Former Manchester Central High and University of New Hampshire player and assistant coach Chip Kelly, who earlier spurned NFL offers to remain head coach at the University of Oregon, has accepted an offer to become head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

 

Oregon confirmed Kelly's departure, and the Eagles announced his hiring earlier this afternoon.

A 1981 graduate of Central, Kelly played defensive back under Bill Bowes at UNH, and returned as an assistant coach under Bowes in 1992. He served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under current UNH head coach Sean McDonnell from 1999 through 2006, before leaving to become offensive coordinator at Oregon.

After one season as coordinator, Kelly, 49, became the Ducks' head coach in 2008 and went 46-7 over four seasons, including a victory in the Fiesta Bowl earlier this month.