Chip Kelly denies interest from USC, others

It's not even Halloween, and Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly already is facing the barrage of questions about rumors linking him to college football openings.

Trick or treat, Kelly wants no part of the talk. He was peppered with questions about the five openings in Division I, including the headliner at Southern Cal.

"I understand it. We're not successful. We're not winning. I came from college. I'm going back to college," Kelly said of the natural inclination to connect the dots being easier for media and fans because the Eagles are 1-4.

Asked directly about being contacted by USC, Kelly, who coached at Oregon before replacing Andy Reid with the Eagles, said "No, no, no. No."

Kelly said no college has contacted him or his agent.

South Carolina and Illinois also have coaching openings at the FBS level.

Kelly was given more personnel authority in the offseason when general manager Howie Roseman was given a different role by owner Jeffrey Lurie. The results to date are not positive.

Kelly parted with Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy and quarterback Nick Foles and the Eagles didn't re-sign wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who rejoined Reid with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Eagles spent big money. Running back DeMarco Murray got a five-year, $40 million deal and cornerback Byron Maxwell got a deal worth up to $63 million. Both have been emphatic flops, but Kelly said he is seeing positive signs they will be impact players in 2015.