"This is not a small loss": CFB insider minces no words while assessing Chip Kelly's move from Ohio State to Las Vegas Raiders

Chip Kelly is off to the NFL again. The former Ohio State offensive coordinator is joining Pete Carroll's staff in the same role with the Las Vegas Raiders, being paid handsomely to do so. On3's J.D. PicKell knows how big of a void Kelly's departure leaves for the Buckeyes.

PicKell spoke in detail about Kelly's move and its effects, saying on Monday (1:28):

"Let me be very clear, this is not a small loss by any stretch of the imagination. You do not minimize losing a Chip Kelly. Even though you might've seen it coming, this is not a little hole you have to fill now with what he brought to the table.

"There's a lot of games you can point to where Chip Kelly was the difference."

PicKell pointed to Ohio State's win on the road at Penn State in November as one of those contests.

"Remember how Frankenstein-ish that offensive line was going into the Penn State game?" PicKell said. "With how good that defensive line was? And we're all saying, 'I don't know. Can Ohio State run the football? They've gotta get creative, gotta find ways.

"And, on that day they had a huge day on the ground. Why? Creative with the play calling, found a way to attack weak spots in the defense, a lot of perimeter runs — the Chip Kelly masterclass."

Late against Texas in the Cotton Bowl semifinal, the Buckeyes offense found a way to get things started back up again.

"You see Chip Kelly start dialing up the quarterback runs," PicKell said. "You've got a little bit of sleight of hand sort of play to Emeka Egbuka around the perimeter.

"There were plays so clearly where you could point to and say, 'That was Chip Kelly. That is the play caller. That is the offensive mastermind. That is him making the difference in that spot.'"

Kelly is the third assistant Ryan Day has lost this offseason. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles left for Penn State, while offensive line coach Justin Frye climbed to the NFL ranks to join the Arizona Cardinals.

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Why Chip Kelly was so important to the Buckeyes

During his one season designing Ohio State's offense, Chip Kelly helped the Buckeyes score 35.7 points per game. The attack got more aggressive as the go-round wore on, resulting in the second College Football Playoff trophy now in Columbus.

Going back, Kelly's Oregon teams did their part in revolutionizing the sport, introducing a breakneck pace of play that provided a good deal of success in Eugene. All of that is why Carroll is so intrigued with Kelly.

"We want ball people," Carroll said when he was introduced as the Raiders' new coach last Monday.

"We want guys that love the game. ... Also, it's important to find people that can help us grow and challenge us and — I know in my history — I need people to keep me on track. As you can tell, I get pretty juiced up, and I'm going to get going. I need people to keep me balanced."

Now, Ohio State will have to find a new offensive coordinator. Whoever fills that spot will inherit Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin.