Ohio State Football: Ryan Day is at a crossroads

The Ohio State football team is no longer the top dog in the Big Ten. While they still might be the most talented team in the conference, they didn’t win it for the first time since 2017. Unfortunately, that honor went to TTUN for the first time since 2004.

I already wrote about the worst week of Day’s career once the season ended. His recruiting class was pretty good for this upcoming season though. If he wins the Rose Bowl, things will be trending in the right direction for the start of next season.

Day is at a crossroads with his Ohio State football career. I am not at all insinuating that Day could be fired anytime soon. But I will say that another season with two losses on the schedule next season would make things very uncomfortable for his future with the program.

He needs to have another statement season in 2021. He doesn’t need to go undefeated like he did in 2020, he just needs another year like he did in 2019 where the Buckeyes make the playoff. Ohio State is too good of a program to not be in contention for the College Football Playoff every year.

Day earned some equity with the fanbase after hiring Jim Knowles as the defensive coordinator for next season. Knowles has been great everywhere he’s been. Day addressed the biggest problem on the team. Now, how will the results change on the field in the biggest games?

Let me be clear; Ryan Day’s job is not in jeopardy right now. But his coaching career at Ohio State can now go one of two ways three full years in. He can either prove that this was an aberration and continue to be the dominant program in the Midwest, or the Buckeyes fall into a 10-2 or 9-3 type of program that has talent.

If the latter happens, Day will be out within the next two seasons. I wouldn’t bet on that happening though. I bet on Day getting his team to be great again next year.