Ohio State Football: Hiring of Joe Philbin concerning for this reason

The Ohio State football team is looking to have a good offensive line this year. The Buckeyes have to replace three offensive linemen up front, yet they are looking to run the ball more effectively. That will be hard to do. It didn’t seem like Ryan Day was confident in their ability to do that based on their most recent hire.

It was reported on Tuesday that the Buckeyes are hiring Joe Philbin as an offensive analyst. Philbin was the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins and was the offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts and the Cowboys. He was also the offensive coordinator for the Packers.

It’s concerning to me that Day needed to make this hire. Most coaching staffs have a ton of analysts because programs are essentially allowed to have as many of them as they want, so that’s not the issue. The issue is why Day thought he needed to make that hire.

Philbin has been working with offensive lines in the NFL for the last five or six years of his coaching tenure. That tells me that Day is not happy with the job that Justin Frye is doing preparing his guys. Frye was one of the hires Day made just a couple of seasons ago.

I would have thought that Day would have more faith in Frye. Philbin could also be with the Ohio State football program to help Brian Hartline, whom he coached in Miami, coordinate the offense. Day promoted Hartline to OC to take some things off his plate.

Philbin is here to help, so that’s a good thing. He certainly won’t do anything to make things worse. But I’m not psyched that Day thought he needed to make a hire after Spring practice is done and over with.