The Ohio State Buckeyes fanbase was almost ready to run head coach Ryan Day out of town after they lost to the Michigan Wolverines 13-10 after Thanksgiving. Well, Day was able to help the Buckeyes turn it around in the playoffs and win the national championship against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 34-23.
This was the first national title for Ohio State since 2014. With this championship win, Day is no doubt one of the best head coaches in college football. Another interesting question to ask about the Buckeyes head coach is he one of the best college football coaches over the last 25 years?
The Athletic Ranks Ohio State Buckeyes Head Coach Ryan Day Number 11 In the Top 25 Of Coaches Over the Last 25 Years
Day has been the full-time head coach of Ohio State since the 2019 season. They have an influx of talent coming to the team year in and year out. Chris Vannini of the Athletic ranked his Top 25 college coaches in the sport over the last 25 years. Day comes in at number 11 at this list. Some feel like he could be too low, but this could also feel just right for the Buckeyes head coach.
Vannini said about Day,
“Accomplishments: One national championship, three Big Ten championships, four CFP appearances, two national championship appearances, 70-10 record, six top-10 finishes in six seasons
It’s still fascinating to look back and think Day was on the hot seat, at least in the eyes of some observers and fans, before the run to the 2024 national championship. Day had taken the Buckeyes to the championship game following the 2020 season, and they were a last-second missed field goal away from reaching the 2022 title game. It’s just that dang Michigan game. Day is 49-5 against Big Ten opponents, but four of those losses have come to the Wolverines. His 87.5 winning percentage in Columbus is higher than Urban Meyer’s, and future national championship runs could be on the table. He took over an elite program near the top and kept it at the top, limiting his upside on this list, but his track record as a head coach is also shorter than everyone else, so there’s room to rise.”
Ohio State’s run to the national title saved his job and he is probably going to win another title or two down the line with the Buckeyes. They are going to continue to recruit at a high level. The amount of wide receiver talent they recruit on a year-to-year basis is absolutely insane.
The Buckeyes will be competing for national championships every year. One of the only black eyes about Day as the head coach is him losing to the Michigan Wolverines four straight years. It will be interesting to see where Day will rank amongst the top college football coaches in the game over the next decade or so, since he is one of the top paid coaches in the sport as well.
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