COLUMBUS, Ohio — During conversation with Chip Kelly, the reasons he is currently Ohio State’s offensive coordinator leak out in pieces. Not many head coaches leave a Power Four job with years left on the deal to take on a coordinator role. Kelly did just that, however, after an eight-win season at UCLA that included a bowl win.
These are different times and, well, Kelly is a different kind of coach. Kelly’s unusual move wasn’t even an isolated incident this offseason. His buddy, Jeff Hafley, left his post as Boston College head coach after four seasons to become Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator –with three seasons left on that BC deal.
“I heard [Arkansas head coach] Sam Pittman over the summertime talk about what a head coach does,” Kelly told CBS Sports prior to the 2024 season. “[He said] ‘You set the practice schedule … and you beg people for money.'”
Pittman entered the season on one of the hottest seats in the country but recently cooled that off with an upset win over Tennessee . By leaving UCLA, Kelly never let himself get into that position in the first place.