Ohio State football OC candidates: 6 options to replace Chip Kelly

Posted by author February 3, 2025 Football

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One week after losing the defensive coordinator from their national championship-winning team, Ohio State and coach Ryan Day just lost their offensive coordinator, as well.

After one year calling plays for the Buckeyes, Chip Kelly is reportedly leaving Columbus to become the new offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders and newly hired head coach Pete Carroll.

He becomes the second Ohio State coordinator to leave after the national championship game, joining former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who left the Buckeyes for Big Ten rival Penn State in late January.

Ohio State’s offense excelled in its one season under Kelly, the former Oregon and UCLA head coach who will be returning to the NFL, where he previously coached the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. The Buckeyes averaged 35.7 points per game, ranking them 12th in the FBS and second in the Big Ten in scoring offense, and got even more explosive in the postseason, averaging 36.3 points per game in four College Football Playoff victories.

With Kelly gone, where might Day and Ohio State turn next? Here’s a look at some potential options for the Buckeyes’ next offensive coordinator:

Who replaces Chip Kelly? 6 Ohio State candidates

Brian Hartline, Ohio State co-OC

Hartline’s a known commodity for the Buckeyes, having served as the co-offensive coordinator last season and the sole offensive coordinator in 2023. A former Ohio State standout, Hartline has excelled as a recruiter and as a wide receivers coach, but his work in 2023 was underwhelming, with the Buckeyes finishing 45th nationally in scoring offense.

Will Stein, Oregon OC/QBs coach

In each of his two seasons at Oregon, Stein has piloted offenses that ranked in the top 20 nationally and coached a pair of Heisman Trophy finalists in quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. A move to Ohio State would put the 35-year-old Louisville native and former Louisville quarterback closer to his roots.

Joe Moorhead, Akron coach

Moorhead was a critical figure in Penn State’s resurgence, helping scheme for an offense featuring Saquon Barkley, Trace McSorley and Chris Godwin. He served in the same role for two seasons at Oregon, as well. The Pittsburgh native is 8-28 in three seasons at Akron, one of the toughest jobs in the FBS, and could be enticed by a fresh start elsewhere.

Mike Shanahan, Indiana OC/WRs coach

The highest-scoring offense in the Big Ten last season didn’t belong to Kelly and Ohio State, but Shanahan and Indiana. The 35-year-old former Pitt tight end has worked alongside Curt Cignetti for the past nine seasons, including the past four as offensive coordinator. Last season, the Hoosiers averaged 41.3 points per game, the second-best mark in the FBS.

Jeff Nixon, Syracuse OC/RBs coach

In his first season as Syracuse’s offensive coordinator, Nixon led an offense that averaged 34.1 points per game and allowed former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord to rewrite the program record book. Prior to that, he helped Matt Rhule turn around the Baylor program as the co-offensive coordinator. He and Day were both offensive assistants with the 49ers in 2016 under Kelly. Nixon recently interviewed for the Houston Texans’ vacant offensive coordinator position.

Kevin Wilson, former Tulsa coach

If Day and Ohio State are looking for some continuity after moving through so many different offensive coordinators the past several years, Wilson could be an appealing option. The former Indiana head coach was the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator from 2017-22, bridging the transition between Urban Meyer and Day, and regularly coached potent units. He’s available, too, after being fired as Tulsa’s head coach after two seasons and a 7-16 record.