Ohio State AD Ross Bjork gave Ryan Day a glowing review, and seemingly cooled down any talk about his seat getting hot.
During a yearly performance review, Bjork offered the kind of full-throated endorsement that would be hard to walk back.
"Coach Day's leadership continues to transcend Ohio State and the game of college football on all levels. He has developed and evolved into one of the leading voices of the sport and has kept Ohio State football at the forefront while also navigating the rapid changes impacting college sports," Bjork said.
"The culture of our program is as strong as it has ever been, and that is a testament to his leadership and focus on every detail within the program. The coaching staff he has assembled and the program structure in place, allows him to truly be the 'CEO of Ohio State University Football' and this organizational setup is critical to our success moving forward."
Bjork said a lot more, but you get the gist.
Day's championship during the AD's first year has made Bjork quite loyal to the 47-year-old. Day essentially just got a guarantee that he'll be Ohio State's head football coach indefinitely.
As long as Bjork is in the seat, of course. Their fates may be tied, though.
Ross Bjork betting on the Buckeyes finishing 2026 strong
Any loyalty Bjork felt about Day would have to fall at the feet of public demand should the 2026 season go awry in Columbus.
Day was a very unpopular man after the Buckeyes blew a 20-point lead at DKR Stadium in the fourth quarter to lose 24-23 to Texas. The idea of him being on the hot seat started to sprout after that epic collapse.
Making such a strong endorsement for Day is Bjork's way of saying he doesn't think this season will fly off the rails. Bjork isn't putting out the energy in the universe that it could.
What Bjork said about the culture is true, to an extent. There's been an ongoing Legend Bey problem behind the scenes all year, and it's playing out as we speak.
Still, the on-field product remains pure, utter dominance, which includes leading the now No. 1 Longhorns for over 56 minutes.
Ross Bjork's football and basketball juggling act will define his tenure
FOX Sports commentator Gus Johnson sold Bjork down the river during a 70-66 loss on the hardwood to Virginia back in February by calling out the lack of spending on the program.
Johnson said on-air that Day is the one getting all the money, leading to losses to big-spending basketball teams like UVA.
Jake Diebler has done a good job with the underfunded hoops program, but it's clear that football's success will always be No. 1-10 on OSU's priority list.
If Bjork isn't careful, the frustration with the basketball team could boil over and leave him as a scapegoat. Many may question what he's adding to Buckeye athletics, since the football program essentially sells itself.
For now, Bjork has Day to thank for successfully defining the early years of his tenure.
Day can keep Bjork a popular man by winning. Basketball can't lag too far behind for too long, though.
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