As Ohio State packs its luggage for the journey to Pasadena to play Oregon within the School Soccer Playoff quarterfinal on the Rose Bowl, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is ensuring he has sufficient of 1 explicit merchandise.
“I gotta get more sunscreen,” he mentioned as he chuckled a bit. “We haven’t seen the sun in a little while out here in Columbus.”
Kelly shall be returning to the sideline he roamed for six years as head coach of the UCLA Bruins, a job that when made him the highest-paid state worker in California, and one he stepped down from final February to take the reins of Ohio State’s offense. Whereas the transfer — and the timing of it — may need burned bridges with a number of Angelenos, the importance of taking part in within the Rose Bowl isn’t misplaced on him.
“The game itself, and the Rose Bowl itself, it’s such an iconic place to play,” Kelly mentioned. “To be at that 2 o’clock kickoff on the West Coast, and on Jan. 1, it’s special. I’m excited. [It’s] an opportunity to coach in another role as well, I think that’s going to be really special.”
Going from head coach to coordinator voluntarily was one thing exceptional when Kelly bolted for Columbus simply earlier than spring follow was set to start, however his feedback on Saturday morning sounded just like different excessive profile faculty coaches who’ve known as it quits within the NIL period.
Kelly is not the chief government officer that should divide his consideration between NIL, boosters, administration, recruiting and the switch portal, he’s now the department supervisor that solely must concern himself with the Xs and O’s.
“It’s been a lot more football and a lot less overall meetings I think that a head coach has to do.” he mentioned. “Sometimes, I think as a head coach, you wear a lot of different hats. Obviously as a coordinator and just coaching the quarterbacks, it’s a little bit different.
“So it’s been fun, really enjoy being back in the meeting room with players on a day-to-day basis. As a head coach, you bounce around to different meeting rooms, but as the coordinator, you’re with the quarterbacks all the time. So I really have enjoyed that aspect of it.”
The sensation is mutual for his beginning quarterback, Will Howard, whose upbringing as a Philadelphia Eagles fan coincided with Kelly’s years as their head coach. Often throughout their conferences, Kelly will pull up movie from his time with the Eagles, highlighting key gamers from Howard’s childhood.
“He’s coached some of the best players that I grew up watching,” Howard mentioned. “And just getting to work with him, and just getting to be on the same page with him about a lot of things, the more that this year has gone on … I feel like we’re in sync right now, pretty damn well.”
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, left, talks with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly earlier than a recreation in opposition to Akron in August.
(Jason Mowry / Getty Photographs)
Howard’s veteran presence has invigorated Kelly, who typically brings his QB1 into the game-plan conferences. They’re in a position to bounce concepts for various conditions off of one another, and Howard has the expertise to offer his opinion on conditions as a result of he’s been in them earlier than, he’s in a position to push again on sure calls, clarify why he won’t agree with them, and provides solutions of his personal.
That have has made Howard invaluable to Kelly.
“I think our relationship has just gotten better and better as the year’s gone on,” Howard mentioned. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with him and working with him. We’ve had a good time with it, and we want to finish this thing the right way.”
Howard isn’t the one quarterback within the Rose Bowl that has ties to Kelly.
A couple of years earlier than Dillon Gabriel turned a Heisman Trophy finalist for the Oregon Geese, and even earlier than he made a reputation for himself at Oklahoma, Gabriel virtually suited up for Kelly at UCLA.
Kelly had his eye on Gabriel ever since he was at Mililani Excessive in Hawaii, the place he set a state file with 9,948 profession passing yards. His first two years had been spent at Central Florida and when he hit the switch portal after the 2021 season, Gabriel introduced his dedication to the Bruins earlier than finally flipping to the Sooners a month later.
None of Gabriel’s success has stunned Kelly. His accuracy, calmness within the pocket and athleticism have made Kelly a longtime admirer of his.
“There’s a poise about him that I think is kind of special for the quarterback position,” Kelly mentioned of Gabriel. “Doesn’t seem to get rattled too much. Really has a true understanding of what they want to get accomplished there, and is also really athletic so that if you take away some of his options from a throw standpoint, he can beat you with his legs. So I think he’s the complete package, and one of the top quarterbacks in the country.”
With the Rose Bowl looming, Kelly mirrored on his private progress over the previous yr in his position with the Buckeyes, and he maintains that he nonetheless carries his experiences as a Bruin with him.
“I think anytime, you’re a product of your environment, so to be able to be around this group, the players and obviously this coaching staff here has to make anybody better,” Kelly mentioned. “So I think the fact that I got a chance to spend some time with this group is truly a special time.
“I had a great time when I was at UCLA, I had a great staff and an unbelievable group of players there too. So I think [I’m] just really fortunate with everybody that I’ve got a chance to be around the last seven years.”
