“It’s about football” - Former UCLA coach Chip Kelly opens up about working for Ryan Day’s Ohio State - “Unbelievable”

Chip Kelly, a former UCLA coach, replaced offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien at Ohio State on Tuesday.

O'Brien left his position to become the head coach at Boston College, which eventually led to the reunion of Kelly and Ryan Day.

Ryan Day had previously worked under Kelly at the University of New Hampshire and belonged to the group well known as the "New Hampshire Mafia."

In an interview with WBNS, former UCLA coach Kelly opens up about the reason behind leaving the Bruins for the Buckeyes:

“As I always tell people, the best part of football is football. That's what this place is all about. It's about football, we have great players. It's an unbelievable coaching staff, so I'm excited to be here.

“I think part of it was my relationship with Ryan (Day). I've known Ryan since he was yay high. So (offensive line coach) Justin Frye, I had coached with before. And then I knew what this program was about, starting with (Senior vice president and Athletic Director) Gene Smith on down.”

Meanwhile, Kelly commented that the administration and the coaches are on the same page and the enthusiasm for Ohio State football is amazing.

“You want to be someplace where football is really important and obviously,” he said. “We know how important it is here.”

Chip Kelly's three decades and diverse range of experiences

Former head coach Chip Kelly of the UCLA Bruins and head coach Trei Oliver of the North Carolina Central Eagles.

Chip Kelly is set to play his role as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes this fall, marking his first such role since 2008, when he concluded his tenure as offensive coordinator at the University of Oregon.

Kelly's coaching journey before assuming the role of UCLA Head Coach in 2018 involved various positions in his career timeline:

Year(s)	Team	Position
1990	Columbia	DB/ST
1991	Columbia	OLB/S
1992	New Hampshire	RB
1993	Johns Hopkins	DC
1994–1996	New Hampshire	RB
1997–1998	New Hampshire	OL
1999–2006	New Hampshire	OC
2007–2008	Oregon	OC
2009–2012	Oregon	HC
2013–2015	Philadelphia Eagles	OC
2016	San Francisco 49ers	OC