What Ryan Day needs to prove to Ohio State football fans about roster management

Ryan Day's role within the Ohio State football program has always been defined by his work with the quarterbacks. Ever since he was brought into the program by Urban Meyer, that has been his calling card. He's developed three quarterbacks into first-round picks, which is phenomenal.

That standard is now being held against him, albeit somewhat unfairly. After having Kyle McCord transfer out of the program after a good, but not great, season, Day is now left having to find another starter. Ohio State football fans expect that quarterback to be great immediately.

If you look at the quarterbacks Day has developed, it makes sense why fans would have that standard. Dwayne Haskins set Big Ten records in his one year as a starter before becoming a first-round pick. Justin Fields led the Buckeyes to a National Championship Game appearance before being a first-rounder. C.J. Stroud is about to be the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after being taken second overall.

McCord didn't come close to looking like he was as good as any of those guys this past season. With Sryacuse being his best option to transfer to, that's not a surprise. The one thing that Day has been able to do is make quarterbacks great and he didn't do that with McCord.

Because of that, it's up to Day to show that he can make either Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz, or Air Noland great in 2024. Buckeye fans still expect the quarterback position to be a solid position they can lean on. Day's impossibly high standard is being held against him.

I personally don't think it's fair to be mad at Day for this. He recruited all of the quarterbacks I mentioned so it's not like he took Urban's guys and coached them when they were already great. Day was the primary recruiter for all of those previous quarterbacks.

There are other things you can blame Day for that are completely fair. This might not be one of them.