Former Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will continue to find out that the grass isn't greener for him away from Columbus. While CBS Sports' John Talty believes Kelly will be a "boon" for the Northwestern Wildcats in his NU debut this season, he had an important reminder for the 62-year-old:
The No. 1 receiver in the country and perhaps the most talented player in the country, Jeremiah Smith, and the leader in all-time receptions at the Ohio State University, and the eventual No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 draft, Emeka Egbuka, aren't walking through that door.
"With so much player and coaching movement this offseason, don't feel bad if you missed that Chip Kelly is now Northwestern's offensive coordinator. It is just the latest step in what has been a fascinating career for the former Oregon head coach. In just the last couple of years, Kelly resigned as UCLA's head coach, won a national championship at Ohio State as Ryan Day's offensive coordinator, and then got fired midseason as Pete Carroll's offensive coordinator in Las Vegas. Kelly doesn't have a Jeremiah Smith or Emeka Egbuka in Evanston, but his experience and track record should be a boon for the Wildcats," Talty wrote.
Chip Kelly has uphill battle at Northwestern this season
What does a "boon" look like for Northwestern? Well, since David Braun has taken over ahead of the 2023 season, the Wildcats have gone 19-19, with two winning seasons sandwiching a 4-8 down year in 2024. Behind Griffin Wilde, there wasn't much production in the receiver room, so perhaps Kelly could boost NU on the outside.
Is this a team that's going to win more than six games in 2026, though? With games against the Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, Indiana Hoosiers, rebuilt Penn State Nittany Lions under Matt Campbell, Iowa Hawkeyes, and even the Minnesota Golden Gophers on the road, Northwestern has a very difficult road ahead. Even the South Dakota State Jackrabbits are as good as it gets for an early-season FCS foe.
After leaving OSU for the Las Vegas Raiders and regretting that instantly, with Geno Smith turning back the clock to his early-career woes, Kelly may have another rough go at it in Cook County, Illinois, this fall.
Maybe someday he can return to the Buckeyes, who may find themselves missing him more and more as another season goes by.