Saturday at Ohio Stadium brings an unusual matchup with a personal edge: Ohio State head coach Ryan Day will finally coach against Chip Kelly for the first time when the Buckeyes host Northwestern.
Kelly, now Northwestern’s offensive coordinator, is back in Columbus for homecoming weekend. He previously coached Ohio State to a national championship as the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator two years ago, and he remains one of the most influential offensive minds in college football.
For Day, though, the storyline goes beyond Kelly’s résumé. Their relationship has long been built on trust, and Day said it has taken on the shape of family.
“A friend, a mentor, an uncle, a brother to me his whole life,” Day said.
Even with that kind of connection, the two have never been on opposite sidelines in a game. Day said the odd part is realizing it took this long for their paths to cross in competition.
“And now that we're talking about it, I never coached against him. So this is going to be a first. But we're always talking and always having conversations.”
Day also made clear that Northwestern’s offense has earned its attention. He pointed to the Wildcats’ work this season and gave Kelly credit for the way the unit has performed.
“But you're got to give them a lot of credit. They've done a really good job on offense this year.”
The Buckeyes coach spent time breaking down what makes Kelly’s system so difficult to handle. He described the offense as layered and said Kelly is still bringing ideas that stand out in the college game.
“There's a lot of layers to Chip and his offense, right, and the things that he can do. And I think there's some unique things that he's doing right now in college football that probably some people haven't seen in a while, for sure, with some of the formationing,” Day said.
For Day, the run game remains the biggest piece of Kelly’s offensive identity.
“First and foremost, I think one of the things with Chip, and I've known him for a long time, he's a great, great coach, is the run game. He does an excellent job in the run-game. He really does a really good job of understanding angles and how to create space.”
The personal ties don’t stop there. Kelly will also soon be a mentor to Day’s son, RJ, who is set to join the Northwestern program next year.
So while Saturday’s game is just another Big Ten matchup on the schedule, it carries a different feel. Ohio State’s defense is trying to bounce back, Northwestern is bringing an overachieving team led by Kelly, and the meeting at the Shoe puts mentorship and family ties right in the middle of the action.
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Ryan Day said there had simply been too many detrimental plays to keep things as they were, and the staff is now reshuffling responsibilities to finish the season. Senior analyst Rob Keys will oversee special teams the rest of the way, with other coaches taking on specific units, a sign that Ohio State is trying to steady one of the most frustrating parts of its operation before it costs them again. [Read more 🡒]
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Martin has kept working alongside Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair, staying in the mix while the Buckeyes sort through their options. He has spoken confidently about the group and noted that Sayin remains supportive during his recovery, which only adds another layer to a situation that is still unfolding. For now, Martin is waiting for a chance that has not come yet, but the fact that Day is even floating game usage suggests Ohio States backup picture is far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Chip Kelly Is Suddenly Back In Ohio State's Offensive Picture
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The broader picture is still fluid, though, because Nebraska is also being linked to Kelly and may try to sell him on the stature of the job rather than a simple financial pitch. For Ohio State, the possibility seems tied to whether current staff changes open a path, which is why the chatter feels more like a developing subplot than a settled pursuit. Even so, the fact that Kelly is being discussed in that context says plenty about how quickly the Buckeyes offensive landscape can shift. [Read more 🡒]