In the days leading up to Super Bowl XXXIX, reporters from the the Utah sports media were commonly referring to the Philadelphia Eagles as "BYU East."

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Andy Reid, former lineman for BYU football team and convert to the Church, has coached the Philadelphia Eagles into one of the top teams in NFL.

No wonder. The National Football Conference champion Eagles — who lost the big game Feb. 6 to the New England Patriots 24-21 — did indeed enjoy a decidedly Cougar flavor. Two prominent Philadelphia players — Chad Lewis and Reno Mahe — and a member of the Eagle's practice squad — Ifo Pili — were BYU products. And front and center on the Eagle's sideline was head coach Andy Reid, a BYU alum and LDS convert.

In his final press briefing of the season the day after the game, Coach Reid sounded saddened yet resilient.

"You realize once you reach the playoffs that there is going to be one happy team at the end of the year. The rest of you are going to have a big knot in your stomach," said Coach Reid in comments reported on the team's Web site. "Heck, we'll get over it. We'll get through this thing and we'll come back and learn from it."

In his six years at Philadelphia, Coach Reid, 46, has crafted the Eagles into one of the top teams in the NFL. He has earned coach of the year honors twice, captured three division titles and made three trips to the NFC Championship game, according to the Eagles' Web site.

Coach Reid converted to the Church in 1979 while playing offensive line at BYU. His wife, Tammy is a fellow BYU alum.

"What attracted me to him more than anything was his character," Tammy Reid told the Web site. "He's just a really good guy. Very honorable and very conscientious."

The 2005 Super Bowl was likely less than satisfying for both Chad Lewis and running back Reno Mahe.

• Mahe, a running back, was involved in special teams play but was not on the field when the Eagles' final push to win or tie the game was foiled in the closing seconds by a Patriots interception.

  He joined the Eagles after enjoying a two-time All Mountain West Conference career as a receiver at BYU. His wife, Sunny is a former Cougar volleyball player. The family calls Texas home. Besides playing professional football, Mahe has worked as a host at a South Philadelphia restaurant and as a substitute teacher in Texas, according to the Eagles Web site.

• Meanwhile, Lewis, a returned missionary and three-time Pro Bowl tight end, was forced to play spectator during the Super Bowl after injuring his foot two weeks earlier on a touchdown catch during the conference finals.

  After joining BYU as a walk-on, he starred for the Cougars, catching 10 touchdowns and earning all-conference honors. He served a mission in Taiwan and even served as a color commentator during the 2004 Super Bowl for China Central Television, offering analysis in Mandarin Chinese.

  He and his wife, Michele, a former BYU volleyball athlete, live in Cedar Hills, Utah.

• A returned missionary, defensive tackle and BYU alum, Ifo Pili is a member of the Eagle's practice squad. A Utah native, he served a mission in California and played four years for the Cougars.

• Casey Poppinga also is on the Eagle's practice squad. A returned missionary, he played college football at Wyoming and Utah State.