It's been five full seasons since Ryan Day took over as head coach of the Ohio State football program. In those five years, Day has two Big Ten titles, three CFP appearances, and a 1-3 record against TTUN. Those numbers aren't good enough and he knows it.
That's why Day has taken such a drastic approach to the program this offseason. He is doing things he hasn't done before. Day has utilized the transfer portal to go after the best possible talent at positions like quarterback, offensive line, and safety. He's also embraced NIL to the fullest extent possible.
Day has also made drastic changes to his coaching staff by firing Perry Eliano and Parker Fleming and bringing in Matt Guerrieri and Bill O'Brien. Making O'Brien the OC and play-caller is the most dramatic of the moves because that means Day is giving up something precious to him.
It's hard not to wonder why Day waited until his back was against the wall to start making these changes within the Ohio State football program. This is stuff that fans have been asking for for years. Yet, he waited until his sixth year leading the program to do these things.
Perhaps Day knows he has nothing to lose by doing this. He either wins big and keeps his job or he loses to TTUN again and he's unemployed. It's pretty black and white for the 2024 season. The lack of ambiguity about his situation is perhaps what drove him to make these drastic changes.
Getting Julian Sayin, Caleb Downs, Will Howard, and Seth McLaughlin in one offseason is extremely impressive. But championships aren't won in the offseason. They're won on the field with execution on game day. A lack of talent hasn't been the issue for the last few seasons. We'll see if the coaching is up to snuff in a few months.