There’s no doubt that Ryan Day is a good football coach. No one is disputing that, but after losing his 4th consecutive game to Ohio State’s most bitter rival, there has been a looming sentiment being floated out there by media and fans alike. Short of leading Ohio State to a National Championship, should the Buckeyes consider moving on from their head ball coach?

To some, it may seem absurd to even suggest that Ohio State would fire a coach who has a 66-10 and record with a team who is consistently in playoff contention, but that’s exactly why Day may find himself in a precarious position.

Ohio State is not a team that is content with simply making it to the CFP. They’re not called ‘The Ohio State University’ for Columbus being a cultural hotspot. The Buckeyes EXPECT to win titles. Ryan Day has failed to reach that particular summit. When you’re at a school like Ohio State, and you fail to win the big one, your rope tends to run out faster than other coaches.

Add to that the fact that, as mentioned above, Day is now 1-4 against Michigan. That’s a big sticking point. When you refuse to even say the name of your rival’s school, cross out all Ms around campus on game day, and throw punches when they try to plant their flag on your field, the stakes are just higher – WAY higher. I’ve used this quote before, on both the podcast and this blog, but I’m reminded of former Alabama coach Bill Curry. Curry coached from 1987-89 and boasted a .722 win percentage, which, until Nick Saban, was the best win percentage since Bear Bryant, but Curry went winless in 3 seasons against Auburn. Speaking to that, Curry once said “I knew that you don’t get three shots at Auburn, lose, and keep your job.” Day has now gotten five shots at Michigan and hasn’t won since 2019. That was especially painful for Day and the Buckeyes since the defending champion Wolverines had a down year, going just 7-5 with a rookie head coach. Day looked utterly defeated on the field after ‘The Game’, perhaps knowing that the pressure was on him in the College Football Playoff.

I mentioned this possibility all the way back in August, noting that the Buckeyes already had the perfect coach-in-waiting on their staff. In 5 Bold Predictions For The 2024 College Football Season, I made that very point:

“Long story short, I believe that the hiring of Kelly was a calculated move, and it wasn’t to bolster the offense. The thought bouncing around in my head, given the stats listed above, is that the Buckeyes hired Kelly as a contingency plan. They’re aware of Day’s record, and his lack of production in big games, so they’re putting Day’s successor in place as an added pressure point on Ryan Day. I believe that, come 2025, Chip Kelly will be the head coach of THE Ohio State University.”

Empire Sports Talk, August 2024

I’m not saying that the Buckeyes will move on from Day if he delivers anything less than a championship trophy, or even advocating that they should, but with his track record when the lights are brightest, I think standing on that mountaintop would be the only thing that would get Ryan Day off of the hot seat.