An Updated Look At Chip Kelly’s Coaching Staff

We once again have to include the caveat that none of these hires are official, but with the addition of Billy Davis as defensive coordinator, here’s an updated look at where things stand with Chip Kelly’s coaching staff.

Offensive coordinator – Pat Shurmur is expected to fill this spot. Shurmur’s background is different than Kelly’s, but the Birds’ head coach said that could be a good thing.

“I don’t want everybody to be the same because I don’t think we’d grow as a group,” Kelly said. “I think we need to challenge each other.”

Shurmur, 47, spent the past two seasons as the head coach of the Browns. Cleveland went 9-23 under his direction. He was also the offensive coordinator of the Rams in 2009 and 2010. Shurmur spent 10 seasons on the Eagles’ staff from 1999 to 2008.

Defensive coordinator – Billy Davis gets the nod. He has four years of NFL defensive coordinator experience and 20 years of pro coaching experience. Davis most recently was the linebackers coach for the Browns. He previously was the defensive coordinator in Arizona (2009-2010) and San Francisco (2005-2006). More on Davis’ background right here.

Special teams coach – Dave Fipp will take over for Bobby April. Fipp spent the past two seasons as the Dolphins’ assistant special teams coach. He served the same role with the 49ers from 2008 to 2010.

Defensive line coach – Jerry Azzinaro comes over after having spent the past four years as Oregon’s defensive line coach. In case you missed the earlier video, Azzinaro likes violence.

Linebackers coach – This one’s a bit up in the air, but it sounds like Rick Minter and Bill McGovern could be options. We know both are on staff (they were in Mobile, Ala. at the Senior Bowl), although roles have not been specified. Minter spent the past two seasons as Kentucky’s defensive coordinator. He’s coached college ball at 12 different stops (including as the head coach of Cincinnati from 1994 to 2003), but this will be his first NFL job. McGovern spent the past four seasons as Boston College’s defensive coordinator. Previously, he was their linebackers coach (2000-2008). McGovern also coached defensive backs for three seasons at Pitt and three seasons at BC. The Eagles could go with two linebackers coaches.

Defensive backs coach – It looks like it will be 62-year-old John Lovett. He has one year of NFL coaching experience (in 1984), but has been all over the college map. More details here.

Defensive quality control coach – Per FootballScoop.com, Mike Dawson will man this post. He coached with Kelly at New Hampshire.

Quarterbacks coach – Bill Lazor is expected to be the guy. Lazor spent three years as UVa’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. He has seven years of NFL experience. More information here.

Offensive line coach – According to FootballScoop.com, it will be Alabama’s Jeff Stoutland. Stoutland spent two years on Nick Saban’s staff and previously was at the University of Miami for seasons. He does not have any NFL experience. More details here.

Running backs coach – Duce Staley takes over for Ted Williams. Staley has spent three seasons on the Eagles’ coaching staff – one as an intern and the last two as special teams quality control coach. He has also been assisting Williams with the running backs during that time.

Wide receivers coach – According to FootballScoop.com, Bob Bicknell will join Kelly’s staff, although it’s unclear exactly what his title will be. Bicknell coached the Bills’ wide receivers in 2012. He was the Chiefs’ tight ends coach in 2009 and Kansas City’s offensive line coach in 2008.

Tight ends coach – Williams moves from running backs to tight ends. He had been the team’s running backs coach since 1997, but Williams did spend two seasons as the team’s tight-ends coach in 1995 and 1996.

Offensive quality control coach – Press Taylor, who had been working as a grad assistant/quarterbacks coach at Tulsa, has reportedly been pegged to be the guy. More on Taylor here.

* Per Adam Caplan, former NFL tight end Justin Peelle will join Kelly’s staff in some capacity too.

Follow Sheil Kapadia on Twitter and e-mail him at skapadia@phillymag.com.
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