Chip Kelly with members of the Linfield football family at NovaCare Complex (photo from Linfield Football Instagram account)

If it wasn’t bad enough that Widener lost their NCAA Division III quarterfinal playoff game against Linfield 45-7, Pride head coach Mike Kelly felt that the head coach of the local NFL team gave aid and comfort to the enemy by allowing the Wildcats to practice at the NovaCare Complex.

“They’re a good football team,” Kelly said. “They were better than us today. We didn’t help ourselves but they were better than us today. Make sure you put in the paper that we thank Chip Kelly and I hope the Seahawks do well tomorrow. Maybe somebody in Philadelphia should buy him a map so he knows where he lives now. Go Seahawks!”

Linfield is located in McMinnville, Oregon which is a little over 90 miles from the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene thus Wildcats head coach Joseph Smith knew a former Ducks coach who now coaches in the NFL in Philadelphia, in a stadium about 12 miles from Widener’s home field.

“That was a neat opportunity for us,” said Smith. “Knowing coach (Chip) Kelly from his Oregon days, there was a connection there. It was great to have him let us come out there and practice.”

Chip Kelly didn’t speak to the team but he did pose for a photo.

Mike Kelly spent two seasons with the Eagles as a scout and offensive assistant coach in 2001 and 2002. The Pride’s defensive coordinator, Bill Shuey, was on the Eagles coaching staff from 2001 to 2011 in various roles including linebackers coach for four seasons.

Email Rock Hoffman at Rock@footballstories.com