Eagles' new QB coach goes way back with Chip

RYAN DAY might not know a ton about playing quarterback in the NFL, having never played or coached in the league. But he knows about playing the position for Chip Kelly, having started at New Hampshire from 1999-2001, when Kelly was offensive coordinator.

Increasingly, it seems, knowing how Kelly wants things done is a top priority at NovaCare, where Day was named Eagles quarterbacks coach yesterday evening. Each of his two predecessors became an NFL offensive coordinator after one season with Kelly - Bill Lazor, who went to the Dolphins last season, and Bill Musgrave, who just became OC of the Raiders.

Day, 35, was Steve Addazio's offensive coordinator at Boston College, and before that at Temple. His background includes two previous stints at BC, where he earned a master's degree, and a year at Florida.

The Eagles didn't provide any access to Kelly or even a quote from him in the statement announcing the hiring. Kelly declined to talk to reporters this week at the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala.

Day was quoted in a 2009 New York Times story about how Kelly had bounced back from a calamitous upset loss to Boise State in his first game as a head coach. The reporter asked Day about Kelly staying at New Hampshire from 1994 to 2006, despite numerous opportunities to leave.

"He did it the right way," Day said. "He came up in a system, and when his opportunity came at Oregon, he was ready. A lot of people aren't ready. He was ready. He had the answers and the answers to the answers."

Kelly's first year as New Hampshire's offensive coordinator was Day's first year as the starting QB, so really, he was in on the beginnings of Kelly's offense. When the Eagles hired Kelly, Day told CBSPhilly that Kelly was "one of my closest friends in college coaching."

When BC hired Day as offensive coordinator, Kelly told the Boston Globe: "I think that he is one of the best young coaches in the country and it was just a matter of time before he was running the show, offensively, somewhere."

Much like incumbent Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, Day has said he wasn't an ideal read-option QB; he has told of Kelly asking him to lose weight before his senior season, to be a little more mobile.

Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian