Chinander flies with Philadelphia Eagles: Allison-Bristow grad is assistant defensive line coach

PHILADELPHIA – A proud Gene Chinander displays a Philadelphia Eagles banner outside his Allison home.

It is because Allison-Bristow graduate Erik Chinander made a step up in the football coaching ranks at the start of this NFL season.

Chinander, a 2002 graduate of the University of Iowa and native of Allison, joined the Philadelphia Eagles as assistant defensive line coach in the 2013 off-season.

Previously, Chinander spent three seasons as a graduate assistant (2011-12) and intern (2010) under Chip Kelly at Oregon.

That relationship with Kelly brought him to the Eagles, both sharing in the first-game success of the 2013-14 season.

“We were at Oregon, and had the program where we wanted,” Chinander said via phone interview during the bye week. “(Even) though we didn’t get the national championship, Chip had it where he was at the top of college football..."

For more on this story, see this week's issue of the Hampton Chronicle.