Skip to main content

Pat Shurmur to utilize Eagles' Bryce Brown in offense

Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly has a plan in place for calling offensive plays with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.

"I'll call all the good plays," Kelly said Tuesday. "He'll call all the bad. That was first and foremost."

Kidding aside, Shurmur indicated he expected Kelly to primarily call the plays. And Shurmur expects Kelly to run the ball heavily.

"If you're able to run the ball and score points, that's ideal," Shurmur said, according to Comcast SportsNet Philly.

So how will the Eagles' backfield look? Shurmur was quick to emphasize that second-year pro Bryce Brown will have a big role.

"Bryce established himself as a good player last year," Shurmur said. "He can score touchdowns, and that's a big deal, a guy who can get in the end zone. ...

"I think it's important that you use more than one running back. It's a long season, and a guy can run out of gas quickly. If you have guys who are different, you can use them in different ways, and you try to play to their strengths. I think that's important."

Kelly's offense at the University of Oregon was far more based around the running game than public perception indicates. And no matter how Kelly adapts to the pro game, it's safe to expect more plays from the 2013 Eagles than the average team.

More plays equals more carries. It wouldn't be a surprise if LeSean McCoy and Brown got plenty of carries.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.