Chip Kelly, the former UCLA coach, has been hired as Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The announcement came after Bill O’Brien was named the head coach at Boston College, leaving a vacancy in Ohio State’s coaching staff. Kelly’s hiring brings a wealth of experience as a head coach in college and the NFL, which is expected to benefit the Buckeyes’ program.
Ryan Day, the head coach of Ohio State, expressed his excitement about Kelly joining the team. He praised Kelly’s experience and stated that he is looking forward to working with him to chase a championship. Day also extended his well wishes to Bill O’Brien as he takes over at Boston College.
Kelly’s departure from UCLA was confirmed by athletic director Martin Jarmond in a letter. Kelly spent six seasons as the head coach of the Bruins, finishing with a record of 35-34. It is unusual for sitting head coaches to voluntarily leave for coordinator positions, but the connection between Day and Kelly goes back 25 years. Day was a quarterback at New Hampshire when Kelly was the offensive coordinator, and they also worked together in the NFL.
The extensive experience of the 60-year-old Kelly is expected to allow Day to delegate play-calling responsibilities for the first time and take on a more CEO-style role. Day had previously mentioned his intention to hand over play-calling duties to O’Brien, and Kelly’s stature makes him a prominent candidate for the role. Kelly’s previous experience as an offensive coordinator at Oregon, where he introduced the fast-paced “blur” offense, is likely to be an asset to Ohio State.
During his time at Oregon, Kelly’s innovative offensive system contributed to the popularization of no-huddle offenses in college football. The Ducks had the highest-scoring offense in the nation in 2010 and finished as the national runner-up. While Kelly’s offenses at UCLA were not as prolific, they ranked in the top-20 in scoring in the Football Bowl Subdivision for three consecutive seasons.
Kelly’s hiring also has a personal connection with Ohio State’s offensive line coach, Justin Frye. Frye served as Kelly’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at UCLA. This existing relationship between Kelly and Frye is expected to contribute to a smooth transition and collaboration within the coaching staff.
The addition of Kelly to Ohio State’s staff may come with a financial cost. Under the terms of his extension with UCLA, Kelly owes the school $1.5 million for leaving. It is likely that Ohio State will cover a significant portion of that buyout, as they have done in similar situations in the past.
Overall, the hiring of Chip Kelly brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Ohio State’s coaching staff. With his innovative offensive strategies and connections with the coaching staff, Kelly is expected to make an immediate impact on the team. Ohio State fans can look forward to an exciting season ahead under the guidance of this accomplished coach.