Kelly wasn't able to give any advice.
"Well, he really couldn't," Smith said, "because of the rules that they have with the NFL. He wasn't able to come out and talk to the team. He wanted to. He thought about coming to the game today. He might have slipped in. You never know. He's pretty sneaky with that. But he's a great coach and we couldn't have been happier to have him out there."
- Mike Fiammetta
