Ohio State Football: No Urban Meyer, no problem. Buckeyes set for 2018.
The Ohio State football program will be just fine with Ryan Day as the interim head coach and the experienced assistants he has to lean on for advice.
Forget the black cloud looming over the Ohio State football program right now. The team is in the thick of its first full week of fall camp preparing for a promising season.
We now know that the independent-working group hired to investigate Urban Meyer’s handling of the domestic abuse allegations made against Zach Smith is ongoing, likely for another 14 days.
Urban Meyer’s absence is definitely a concern, but lost in the discussion is no team is better equipped to handle the loss of its head coach this close to the start of a season.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson spent six years coaching Indiana taking the program from a Big Ten doormat to back-to-back bowls seasons in 2015 and 2016.
Defensive coordinator Greg Schiano took over a Rutgers program in 2001 that had just four winning seasons over the previous 20 years. By most measures, it was the worst FBS program.
In 11 seasons, he compiled a 68-67 record and went 5-1 in bowl games.
Both these coaches are over-qualified for their positions.
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Assistant head coach Larry Johnson is the best defensive line coach in college football and could easily run a program.
Despite all the experience on staff, Ohio State turned to Ryan Day to take over in the interim. He is one of the brightest young offensive coaches and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in the off-season to avoid losing him.
Some are wondering why, but It makes sense that Day was the pick. Ohio State knows what it has in Wilson and Schiano. If Meyer returns, both are probably gone after the season anyway.
Day is considered a potential replacement for Meyer but has no head coaching experience.
Is there a better audition than leading a team that is expected to win the Big Ten and perhaps the national championship?
It is one thing to say Day has the potential. Knowing is better.
This means August belongs to Day to get the team prepared for September. He can rest easy knowing he has the best assistants in college football supporting him.
Next. Candidates to replace Urban Meyer if he is let go. dark
All he needs to do is be the glue that keeps the team focused on Oregon State instead of the media circus going on across the country.