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Should or will Ohio State fire Ryan Day? Many questions are swirling around the future of the Ohio State football coach and whether he will be around to coach the Buckeyes in 2025. That is because boosters gave $20 million dollars in NIL money to fortify a roster which just lost to Michigan for the 4th straight season. The good news for Day is his team is in the college football playoffs and he will have a chance to redeem himself. But the bad news is he may have to win the college football national championship in order to keep his job. That is a tall task.
Since taking over for Urban Meyer, Day owns a 66-10 record which is a phenomenal win percentage at 86%. That is among the all time greats. Unfortunately 7 of those 10 losses have come at the hands of arch rival Michigan (4 in a row) and in the playoffs. Ohio State fans and boosters don't like "making" the playoffs. They expect to win the championship and Day has not pushed the Buckeyes across the finish line. In fact, Ohio State is one of a handful of schools where the fan base expects, no demands, its football team win every game they play.
EVERY GAME!
Those are not reasonable expectations but Day has come close.
FIRE RYAN DAY?
So what is next? Fire Ryan Day? Well this is a tricky time for Ohio State, which has a brand new athletic director and new school president, to make a change. While they are coming off a loss to their arch rival Michigan, there is sill a playoff run to manage. Plus this is signing week for new high school recruits. And next week the transfer portal opens. Announcing a coaching change now would not be smart. The Buckeyes will take a wait and see approach as the playoffs unfold.
In case you are wondering Ryan Day's contract buyout is $37 million dollars. But his new boss, athletic director Ross Bjork just came from Texas A&M where he famously fired Jimbo Fisher and paid him his $77 million dollar buyout. So stay tuned.
For the latest college football talk and analysis tune in each weekday from 2-6pm to Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Southwest Florida.
