Scarlet Sunrise: Buckeyes defensive assistant LaAllen Clark leaving for Texas

COLUMBUS — Ohio State defensive graduate assistant LaAllen Clark, who worked with defensive ends, is heading to Texas in a full-time role, according to multiple reports.

Clark has served as a defensive graduate assistant working with the Buckeyes defensive ends under defensive line coach Larry Johnson for each of the last two seasons. But Texas is hiring Clark as a full-time defensive assistant coach working with outside linebackers — largely edge rushers.

Clark, who played defensive end at Grambling State and Northwestern State during his time in college football, began his coaching career at Prairie View A&M in 2019. He is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Clark also has extensive experience training current and former NFL defensive linemen as the CEO of LC Performance. Some of his most well-known protégées are Ed Oliver, Jeffrey Simmons and Danielle Hunter, according to the Ohio State athletics website.

Ohio State enjoyed having Clark on the coaching staff alongside Larry Johnson for two years. But now he’s moving on into the SEC. He’ll be the new outside linebackers coach at Texas, and he’ll be back in the Horseshoe with the Longhorns for the season opener against the Buckeyes on Aug. 30.

Chip Kelly leaves Buckeyes, takes Raiders OC job

Ohio State OC Chip Kelly has accepted the offensive coordinator job with the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Sunday evening.

The former Oregon and UCLA head coach is heading back to the NFL, where he spent four seasons as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-15) and San Francisco 49ers (2016). Kelly has never been an assistant coach in the NFL.

Kelly spent one season as the offensive play-caller for the Buckeyes after leaving his head coaching post at UCLA for the Ohio State coordinator job. It was the first time Day has given up play-calling duties in his career, and it resulted in a national title. Kelly also served as the program’s quarterbacks coach alongside Day and analyst Billy Fessler.

Ohio State wasn’t dominant on paper with its offense, but the stats don’t tell the entire story — at all. The Buckeyes were 14th in scoring offense (35.7), 30th in total offense (429.4 yards per game), 58th in rushing offense (166.4 yards per game) and 29th in passing offense (263 yards per game) on the season. But they finished the year third in passing efficiency metrics, behind only Ole Miss and Indiana.

Quarterback Will Howard improved as a passer during his lone season with Kelly — and at Ohio State. The run game was better than it has been in years behind an attack from the duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. And the receivers were typical Ohio State wide receivers.

READ MORE: Who could replace Chip Kelly as Buckeyes next offensive coordinator?

Ohio State hoops loses at Illinois

Ohio State had plenty of opportunities to push its win streak to four — and notch another signature road win in Jake Diebler’s first season at the helm.

But Illinois, playing at home in the rowdy State Farm Center, wouldn’t go away. The Buckeyes had a double-digit lead early in the second half. They carried that lead into the under-eight timeout, as well. But the Illini were able to close and close the gap, eventually pouncing and taking the lead that it didn’t relinquish. An 18-2 second-half run certainly helped the home Illini.

Final score from Champagne: No. 18 Illinois 87, Ohio State 79.

Ohio State fell to 13-9 overall and 5-6 in the tough Big Ten conference slate.

The Buckeyes got a great 29-point performance from second-year forward Devin Royal and a 22-point day from star guard Bruce Thornton. Freshman sensation John Mobley Jr. chipped in 16 for the Buckeyes, but none of those performances proved to be enough to get Ohio State over the hump.

Counting down

Ohio State vs. Texas: 208 days away
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 299 days away

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