One of Chip Kelly’s mantras in leading UCLA to a record of one game over .500 in six seasons was “Habits reflect the mission.”
The coach lived up to the saying in his departure from the school that continually backed him despite his middling results. His interviews with other teams before agreeing to reunite with longtime friend Ryan Day as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator reflected his mission to leave UCLA at one of the worst possible times for the Bruins.
A little more than two months after UCLA athletic administrators backed the beleaguered coach amid calls for his job, Kelly rewarded their support with an unexpected vacancy on the eve of spring practice and a move to the Big Ten Conference.