Eric Boggs
Chip Kelly is officially back in the Big Ten, but his return will not come through Columbus. Northwestern announced Tuesday that the former Ohio State offensive coordinator has been hired as the Wildcats’ new offensive coordinator, a move that immediately becomes one of the most impactful coaching changes of the offseason. Kelly, who helped guide Ohio State to the 2024 national championship before leaving for the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, returns to college football after a brief and turbulent 11-game stint in the NFL that ended in his dismissal.
Northwestern head coach David Braun called the hire “program-defining,” praising Kelly’s innovative offensive philosophy built on tempo, efficiency, and quarterback development. For a Wildcats program that finished 14th out of 18 Big Ten teams in scoring at 23.4 points per game, the addition of Kelly represents a dramatic shift in identity and ambition. Braun made clear that Northwestern views this hire as part of a long-term commitment to competing for championships, particularly as the school prepares to open the new Ryan Field, which Kelly cited as a major selling point in his decision.
Kelly’s return to the conference also closes the door on months of speculation among Buckeye fans. When current Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline departed for South Florida’s head coaching job, many assumed Kelly might slide back into Columbus, either to help guide the Buckeyes through the College Football Playoff or to reclaim the full-time coordinator role in 2026. Instead, Kelly chose Evanston, after also interviewing with Georgia Tech and North Carolina, signaling that a reunion with Ryan Day was never truly on the table.
From an Ohio State perspective, the situation brings clarity. Day will continue calling plays through the remainder of the current CFP run and is widely expected to hire an experienced offensive coordinator for 2026. Hartline will remain with the program through the playoff, but the long-term structure of the offense is now firmly in Day’s control. Both coordinators from Ohio State’s 2024 national title team have now changed jobs twice in under a year, with former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles recently leaving Penn State for Tennessee, further illustrating the volatility of elite coaching staffs in today’s game.
Kelly’s career arc makes his arrival at Northwestern particularly intriguing. Before his brief Ohio State and Raiders stints, he served as head coach at UCLA from 2018–23, at the NFL level with the 49ers and Eagles, and earlier built Oregon into a national power from 2009–12 after serving as its offensive coordinator. His roots run even deeper, having coached Ryan Day himself at New Hampshire, making their professional paths unusually intertwined. That personal history only fueled speculation about a Buckeye reunion, but those close to the situation now believe the two sides mutually agreed the timing and structure simply were not right.
Behind the scenes, there are several logical reasons why Kelly did not return to Ohio State. Recruiting expectations in Columbus are relentless, and Kelly, now in his 60s, has been open about his limited desire to grind through modern recruiting cycles. With Hartline — the engine behind Ohio State’s elite wide receiver pipeline — no longer on staff after this current playoff run, Day’s next offensive hire must be deeply invested in recruiting at the highest level. Kelly’s profile fits Northwestern’s needs perfectly but does not align with the full scope of what Ohio State requires from its future offensive leadership.
For Northwestern, the impact could be enormous. Kelly has a history of producing strong offenses at non–blue blood programs, including UCLA and early-era Oregon, and his scheme could quickly make the Wildcats one of the most difficult teams in the conference to prepare for defensively. While few believe Northwestern suddenly threatens the Big Ten’s top tier, Kelly’s presence gives the program a realistic path toward consistent relevance and top-five or top-six conference finishes.
For Ohio State, the message is equally clear: the Buckeyes are forging their own next phase under Ryan Day’s increasingly NFL-influenced approach. With the national championship blueprint already validated, Day is positioned to bring in another high-level play caller who aligns with his philosophy and long-term vision. As the conference landscape shifts again, both programs move forward — Northwestern with a bold new offensive identity, and Ohio State with confidence that its championship trajectory remains firmly intact.
