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UCLA coach Chip Kelly is expected to update Bill O’Brien as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, according to reports.
The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that Kelly, who had been interviewing for coordinator jobs in the NFL, had agreed to join the Buckeyes’ staff.
Kelly will take over and O’Brien will be the next coach at Boston College, the latest edition of the training carousel. The Eagles’ opening came last week when Jeff Hafley was hired as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers.
In a letter posted on UCLA’s website, athletic director Martin Jarmond outlined Kelly’s departure after six seasons at the helm of the Bruins, but did not announce his next move. Kelly went 35-34 during his tenure.
It’s rare for incumbent head coaches to voluntarily leave to take coordinator positions, yet the ties between Buckeyes coach Ryan Day and Kelly span a quarter-century. Day was a quarterback in New Hampshire from 1998 to 2001, when Kelly was the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator and began his coaching career in school.
They also worked in combination in the NFL. Kelly hired Day as quarterbacks coach in his final season as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015 and brought him to the San Francisco 49ers the following year.
The 60-year-old Kelly’s wealth of experience will likely allow Day to implement his plan to delegate play calling for the first time and take on a more CEO-like role leading the Buckeyes.
Ohio State Football: Who is Chip Kelly? OSU reportedly hiring former UCLA, Oregon coach as offensive coordinator
Day said at a news conference on Wednesday that he intended to hand over those responsibilities to O’Brien, another veteran play-caller with head coaching experience between the NFL and college level.
As he considered the setup and arrangement of his staff, Day stressed that a potential play-caller needed to be the right person. Kelly’s stature figures to be as prominent as any possible candidate.
Kelly last served as offensive coordinator Mike Bellotti at Oregon in 2007 and 2008.
It was around this time that Kelly, who succeeded Bellotti and managed the Ducks for four seasons, brought in a no-meet-and-play offense that operated at such an immediate speed that it became known as the “Blur. “
The innovative system contributed to the popularization of no-huddle offenses throughout college football.
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Oregon had the highest-scoring offense in the country in 2010 when it finished nationally, falling to Auburn by a box goal in the BCS national championship game.
Kelly’s offenses at UCLA were not as prolific, however, the Bruins ranked in the top 20 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring for three straight seasons before falling to 70th last season, struggling with Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who is no longer the center.
While Kelly’s relationship with Day is longstanding, he has a connection to offensive line coach Justin Frye.
Frye, his offensive coordinator and offensive line coach with the Bruins from 2018 to 2021.
Adding Kelly to the Buckeyes will likely come at an additional monetary cost. Under the terms of an extension Kelly signed with UCLA last March, he owes the school $1. 5 million for his departure.
A large portion of the value of the acquisition could be assumed by the State of Ohio, which has already assumed obligations.
When he poached defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from Oklahoma State two years ago, he gave him a $138,850 signing bonus as a one-time payment to pay the fine.
Kelly will earn $6. 1 million at UCLA next season.
The Bruins are joining the Big Ten next season, but the Buckeyes are not scheduled to play them during the regular season until 2025.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch and can be reached at [email protected].
This article made the impression in The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State has reportedly hired Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator.