Chip Kelly Might Return to College Football

Chip Kelly, the former offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders, may be gearing up for a return to college football as he emerges as a prominent candidate in Georgia Tech's search for a new offensive coordinator. According to Pete Nakos of On3, sources have confirmed that Kelly has already interviewed for the position.

As the Yellow Jackets prepare for the Pop-Tarts Bowl, where they'll face BYU on December 27, they are looking to fill a significant vacancy left by former OC Buster Faulkner, who moved to Florida for the same role under head coach Jon Sumrall. This season, Georgia Tech's offense was impressive, finishing 12th in the nation with an average of 38.3 points per game, making the OC position critical for the team’s continued success.

Kelly, 62, has a wealth of experience in both coaching and offensive strategy. Previously, he served as head coach at Oregon, the Philadelphia Eagles, and UCLA, along with offensive coordinator roles at New Hampshire, Oregon, and Ohio State. His coaching experience is underscored by a brief stint with the Raiders, from which he was fired during the season due to a disappointing 2-9 record.

Following his departure, Kelly expressed gratitude for his time with the Raiders, emphasizing the importance of winning in the NFL. “I really loved those players. I'm a huge, huge Geno Smith fan. That was one of the best parts of this experience for me, working with Geno and those guys every day. But hey, we got to win. I get it,” he stated during an interview with Fox Sports.

With his extensive background and proven success at various levels, Kelly could be the answer to Georgia Tech's need for offensive ingenuity as they look to build on their recent 7-6 seasons.