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Chip Kelly Leaves Ohio State for Northwestern Offensive Coordinator Role
Former 49ers and Eagles coach takes over Wildcats' struggling offense in Big Ten shakeup
Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:39am by Ben Kaplan
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Chip Kelly's move to Northwestern signals a new era of strategic offensive innovation in the Big Ten.San Francisco TodayIn a surprise move, Northwestern University has hired Chip Kelly, the former offensive coordinator of Ohio State, as their new offensive coordinator. Kelly, who has a history of success as both a head coach and offensive coordinator at the college and professional levels, will look to elevate the Wildcats' offense after they ranked 14th in the Big Ten last season.
Why it matters
Kelly's hiring represents a significant shift in the Big Ten coaching landscape, as both of Ohio State's coordinators from their 2024 national championship team have now taken new jobs in the past year. Northwestern is hoping Kelly's innovative offensive approach can help them climb the conference standings and become more competitive.
The details
After a one-year stint as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, where he helped lead the Buckeyes to a national title, Kelly is now taking over the same role at Northwestern. Prior to his time at Ohio State, Kelly had a successful head coaching career at UCLA from 2018 to 2023, as well as previous stops in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. He is known for his creative, up-tempo offensive schemes.
- Kelly was the offensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2024, when the Buckeyes won the national championship.
- Kelly was fired as head coach of the Oakland Raiders after just 11 games in 2025.
The players
Chip Kelly
A veteran coach with experience at the college and professional levels, Kelly is known for his innovative offensive schemes. He previously served as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State and has also been a head coach in the NFL and at UCLA.
Northwestern University
The Big Ten school is hoping Kelly's hiring can help elevate their struggling offense, which ranked 14th in the conference last season.
Ohio State University
The Buckeyes are now in the process of finding a new offensive coordinator after both of their 2024 championship coordinators have taken new jobs.
What they’re saying
“Chip Kelly is one of the most creative offensive minds in football, and we're thrilled to have him join our program. We believe his expertise can help take our offense to new heights.”
— Jim Phillips, Northwestern University President
“While we're disappointed to see Chip leave, we understand this is a great opportunity for him. We wish him the best of luck at Northwestern and will work quickly to find the right replacement to lead our offense.”
— Ryan Day, Ohio State Head Coach
What’s next
Ohio State will begin the search for a new offensive coordinator to replace Kelly, with Ryan Day taking over play-calling duties for the remainder of the current season.
The takeaway
Chip Kelly's move from Ohio State to Northwestern represents a significant shift in the Big Ten coaching landscape, as the Wildcats look to Kelly's innovative offensive approach to help elevate their struggling offense and become more competitive in the conference.
