3 Chip Kelly replacements who will be a better fit for Ohio State than Brian Hartline

After winning the College Football Playoff, Ryan Day is faced with the tall task of replacing both of his coordinators of note. Ohio State lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to the Penn State job that was vacated by Tom Allen taking over the Clemson Tigers defense. Shortly thereafter, Day's mentor Chip Kelly left Ohio State to become the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL.

Losing great coordinators such as Kelly and Knowles happens all the time in football. To have had them part of the national championship-winning team is a blessing in its own right. After all, Kelly was leading UCLA around this time last year. Knowles has long thought to be a future Power Four head coach. It remains to be seen if he will ever get that opportunity. For now, Day has to replace the two.

While he may have a leg up on replacing Kelly because he favors the offensive side of the ball as a former quarterback in his own right, I think Ohio State can do a better job than simply promoting wide receivers coach Brian Hartline from within. He is a great position coach and an outstanding recruiter, but this job needs to be all about calling plays. Ohio State is too good to let Hartline learn on the fly.

Here are the three candidates Pete Nakos of On3 had listed besides Hartline to replace Kelly in 2025.

3. Akron Zips head coach Joe Moorhead

Admittedly, it is hard to get Ohio State fans fired up about the idea of hiring Joe Moorhead away from Akron. While he has proven to be a rather lousy college football head coach at the FBS level from his days at Akron and Mississippi State before that, Moorhead does have a proven track record as an excellent Power Four offensive coordinator. He was tremendous at Penn State and solid with Oregon.

This would be a bit of an outside-the-box hire, but one with low risk and high upside. Since Moorhead is probably never going to be head coach again if he were to leave Akron willingly, what is to say he will be leading the Zips this time a year from now? Akron is one of the worst programs historically in the MAC. Moorhead is too good to be an offensive coordinator, but not good enough to lead a team.

In a way, I think his innovative play-calling could be in line with what Day wants of a Kelly successor.

2. Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson

Ohio State targeting Shannon Dawson of the Miami Hurricanes would be quite the savvy pickup for the Buckeyes. Dawson leaving Coral Gables would make Miami worse, as well as potentially have Ohio State in the mix to contend for another title. Over the last few years, I have felt that Dawson has been the straw that stirs the drink in Miami. He is responsible for this program pushing for playoff viability.

While he may get to work with Carson Beck if he stays, you have to like Ohio State's chances of making the playoff far more than than of Miami. Ohio State is a lock, whereas Miami is a playoff hopeful in the ACC. The worst part about staying is if Miami fails to make the playoff, Dawson would get scapegoated long before chosen son Mario Cristobal ever is. It is why I would get out of Dodge.

If Dawson shines as Ohio State's offensive coordinator, he is well on his way to leading his own team.

1. Oregon Ducks offensive coordinator Will Stein

This would be the best option for Ohio State by far. Not only would you be replacing Kelly with arguably the best offensive coordinator in college football, but you would simultaneously be making a conference foe worse. Will Stein is not long for Oregon, as a future head-coaching opportunity could be beckoning here soon. It will not be Louisville because another Cardinals quarterback leads them.

It may be hard to forecast, but if Oregon were to lose Stein to Ohio State, how sure are we that the Ducks are still a playoff team? Losing him in-conference to the defending national champions would put a ton of pressure on defensive-minded head coach Dan Lanning to just win anyway. I would short the Ducks if that were to happen. As far as if Ohio State landed Stein, I like their chances to repeat.

This is the type of hire to make oneself strong and powerful in one of the game's best conferences.