Northwestern delivered a massive college football shockwave. Immediately, the Wildcats are hiring veteran coach Chip Kelly as their new offensive coordinator. Crucially, sources confirmed this stunning move to ESPN this afternoon. This seasoned playcaller, first of all, possesses expertise in diverse systems and personnel. Therefore, Kelly was instantly appealing to the Northwestern leadership. Indeed, he brings a significant wealth of Big Ten experience to the staff.
Kelly’s impressive resume boasts extensive high-level success. For example, he served as head coach for Oregon and UCLA in college. Additionally, he led both the Philadelphia and San Francisco NFL franchises. Additionally, just this past season, Kelly won a national title at Ohio State. He was specifically the offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes during their 2024 campaign. Previously, this veteran had crucial stints at New Hampshire and Oregon. He has an unrivaled playcalling history as well.
Kelly most recently coached with the Las Vegas Raiders. He served as their offensive coordinator last season. However, that brief tenure ended abruptly on November 23. Consequently, he was laid off after the Raiders started 2-9 overall. Nevertheless, fortunately, the highly seasoned coach quickly found a new landing spot. Ultimately, therefore, more than a month later, he joins the Wildcats program.
Northwestern clearly needs a significant offensive boost. The Wildcats ranked No. 15 in Big Ten points per game last year. Therefore, Kelly’s appointment represents a significant boost in confidence for Northwestern. Instantly, he replaces current coordinator Zach Lujan. Significantly, Lujan’s contract expires soon after the current season ends. In addition, Kelly partners with successful head coach David Braun. Braun already secured two bowl wins in three seasons. Furthermore, the future looks bright.
The school undoubtedly sought an adaptable playcaller. They ranked poorly, finishing No. 96 in both total offense and scoring offense. Critically, however, Kelly must maximize the existing personnel. The team projects to run a system similar to his dynamic UCLA attacks. To illustrate, his 2023 team was nationally No. 17 in rush offense. Similarly, moreover, the 2022 Bruins averaged a school-record 503.6 yards per game. Finally, his 2020 and 2021 teams led the entire Pac-12 in scoring.
The aggressive Oregon-style tempo, on the other hand, seems improbable in this situation. Kelly achieved enormous success with that fast pace as head coach. Therefore, the hire comes at a pivotal moment for the Northwestern program. The school is opening its new $850 million state-of-the-art Ryan Field next year. Together, consequently, Kelly and Braun face high expectations for the Big Ten future. Overall, the appointment is a landmark hiring.
