Ryan Day delves into how Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense has changed over the years

Chip Kelly is going to bring a different, distinct flavor to what Ohio State does on offense as the team’s new coordinator this season. Still, according to Ryan Day, it’s an approach that the Buckeyes are still figuring out regarding what it will look like this fall.

Day spoke about Kelly’s offensive identity during the program’s first spring press conference on Tuesday. He said that Kelly’s process on that side of the football has always been progressive and, as such, he’s expecting a unit that will be modern and that will best fit their players.

“I think, more significantly, it’s just about – what Chip has done on offense over the years? At that time, it was innovative to be fast. That was kind of new,” said Day. “I think he has always been innovative on how he has done things and put his players in the best situation to be successful.”

Now, as Ohio State moves into the spring, they’re all figuring out what that state-of-the-art offense could look like. There are several things for them to consider but, once they make those decisions, it’s going to be anything but standard.

“What does that look like right now in college football in 2024? That’s the journey that we’re on right now,” said Day. “Will tempo be a part of it? Yes. Will we go fast every single play? No. Will we huddle every play? Probably not but maybe. That’s part of it.”

“I think the ways that we’re going to attack defenses is going to be exciting. But, also, mixing in the tempos, the personnel groupings,” Day said. “Every team is a little bit different and so it’s not cookie-cutter.”

Kelly has been a playcaller at both the collegiate and professional levels at several stops for some time now. That includes four years as Oregon’s head coach where they posted a Top-10 offense in every season, not to mention his two seasons before that as the Ducks’ offensive coordinator where they also finished in the Top-12. It also featured a three-year stretch as UCLA’s head coach with three consecutive finishes in the Top-20 offensively.

His three seasons as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles included three offenses in the top-half of the league. The first two years were the best in that aspect, though, at fourth in 2013 and third in 2014.

Day knows Kelly’s resumé and what he’s going to bring to them them on offense as part of their staff. If he can bring that same success to Columbus this year, he has every expectation that they’ll succeed like they’re planning to come kickoff.

“I think the point is is that he has always been innovative in everything he has done,” said Day. “If we continue to be that way this year? Then we’ll have a chance to reach our goals.”