Chip Kelly could replace Ryan Day at Ohio State 'if things go awry': ESPN analyst

ESPN college football talker and ex-Michigan Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard believes Ohio State could have Ryan Day's successor already in the building.

Chip Kelly could be the man to take over at Ohio State 'if things go awry' in the future. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ryan Day is under some pressure to right the ship at Ohio State after losing three straight to Michigan, and while his job certainly seems more than safe, one ESPN analyst suggests that the Buckeyes could have Day's replacement already in the building, "if things go awry."

College GameDay analyst and ex-Michigan football star Desmond Howard floated the possibility that Ohio State could turn to new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to take over if worst came to worst.

Desmond Howard is already getting a head start on narratives when it comes to Ohio State and Ryan Day.

"Some fans will say, 'Well if we got rid of Ryan Day, who will we hire?' They went out and hired Chip Kelly as the offensive coordinator. So if things go awry, I think they… pic.twitter.com/w7sy5U7fDo

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 23, 2024

"Some fans would say, 'Well, if we got rid of Ryan Day, who will we hire?' They went out and got Chip Kelly as the offensive coordinator," Howard said.

"If things go awry, I think they have somebody who's behind Ryan Day where they can say, 'Chip Kelly can be the next coach, too.'"

Day brought in Kelly, his own former coach at New Hampshire, to work as the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator after his first hire, Bill O'Brien, left suddenly to become head coach at Boston College this offseason.

Kelly boasts plenty of experience as a head coach, going 81-41 overall (.664), including a national championship appearance in 2010 with Oregon, plus experience in he NFL as coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

But it's premature, to say the least, to suggest that Day's job is on the line. He's 56-8 at Ohio State and that includes a 39-3 mark against Big Ten competition.

Day has led the Buckeyes to three College Football Playoff appearances, his team was a finalist in the 2020 season, and came one point away from beating Georgia in the 2022-23 postseason.

But those losses to Michigan stick out at a school that places such a heavy emphasis on how the football team fares against its principal rival every year.

"I think that Ryan Day, he's on the hot seat right now," Howard said.

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