Rumor: Eagles hire Alabama OL coach Jeff Stoutland

FootballScoop.com, which is dedicated to following coaching rumors, is reporting that Chip Kelly will hire Alabama OL coach Jeff Stoutland for the same job with the Eagles.

Stoutland actually did a reverse Juan in his career starting out on defense, but switching to the offensive line, where's been since 1993. He's coached offensive lines at Cornell, Syracuse, Michigan State & Miami (where he was interim HC for a game) before heading to Alabama in 2011.

He's considered one of the best OL coaches in the nation and headed a unit last year at Alabama that is comprised of almost all future NFL players.

Stoutland's 2012 offensive line unit is widely regarded as the nation's best. The offensive front features two first-team All-Americans in Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack. Jones became Alabama's first Rimington Trophy winner as the nation's top center. The unit has helped the Crimson Tide rank 20th nationally in rushing with 224.6 yards per game and 15th in scoring offense at 38.5 points per game. The Alabama offensive line boasts 165 career starts heading into the 2013 BCS National Championship game.

In 2011, his line paved the way for a Heisman trophy season for RB Trent Richardson and allowed just 17 sacks (2nd fewest in the SEC).

There's very little to not like about Stoutland. Obviously he got to coach blue chippers at Alabama and that undoubtedly was a big part of what made them so dominant, but he clearly had a major hand in developing those guys as well. If he can bring that kind of success to the NFL... look out.

If true, this certainly seems like a great hire and one that likely had a lot to do with Chip Kelly's strong college ties.