5 months ago
ARLINGTON, Texas — Ryan Day, little than a week removed from coaching Ohio State shot to a nationalist title successful January, stood successful beforehand of a camera and listened arsenic erstwhile NBA awesome Charles Barkley asked a mobility during a signaling of nan "Steam Room" podcast.
Day stood successful soundlessness arsenic Barkley mentioned “rumors” astir him perchance pursuing a return to nan NFL down nan road.
Even while coaching 1 of nan premier assemblage shot programs, would Day see leaving to coach astatine nan master level?
Day didn’t norm retired nan possibility.
But arsenic he did nan podcast from Ohio State’s squad room astatine nan Woody Hayes Athletic Center — a installation named aft nan Hall of Fame coach who led nan programme to 5 nationalist titles during his tenure (1951–78) — Day shared his ambition for a difficult but attainable goal.
“Woody Hayes is nan past 1 to triumph aggregate nationalist championships astatine Ohio State, and that’s thing that I’ve now benignant of group for myself — is to beryllium nan adjacent caput coach to triumph aggregate nationalist championships astatine Ohio State,” Day said.
- Ohio State shot lands No. 1 separator rusher successful 2027 class
- This backmost has a determination looming, but he’s committed to Ohio State football’s playoff run
- Browns spoil Steelers’ fun; Ohio State prepares for Cotton Bowl: Monday’s Sports 4 CLE
- Ohio State football’s Jayden Fielding specifications what his family dealt pinch aft nonaccomplishment vs. Indiana
A coach who was nether immense unit past play aft losing a 4th consecutive crippled to rival Michigan now finds himself successful position to scope a milestone past reached by nan top coach successful Buckeye history.
Ohio State is nan No. 2 seed successful nan 2025-26 College Football Playoff.
After earning a first-round bye, it will look No. 10 seed Miami successful nan quarterfinals connected Wednesday nighttime astatine 7:30 p.m. ET – a matchup group to return spot astatine nan Cotton Bowl wrong AT&T Stadium, location of nan Dallas Cowboys.
Day has cemented himself successful Ohio State lore pinch a title ringing already successful his collection. With 3 much wins, he could participate uncommon aerial successful Columbus and do thing moreover Hayes ne'er could: Win back-to-back nationalist titles.
Ryan Day’s way from first-time caput coach to winner
Day became a first-time caput coach erstwhile he was promoted to switch Urban Meyer up of nan 2019 season. Day had acquisition arsenic a position coach, successful nan NFL and astatine nan collegiate level, and a coordinator. But he’d ne'er done this at a schoolhouse for illustration this.
He instantly produced, though.
Day went 13-1 successful his first season, ending pinch a nonaccomplishment successful nan College Football Playoff semifinals (when nan tourney featured a four-team field).
The pursuing year, amid COVID-19 restrictions, he led nan programme to a National Championship Game appearance. In that two-year stretch, he went 1-0 against Michigan.
Success has followed him since, pinch Day owning nan champion winning percent successful assemblage shot history (88.2%).
However, a acheronian unreality emerged.
Between 2021 and 2024, Ohio State mislaid only 8 games, but Day went 0-4 against nan Wolverines. Comparing him to greats specified arsenic Hayes, Meyer aliases Jim Tressel felt irresponsible astatine a programme wherever "The Game" intends truthful much.
After nan 2024 nonaccomplishment to Michigan, nationalist and section pundits called for Day’s job, influencing diversion head Ross Bjork’s determination to publically sound his support for his shot coach.
“He’s our guy,” Bjork said. “We judge successful him. Stability and continuity successful assemblage shot is so, truthful important.”
Day has delivered ever since.
Ohio State won nan first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff past season, taking down immoderate of nan sport’s astir salient programs on nan measurement — Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame.
He followed that up pinch an undefeated 2025 regular season, opening nan run pinch a triumph against Texas and capping it pinch a resounding 27-9 triumph astatine Michigan.
While OSU mislaid successful nan Big Ten Championship Game against Indiana, nan Buckeyes stay nan betting favourite to triumph nan nationalist title again.
| 1942 | Paul Brown |
| 1954 | Woody Hayes |
| 1957 | Woody Hayes |
| 1961 | Woody Hayes |
| 1968 | Woody Hayes |
| 1970 | Woody Hayes |
| 2002 | Jim Tressel |
| 2014 | Urban Meyer |
| 2024 | Ryan Day |
Ryan Day’s travel toward legendary status
After COVID, erstwhile Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh took shots astatine Day erstwhile nan rivalry flipped and nan Wolverines started beating nan Buckeyes.
Along pinch dealing pinch defeat, Day had to perceive arsenic The Team Up North questioned Ohio State’s toughness and said its coach was “born connected 3rd base” — a proposal that Day’s occurrence was only a consequence of nan situation he inherited from Meyer.
In immoderate ways, nan disapproval was fair. Day’s first head-coaching gig came astatine a programme wherever winning is conscionable arsenic communal arsenic students spending a Saturday nighttime connected High Street.
He understood that.
“You person my connection that I’m going to springiness everything I person to proceed nan contented of excellence and winning that this programme has enjoyed during its storied career,” Day said astatine his introductory property conference.
He fell short of that committedness done his first 76 games arsenic full-time coach. Ohio State won games, but it didn’t consistently triumph nan biggest ones.
A twelvemonth later, he’s connected nan brink of fulfilling much than what he promised.
“Ryan Day is simply a awesome coach,” Indiana’s Curt Cignetti said earlier this month. “He’ll beryllium 1 of nan legends of nan crippled someday.”
Ohio State claims 9 nationalist championships, which ranks seventh all-time, but those titles person ne'er travel successful consecutive years.
Only 7 programs (Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Alabama, Michigan State, Texas, Nebraska and Georgia) person gone back-to-back since nan extremity of World War II.
Day has a record-setting winning percentage, a chance to flip his fortunes against Michigan and an opportunity to subordinate Hayes arsenic nan only Ohio State coaches to triumph aggregate nationalist titles.
But this postseason, he tin abstracted himself. The travel starts Wednesday night.
