Sources: Ohio State to hire UCLA’s Kelly as OC

UCLA coach Chip Kelly is expected to become the next offensive coordinator at Ohio State, sources told ESPN on Friday. UCLA has been made aware of his expected departure, per sources, and has begun to plan for a national search.

Kelly is expected to replace Bill O’Brien, who is poised to become the head coach at Boston College later Friday. Ohio State had hired O’Brien in mid-January as part of head coach Ryan Day’s move to no longer call plays and run the program more holistically.

Kelly went 35-34 during six seasons at UCLA, concluding his tenure with three consecutive winning seasons. He becomes the fourth college head coach in this cycle to leave a head-coaching job for an assistant spot, joining Jeff Hafley (Packers), Mo Linguist (Alabama) and Kane Wommack (Alabama).

Kelly has interviewed for multiple NFL coordinator jobs in the cycle, including most recently the Seattle Seahawks’ OC position. He instead turns to college, where he’ll reunite with Buckeyes coach Ryan Day, his long-time friend and former assistant coach. Kelly has a decades-long relationship with Day, as both are New Hampshire natives. Kelly coached Day in college at New Hampshire and Day worked for Kelly in the NFL with the Eagles and 49ers.

Kelly has long been regarded as a gifted playcaller, having served as a longtime offensive coordinator and innovator at both New Hampshire and Oregon. As Kelly moved on to become the head coach at Oregon and then in the NFL, he remained the playcaller, and along the way his offenses shifted from breakneck tempo to more deliberate and NFL style.

Kelly will call the offense for a strong roster that includes transfer quarterback Will Howard, tailbacks TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins and receiver Emeka Egbuka.