Chip Kelly denies meeting with Southern California

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly denied reports that the University of Southern California met with him to discuss its coaching vacancy before the school hired interim coach Clay Helton on Monday.

Kelly, in his third year with the Eagles after a very successful run in the Pac-12 with Oregon, addressed the issue at his regularly scheduled news conference.

"I have never spoken to anybody from USC. I have never emailed anybody from USC," Kelly said, "I never had a phone call with anybody from USC. I never had any contact with anybody from USC."

The coach said his agent did not, either.

"Same thing," Kelly said. "No., I am not involved in any college jobs. I've said it before. The same thing happened a year ago with Florida. I have great respect for all of those schools."

One report said people from Southern California actually met face to face with Kelly in Philadelphia on Friday, the day after his team played the Detroit Lions in Detroit.

"I wasn't even in Philadelphia on Friday, so that's wrong," Kelly, who said he was in his native New Hampshire when the supposed meeting took place. "I haven't met with them. I haven't talked with them. I haven't had any conversations with them."

After two 10-6 seasons as head coach of the Eagles, the team is 4-7 with Kelly now in charge of personnel and having remade the roster. That, and being on a three-game losing streak, has led to a lot of speculation about his future.

Kelly said all of that comes from outside of the NovaCare Complex where he goes to work every day.

"No I really don't," Kelly answered when asked if he thought the college coaching rumors affect his team or its play. "Because there are so many things that are written nowadays it's ridiculous. I have no control over what people write or say. I can't control any of that.

"A lot of times we just chuckle and laugh. ... It's kind of sad that anyone can just write whatever they want or say whatever they want, and it's taken as the truth. It's the world we live in. But if you sit there every day and combat everything that comes out, you are wasting your time."

Kelly says his time is spent trying to right what is wrong with his team.

"I've been totally committed to the Eagles since I got here on Jan. 16, 2013," he said, "and that hasn't changed."

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