Ohio
What we know about why Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly left UCLA
Ohio State football has a new offensive play-caller.
After hiring Bill O’Brien briefly before he took the head coaching job at Boston College, Ohio State coach Ryan Day hired Chip Kelly, the former UCLA and Oregon coach, to be the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2024.
Kelly will make his official Ohio State coaching debut Saturday when OSU takes on Akron. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Ohio Stadium and will be broadcast on CBS.
Here’s a look at why Kelly made the step to be OSU’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coacg.
More on Chip Kelly: Ryan Day and Chip Kelly are reunited at Ohio State. Here’s their relationship history
Why Chip Kelly wanted to be an Ohio State offensive coordinator
At Ohio State, Kelly is a coordinator and a position coach for the first time since 2008. But in his introductory press conference with the Buckeyes, Kelly admitted “sometimes I do a lot of things other people don’t do.”
“I just want to be happy, and I’m really happy coaching a position and really happy to be at this place,” Kelly said.
Kelly spent 19 seasons as a position coach and/or a coordinator before becoming the head coach at Oregon in 2009.
Chip Kelly’s UCLA record
After four years at Oregon, where he led the Ducks to 46 wins in 53 games, including a BCS Championship appearance in 2010, Kelly returned to college football in 2018 to coach UCLA.
Kelly’s teams at UCLA finished 35-34. The Bruins beat Boise State in the 2023 LA Bowl but lost to Pittsburgh in the 2022 Sun Bowl.
- 2018: UCLA 3-9
- 2019: UCLA 4-8
- 2020: UCLA 3-4
- 2021: UCLA 8-4
- 2022: UCLA 9-4
- 2023: UCLA 8-5
Chip Kelly’s UCLA buyout
In March 2023, Kelly signed a contract extension to remain the coach at UCLA through 2027. According to the Los Angeles Times, Kelly was set to make $6.1 million in 2023 and 2024, and $6.2 million in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Ohio State was responsible for paying $1.5 million to UCLA for Kelly’s buyout and related taxable income resulting from the expense.
Chip Kelly’s Ohio State contract
Kelly signed a three-year deal to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State that includes an annual basic compensation of $2 million.
Chip Kelly’s coaching career
Here’s a look at where Kelly’s coached before becoming Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
- 1990: Columbia — Defensive Backs/Special Teams
- 1991: Columbia — Outside Linebackers/Safeties
- 1992: New Hampshire — Running Backs
- 1993: Johns Hopkins — Defensive Coordinator
- 1994-96: New Hampshire — Running Backs
- 1997-98: New Hampshire — Offensive Line
- 1999-2006: New Hampshire — Offensive Coordinator
- 2007-08: Oregon — Offensive Coordinator
- 2009-12: Oregon — Head Coach
- 2013-15: Philadelphia Eagles — Head Coach
- 2016: San Francisco 49ers — Head Coach
- 2018-23: UCLA — Head Coach
- 2024: Ohio State — Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Ohio State football schedule 2024
- Aug. 31: Ohio State vs. Akron; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Sept. 7: Ohio State vs. Western Michigan; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Sept. 21: Ohio State vs. Marshall; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Sept. 28: Ohio State at Michigan State; Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan
- Oct. 5: Ohio State vs. Iowa; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Oct. 12: Ohio State at Oregon; Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
- Oct. 26: Ohio State vs. Nebraska; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Nov. 2: Ohio State at Penn State; Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Nov. 9: Ohio State vs. Purdue; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Nov. 16: Ohio State at Northwestern; Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Nov. 23: Ohio State vs. Indiana; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Nov. 30: Ohio State vs. Michigan; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio