In one of the more surprising moves of the college football offseason thus far, UCLA head coach Chip Kelly decided to leave the Bruins to become the next offensive coordinator for Ohio State football, linking up with former colleague Ryan Day again. The two coached together in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers at one point.
Shortly after accepting the job, Kelly inked a three-year deal with the Buckeyes. Via Bruce Feldman:
“Kelly has agreed to a three-year contract, through the 2026 season.”
Not only did Kelly and Day coach together, but they are also from the same town of Manchester, New Hampshire. Day served as QB1 at the University of New Hampshire for Kelly at the time and they remained close for years during stints in college and the NFL.
Day had this to say about the hire of Chip Kelly. Via The Athletic:
“His experience as a head coach at Oregon, UCLA, and in the NFL will bring immediate value to our entire team,” Day said in a statement. “I am really looking forward to reconnecting with Chip, introducing him to our staff and team and chasing a championship together.”
Kelly spent six years as the UCLA head coach, leading them to a 9-4 record in 2022. He's excelled most in OC positions, so this is a fantastic hire for Day and Ohio State. It's someone he knows best and there's no doubt Kelly will do a great job with a revamped OSU offense that will lose a lot of talent to the NFL Draft.