The exit of former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly came entirely as a surprise—not because he left, but because of who he left for.
It was reported that Kelly was interested and was targeting a job back in the NFL. Instead, Kelly jumped ship at Westwood for Columbus, Ohio, to become the new offensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
It was a long time coming as Kelly wanted change, and the UCLA fanbase and alumni wanted the same thing. It was a game of chicken, and the UCLA program won that battle. Now, they will have to face Kelly consistently with the program moving to the Big 10 conference.
It will be a much-anticipated battle with Ohio State in the coming years. We all speculated on why Kelly left, but the man himself spoke about why he left for Ohio State. The 60-year-old coordinator talked to Ohio State media and explained why he left and thought it was time for a change.
The Los Angeles Times' Ben Bolch shared via X.
The six-year Bruins head coach also told Cody Nagel of 247Sports that his relationship with OSU head coach Ryan Day played a significant factor.
"I think part of it was my relationship with Ryan (Day)," Kelly said of his decision to leave UCLA. "I've known Ryan since he was about yay high. Justin Frye I had coached with before, and then I knew what this was about, starting with Gene Smith on down. I think the alignment from the administration to the coaching staff, and then probably the exuberance of what people think about Ohio State football is awesome. You want to be someplace where football is important and obviously we know how important it is here."
Kelly led the Bruins to a 35-34 record in his six-year tenure. His team improved significantly throughout the years, record-wise, but the results weren't enough for what they thought they were getting in Kelly. Ultimately, he wouldn't adjust to the new age of college football, which played a massive role in their lack of success.
The former Bruisn coach got what he wanted, and so did UCLA. It was a long time coming—now, they look to stop Kelly and the high-powered Ohio State offense in 2025.
