By Danielle Daniels

February 9, 2024

33-year veteran, including 14 years as a head coach, accepts three-year contract through the 2026 season

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Veteran Power 5 and NFL head coach Chip Kelly is an Ohio State Buckeye. This evening, head coach Ryan Day announced that Kelly has accepted a three-year contract, through the 2026 season, to become the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterback’s coach.

With spring football drills starting in less than one month (the first spring practice is set for March 5), Day acted quickly in the wake of Bill O’Brien’s departure from the program to become the head coach at Boston College.

Day knows exactly what he and the Ohio State program is getting in Kelly. Day was coached by Kelly at New Hampshire and he later coached with him at New Hampshire (2002) and for two years in the NFL: 2015 with the Philadelphia Eagles and 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers.

Additionally, both coaches are from Manchester, N.H. and both are University of New Hampshire graduates.

“We are extremely excited to have Chip and his wife, Jill, joining our program,” Day said. “His experience as a head coach at Oregon, UCLA and in the NFL will bring immediate value to our entire team. I am really looking forward to reconnecting with Chip, introducing him to our staff and team and chasing a championship together.

“I would also like to wish coach Bill O’Brien and his family well as he takes over at Boston College.”

Kelly has 33 years of coaching experience with 29 years in the college game and four as an NFL head coach. He comes to Ohio State after six seasons as head coach at UCLA. The Bruins were 35-34 under Kelly and 25-13 the past three seasons.

His Bruins’ team ranked 17th nationally in rushing in 2023 and set a school record with 503.6 total yards per game in 2022. His 2021 team led the Pac-12 in scoring (36.5; 12th nationally) and ranked 14th in rushing (215.1). His 2020 team also led the Pac-12 in scoring and ranked 12th nationally in rushing at 230.6 yards per game.

Kelly won 10 games in each of his first two seasons as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, including winning an NFC East title in 2013. He spent three seasons with Philadelphia and one with San Francisco with Day on his staff as quarterbacks coach for one season at each stop.

The Oregon Ducks were one of the premier teams during Kelly’s six seasons in Eugene. He was offensive coordinator for two seasons (2007-08) and then guided the Ducks to a 46-7 record and three consecutive Pac-10 titles in four seasons (2009-12) as head coach, including BCS bowl games all four years. Oregon played for the national championship in 2010, falling in the title game to Auburn, 22-19, on a last-second field goal.

Statistically, Oregon’s offense under Kelly was a force. The Ducks were second in the nation in scoring (49.6) and fifth in total offense (537.4) in 2012 and they were third in scoring (46.1) and fourth in total offense (522.8) in 2011. They led the nation in points per game (46.1) and total offense (530.7) in 2010, and they were sixth in points (36.1) and rushing (231.7) in 2009.

Kelly has earned eight coach of the year honors as a head coach. He was the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 coach of the year; he was also the Associated Press, Eddie Robinson, Walter Camp, American Football Coaches Association and The Sporting News coach of the year, respectively, in 2010; and he was the 2013 Maxwell Club professional coach of the year after his inaugural season with the Eagles.

Prior to his work at Oregon, Kelly coached 14 seasons at New Hampshire, one season at Johns Hopkins and two at Columbia.

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COURTESY OHIO STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS