Brian Hartline’s decision to leave Ohio State and take the head coaching job at South Florida marks a major turning point for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes’ offense. Hartline was not only an elite recruiter, but a steady presence in the program who helped maintain continuity through the many coordinator changes that preceded him. Now, with the roster still in contention for a national title this year and beyond, Day faces one of the most important coordinators of his tenure.
The next offensive coordinator will shape Ohio State’s identity at a time when the Buckeyes are trying to maintain an advantage over Michigan State, reload the offense for the next few years and maximize the talent pipeline to continue sending elite quarterbacks and receivers to the NFL. To me, two specific names stand out as the most compelling, realistic, and impactful choices: Brian Daboll and Chip Kelly.
Pick 1: Brian Daboll, pro-style accuracy and quarterback-focused development
Brian Daboll has NFL pedigree and few college programs can tempt him. At the collegiate level, Daboll rose through the ranks in the NFL at the collegiate level in New England, Miami, Kansas City and Alabama, becoming one of the most respected offensive minds in football during his time as the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator. His work with Josh Allen transformed the Wyoming product from a raw, instrumental prospect into one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league, while Daboll’s reputation as a teacher who can build an offense around a quarterback’s strengths continues to grow. He carried that reputation into his tenure as head coach of the New York Giants, where he initially reinvigorated the team and offense, but inconsistency and roster limitations led to his eventual exit in 2025.
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In a nutshell, Daboll runs a concept-driven, detail-oriented offense built around spacing, leverage and quarterback freedom. His systems often incorporate play action, layered and multi-route trees, protection flexibility and pre-snap indicators to help quarterbacks quickly diagnose coverage. This isn’t an offense necessarily defined by pace or deception, but by matchups, precision and elite quarterback play. This approach is a perfect fit for Ohio State, where blue-chip quarterback recruits thrive in an environment that prepares them directly for the NFL. Daboll could further modernize the passing game, enhance quarterback development and bring professional-level structure and instruction in line with the direction many elite college programs are heading.
Returning to college, however, requires Daboll to re-enter a world that involves recruiting, roster management, NIL dynamics and building day-to-day relationships with players who are younger and have different developmental trajectories than NFL personnel. It would be a major lifestyle change for him that was unknown. But in terms of football alone, Daboll represents the evolution of a high-level, professional style at Ohio State at a time when Ryan Day may be looking to reassert his quarterback-driven identity.
Pick 2: Chip Kelly, championship reunion and system fit
Chip Kelly is the most familiar name at Ohio State and perhaps the most logical. His lone season as the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator in 2024 delivered what Ryan Day had hoped for: a national championship. When Kelly first came to Ohio State from UCLA, he immediately brought a jolt of innovation, pace and efficiency to Ohio State’s offense. He built a scheme around quick decisions, packing plays and smart spacing, core concepts that also defined his legendary years at Oregon State. In Columbus, Kelly integrated those ideas into a lineup with NFL-level speed, and the result was one of the hardest offenses in the country to prepare for.
After winning the national championship, Kelly left to find another opportunity as an NFL offensive coordinator, but that tenure ended abruptly in 2025. Now, with the door open to a return to college, the prospect of a reunion with one of his closest coaching confidants, Ryan Day, makes perfect sense. Kelly already knows the building, the staff, the personnel structure and expectations. He works seamlessly with Day, handling play-calling duties and helping Ohio State control the rhythm and flow of every defense they face. With many of the core concepts he developed still embedded in Ohio State’s playbook, bringing him back would be the closest thing to continuity the program can find.
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Kelly’s offense isn’t just fast, it’s intentional. He uses pace to emphasize defensive communication, creates leverage through formation diversity, and provides answers for every defensive adjustment DC can make. His run-pass options force defenders into constant conflicts. The system is also a perfect match for the Buckeyes’ recruiting prowess, elite athletes, explosive receivers and a quarterback who can handle things quickly and attack both horizontally and vertically. The main question is just whether Kelly wants to fully return to college life after back-to-back transfers. But from a principles, culture and history perspective, Kelly is the most plug-and-play option Ryan Day could hire.