'What I Wanted To Do!' Chip Kelly Opens Up About Joining Ohio State
Chip Kelly shocked the football world when he left the head coaching position for the UCLA Bruins to join the Ohio State Buckeyes as the team's new offensive coordinator.
It was such an unprecedented move, that Kelly was panned by Los Angeles media, as well as some national pundits for his decision.
However, at the end of the day, it was Kelly's choice, and he made his own decision based on what he wanted to do with his career.
"I was at a point in time where I could make a decision on what I wanted to do," Kelly told Pat McAfee. "I really enjoy coaching. I really enjoy being with the players. I really enjoy the relationships you have when you’re in the meeting room...The opportunity to come here and just coach football and not have to do the things that a head coach is asked to do now in college football appealed to me.”
It's no secret that Kelly wasn't a big fan of the current state of college football.
Unlike it was even a decade ago, not only are head coaches expected to maintain and run a program and to be out on the road recruiting for days and weeks at a time, but they also must compete in the NIL sphere and in the transfer portal.
Chip Kelly Reveals Reason Behind Leaving UCLA For Ohio State
In fact, in many respects, being a head coach at the college level can entail more day-to-day work than that of an NFL coach.
Now, without the stresses of what comes with being a head coach, Kelly can get back to doing what he loves - calling an offense, and coaching quarterbacks.
"I’m excited to just do my job," Kelly said. "I don’t need to do anything else. I don’t need to do the other things that a head coach needs to do. I just get to coach quarterbacks and be with them every day. This group of quarterbacks we have here is awesome."