In a significant move following Ohio State’s third-straight defeat to Michigan, head coach Ryan Day brought in Chip Kelly, the former UCLA head coach, as the Buckeyes’ new offensive coordinator.
Always a polarizing figure, opinions vary greatly on Kelly and his unique offensive approach.
However, fans hoping to see the high-speed “Blur” offense Kelly was known for during his time at Oregon might be in for a surprise, according to legendary Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer.
Kelly, who previously worked alongside Day at New Hampshire, made his name at Oregon with a fast-paced, no-huddle offense that left defenses scrambling and turned the Ducks into a national powerhouse.
His approach relied heavily on speed and an aggressive rushing attack, quickly earning him a reputation as an offensive innovator.
After his success at Oregon, Kelly moved to the NFL, where he coached the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, before returning to college football with UCLA.
Despite solid performances, Kelly’s UCLA teams struggled to reach the heights he achieved at Oregon, with consistent eight or nine-win seasons but no major breakthroughs.
Additionally, his tenure at UCLA was marked by criticism over his recruitment efforts. (Although it’s widely speculated that Kelly never received strong backing from the university, especially when it came to NIL efforts.)
Meyer, who discussed the hire on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” emphasized that Kelly’s coaching style has evolved significantly since his Oregon days.
“I’ve known Chip for a long time, and we’ve worked closely on the spread offense. His philosophy at Oregon was all about speed, pushing the pace. But that changed in the NFL and again at UCLA,” Meyer said.
“He is now the perfect play guy. He’s a guy that’s going to huddle, take their time, and get the perfect play in. That is drastically different than what he was as a head coach at Oregon.”
For those anticipating a revival of the explosive Oregon offense in Columbus, Meyer offered a reality check.
“This Chip Kelly offense is completely different than the so-called ‘radical’ offense that he ran as a head coach in Oregon,” Meyer continued.
“This is completely different, and I do believe it’ll help Ohio State. And they have the quarterback (Will Howard) that I think fits this scheme.”
Kelly’s decision to join Ohio State marks the end of his six-year tenure at UCLA, where he had the option to return for a seventh season.
As crazy as it might sound to some, being the offensive coordinator at Ohio State may very well be a better job than being the head coach at UCLA.
Kelly’s new role with the Buckeyes will be less focused on recruiting and more on offensive-strategizing and play-calling.
In other words, it’s a perfect fit for both parties.
Ohio State is set to kick off their season on August 31 at home against Akron.
What are your thoughts on Day and the Buckeyes bringing Kelly aboard?
Will he help Ohio State finally get over the hump and win their first post-Meyer national championship???