Chip Kelly Update: A Great Start

Mark Saltveit Editorials

Preseason games mean nothing — we all know that. And yet … the Philadelphia Eagles stomped on the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, and it was hard not to be excited by the way the team played. Even if you ignore the final score — 36-10, not that it mattered — there were a lot of individual performances that were highly encouraging. …

Chip Kelly Update: Injuries Start to Pile Up

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive, NFL

Two weeks of training camp are done, and Chip Kelly‘s Eagles play their first preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Meanwhile, injuries are starting to accumulate. Kelly plays it safe, with no tackling to the ground at all in the preseason outside of actual games, and the team is making great efforts to handle inevitable injuries with its “reconditioning” …

Chip Kelly Update: Controlled Chaos

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

My new book is out. Controlled Chaos: Chip Kelly‘s Football Revolution tells the story of the Eagles’ crazy 2014 season, including the off-seasons before and after. There was a lot of turmoil, from the sudden release of DeSean Jackson and Chip’s bureaucratic death match with Howie Roseman to the explosion of wheeling and dealing this past spring, when Chip took …

Why the Eagles Fumbled on the Chance to Take Marcus Mariota

Tyler Timm FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Within the last year, and especially within the last three months, there has been a lot of speculation about where Marcus Mariota would end up in the NFL draft. Multiple scenarios swirled around as the draft began to get closer and closer. No team was mentioned more than the Philadelphia Eagles, due to the fact that Chip Kelly (the person …

EWU QB Vernon Adams Transferring To Oregon? Huge Risk Or Huge Reward For Ducks?

Adam Kruse FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Who is Vernon Adams? Maybe the next quarterback for the Oregon Ducks. Daily rumors are swirling as to potential candidates to become the next quarterback at Oregon. Monday, Head Coach Mark Helfrich said, “We’re going to exhaust every path to find the right guy, the right fit, but we certainly believe in who’s on campus and what’s to come.” One …

Armstead Declares for NFL Draft

Adam Kruse FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

In 2012, Arik Armstead came to Oregon as a 5-star recruit, but with a caveat. He was a 5-Star offensive tackle recruit who wanted to play defense. Oregon gave him that chance. Tuesday, the 6’9, 290-pound junior defensive end decided to forgo his senior season and make himself eligible for the NFL Draft. Armstead projects as a late first-round, early …

Chip Kelly Update: Well, Beat Washington Anyway?

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

“Beat Dallas” didn’t work out very well, despite Josh Huff’s epic 44 yard catch and run, and the Eagles need to draw an inside straight to make the playoffs — winning both remaining games, while Dallas loses at least one. It could happen, since Dallas faces Indianapolis Sunday and the Cowboys’ star running back, DeMarco Murray, broke his hand during …

Chip Kelly Update: A Draft Pick, Broken Silence and an Army Hero

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

In my last column, I wrote about Chip Kelly’s long post-season silence, even amid the controversy over releasing star WR DeSean Jackson.  The weeks since January 4th have felt like an eternity of baseless speculation, what-ifs and angst over every conceivable draft pick. There have been so many mock drafts that a bunch of writers in Philadelphia have started an #MDMD …

Chip Kelly, the Bullfighter

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Rafael Morán Chip Kelly’s play calling in his NFL debut was effective but not dramatic, with one striking exception.  Late in the second quarter, Kelly called one of the crazier formations you’re ever going to see, perhaps for the first time ever in the pros.  There were only three linemen up front, with a group of three players set wide …