Zach Ertz

Birds 24/7

How Zach Ertz Caught Chip Kelly’s Eye

Chip Kelly’s Oregon squad was two games away from an undefeated season.

The No. 2 Ducks were hosting No. 13 Stanford in a prime-time game on Nov. 17.

With 6:28 left in the fourth quarter, the Cardinal’s offense took over at its own 22 yard line, trailing 14-7. Zach Ertz had been giving Oregon’s defense problems all game. And on this particular drive, the Ducks just had no answer for the 6-5 tight end. Ertz caught four balls for 53 yards, including the game-tying 10-yard touchdown with 1:35 left.

The play was originally ruled incomplete, but the officials changed their minds and gave Ertz the score.

Birds 24/7

Eagles Pass On Geno, Select TE Zach Ertz

Geno Smith fell to the Eagles at 35. If they wanted him, they had him. They didn’t want him.

At least not as much as Stanford tight end Zach Ertz — the 6-5, 249-pounder out of Alamo, California.

“He’s a mismatch nightmare,” said Chip Kelly. “If you get him isolated on a defensive back it’s  very, very difficult to cover because of his size, but he’s also too athletic to put linebackers on.”