Desmond Howard says Ryan Day on hot seat in 2024

Chris Breiler | Aug 23, 2024

Nov 25, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day leads his team in warm-ups prior to the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

There's no question that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day enters the 2024 season in a strange spot. His overall coaching record of 56-8 is one of the best among any active coach in college football, but his struggles against Michigan (1-3), in bowl games (2-4), and in the CFP (1-3) have led many within the Buckeye fan base to question whether or not he can deliver a national championship.

That lack of success when it matters most is why the folks in Columbus invested nearly $15 million into building a roster that's capable of winning at the highest level. Not only did Ohio State land some of the top prospects out of the transfer portal, the Buckeyes also landed the top overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. Along with the newcomers, a whole host of veterans decided to return to Columbus for one more season in an effort to help get things back on track.

Aug 1, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day oversees football camp at the Woody Hayes Athletic Complex. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Given all of the talent that is currently in Columbus, the prevailing belief is that it's 'championship or bust' for Ryan Day and Ohio State. Former OSU head coach Urban Meyer recently said that he believes the current Buckeye roster is the best of any college team over the last 10 years, highlighting just how high the expectations are. And of course, those high expectations carry consequences for not delivering.

During a guest appearance on ESPN's 'Get Up,' college football analyst Desmond Howard said that he believes Day is definitely on the hot seat, and that his replacement may already be on staff.

Desmond Howard suggests Ohio State could replace Ryan Day with Chip Kelly if 'things go awry' in 2024...

(via @GetUpESPN, h/t @awfulannouncing) https://t.co/zcqwXbr8Zo pic.twitter.com/z52NIQrJ6d

— On3 (@On3sports) August 23, 2024

"I think the people at Ohio State just pushed all of their chips to the center of the table," Howard said. "They went and spent about $13 million on free agents... well, college football's version of free agency with the transfer portal. Not only that, but some fans will say, 'if we get rid of Ryan Day, who would we hire'? They went out and hired Chip Kelly as the offensive coordinator. So if things go awry, I think they have somebody who's behind Ryan Day, Chip Kelly, who they'll say, 'Chip Kelly can be the next coach, too.' So I think that Ryan Day... he's on the hot seat right now."

I get that many will dismiss Howard's assessment because he happens to be a Michigan Man, but there's plenty of truth in what he's saying. Ohio State did make a massive investment into this roster, and Ryan Day did add Chip Kelly - who was previously the head coach at UCLA - to his coaching staff. Given the way the schedule looks, it's entirely possible that the Buckeyes could drop three games during the regular season - at Oregon, at Penn State, and home against Michigan.

But in reality, Day's future at Ohio State largely hinges on the outcome of one game during the regular season: The Game. If Day somehow manages to lose a fourth straight to Michigan in his own building, anything less than a national championship would likely signal the end of Day's tenure in Columbus.

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