The 2023-2024 coaching carousel has been a whirlwind and one of the biggest moves saw former UCLA Bruins head coach Chip Kelly decide to move to new in-conference rival Ohio State as offensive coordinator.
The move prompted some to speculate that Kelly’s time in college football may be coming to a close. According to the veteran coach, though, he isn’t retiring any time soon.
Chip Kelly Isn’t Retiring Anytime Soon
Chip Kelly is a 34-year coaching veteran, but that doesn’t mean he’s slowing down. In a recent press conference, Kelly made it clear that he loves what he does and won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
“I never thought about quitting or not coaching,” Kelly said. “I’m gonna coach, and then I’m gonna die.”
That grim humor underscores a tumultuous time in Kelly’s coaching career. Widely considered one of the best offensive minds in football, Kelly was a fast-rising coach who moved to Oregon in 2006 after 13 years at New Hampshire. After running the offense for two years, he became the head coach of the Ducks and led the team to unprecedented success.
Since 2013, when he moved to the NFL, he hasn’t experienced the same success, culminating with a disappointing tenure at UCLA. There were rumors of disagreements between Kelly and the administration, and although he wasn’t fired after last season, many considered his seat as extremely hot.
So, maybe it wasn’t much of a surprise when Kelly decided to leave Los Angeles for new Big Ten rival Ohio State, this time as offensive coordinator.
It may seem like a self-inflicted demotion, but according to Kelly, the move has been extremely rewarding. The thought of moving began when Kelly took over coaching UCLA’s quarterbacks ahead of the LA Bowl against the Boise State Broncos after then-offensive coordinator Ryan Gunderson moved to Oregon State.
“I just started to think, like I hadn’t actually coached a position since 2008,” Kelly said. “My wife remarked … ‘I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time.’ And, to me, the best part of football is football. And so you got to do football, and not do some of the things involved with the head coaching deal.”
KEEP READING: Best College Football Assistant Coach Hires 2024
According to Kelly, the move has been an exciting one, and getting to work with quarterbacks again has been a breath of fresh air.
Ohio State returns as much talent as any team in the country. Under Kelly’s offensive guidance, expectations for the Buckeyes are sky-high. But with Kelly’s guidance, Ryan Day’s team could finally win the big one.
Miss any action from the top college QB Rankings during the 2023 football season? Want to track all the movement with the college football transfer portal? College Football Network has you covered with that and more!