Ryan Day Has Cemented His Place in History
Ohio State University has been a cornerstone of college football for over a century, boasting a legacy steeped in excellence, tradition, and championship-caliber coaching. In its 134-season history, the Buckeyes have seen 24 head coaches lead the team, but only five have ascended to the highest echelon by winning a national championship. Now, Ryan Day has joined that elite fraternity, etching his name into the annals of Ohio State history and securing legendary status.
A Legacy of Excellence
Ohio State is synonymous with greatness in college football. From the early days of coaching pioneers like John Wilce to the modern dominance under Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes have consistently been a premier program. Yet, despite decades of success, national championships remain an elusive prize. Before Day’s arrival, only five coaches—Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Earle Bruce (claimed retroactively by some selectors), Jim Tressel, and Urban Meyer—had guided the team to the pinnacle of college football. With his national title victory, Day now stands among these coaching giants, forever immortalized in Buckeye lore.
Ryan Day’s Journey to Greatness
Day’s path to legendary status was anything but conventional. Unlike some of his predecessors, he was not a longtime Ohio State assistant or an alumnus of the program. Instead, he was an up-and-coming offensive mind who had made his mark in the NFL and college football as a quarterback guru. He arrived in Columbus in 2017 as the co-offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer, helping engineer one of the most explosive offenses in program history.
When Meyer retired after the 2018 season, Day was named head coach, and there were questions about whether he could maintain the high standard set before him. However, he quickly silenced d