Chip Kelly has finally escaped Westwood.
Kelly has left UCLA to join Ohio State as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in a three-year deal, the school announced Friday night.
Kelly had been trying for weeks to find another job as UCLA’s recruiting suffered.
“We are extremely excited to have Chip and his wife, Jill, joining our program,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said in a statement. “His experience as a head coach at Oregon, UCLA and in the NFL will bring immediate value to our entire team. I am really looking forward to reconnecting with Chip, introducing him to our staff and team and chasing a championship together.”
Kelly interviewed to be the offensive coordinator for the Raiders, Commanders and Seahawks — and was passed over by all three teams.
Instead, Kelly now joins Day’s staff after Bill O’Brien left on Friday to become Boston College’s head coach.
O’Brien only had the job for about a month after he held the offensive coordinator position with the Patriots last season.
Kelly is not the only college football head coach to leave their school for a college football coordinator position.
Alabama’s new head coach Kalen DeBoer hired Kane Wommack away from South Alabama to be the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator.
Head coaches now have to deal with the NIL world of raising money to help land recruits and transfers each season that has become a significant part of their responsibilities.
There was some belief that UCLA would move on from Kelly after last season, when the team finished 8-5, but ultimately decided to keep him.
Kelly, 60, has never been able to replicate the astounding success he had at Oregon when he led the Ducks to a 46-7 record between 2009-12.
That includes two failed NFL head-coaching stints with the Eagles and 49ers.
Kelly will finish his Bruins tenure 35-34 over six seasons and just one bowl victory, which came over Boise State in December in the Los Angeles Bowl.
The decision comes as UCLA is set to join Ohio State in the Big 10, though the teams are not scheduled to play next season.