--

Kirby Smart

never got a chance to put his Alabama defense up against

Chip Kelly's

offense at Oregon.

According to one report Thursday, the Philadelphia Eagles are hoping the two can come together for the 2013 season.

Howard Eskin

, a longtime TV/radio reporter in Philadelphia,

that the Eagles were interested in Smart and Georgia's

Todd Grantham

as candidates to be Kelly's defensive coordinator.

Kelly, Oregon's coach for the past four years, was hired Wednesday as the Eagles' new head coach. He held his first press conference today.

"We’re going to be an attacking style defense," Kelly said. "It’s going to be a group of people who dictates the tempo of the game. What that spacing is in terms of is it a 4-3 spacing or 3-4 spacing, I think it’s, again, looking at our roster and understanding who I have the opportunity to bring here. I can’t tell you that we’re going to be this or going to be that, but I know the style of football that we’re going to play and I know the style of players that I want to have out there.

"We’re going to play fast, we’re going to play hard, and we’re going to finish plays.”

Both Grantham and Smart coach 3-4 defenses. Smart spent one season in the NFL (2006) when he coached the safeties for Saban with the Miami Dolphins. Grantham has 10 years of NFL experience.

Smart, who made a $950,000 salary in 2012, interviewed for head coaching positions at Arkansas and Auburn in December. His name was also linked to the vacancy at Tennessee.

The 2009 Broyles Award winner continues to be one of the hottest names in college football, but has remained at Alabama since joining

Nick Saban's

staff in 2007. During the buildup to the BCS National Championship, the 37-year-old Smart reiterated that his ultimate goal is to become a head coach.

"Where that is, I have no idea," Smart said. "It's not like I wake up every day trying to leave Alabama. I have the best non-head-coaching job in the country, period, because I've got a great administration, we've got a great facility. I want to be where I can win, and I know you can win at Alabama. I think that's so important."

Smart did add, however, that the interview process was "beneficial" to his experience.

"Coach Saban has been extremely supportive of me in that process," Smart said. "He has told me on a number of occasions that he knows that I'm going to have opportunities, and he's happy for me for those opportunities."