Ohio State’s Ryan Day is seeing how grueling the new College Football Playoff format makes things if you win a National Championship

Ryan Day finally got the large target off his back by winning a National Championship at Ohio State over Notre Dame nearly a couple of weeks ago. Day is now just one of three active college football coaches to have a National Championship room. It was a 16-game season in the end for Ohio State […]

Brandon Little — Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Dan Rainville-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ryan Day finally got the large target off his back by winning a National Championship at Ohio State over Notre Dame nearly a couple of weeks ago. Day is now just one of three active college football coaches to have a National Championship room.

It was a 16-game season in the end for Ohio State that had them playing their last game of the year on Jan. 20. The expanded format and the reality of college football today make for a tough month of January.

Problems right after the National Championship

Right after the National Championship, Day had to turn his focus to trying to keep the staff together. Now former Ohio State DC Jim Knowles was receiving interest from Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Penn State. Knowles ended up making a lateral move to Penn State for a bump up in pay.

There are still uncertainties around whether Chip Kelly will be in Columbus in 2025, as he is receiving NFL interest to be a coordinator. Offensive line coach Justin Frye has interviewed for the Chicago Bears offensive line coaching job and could be leaving too.

A couple of players opted to hit the transfer portal after the National Championship and Ohio State didn’t suffer a big loss there. It could have been worse though, as teams were trying to lure Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate into the portal.

Recruiting never stops in college football

Sure there is a dead period, but perhaps there should be one for this time of January too. To have to travel the country visiting recruits right after a National Championship isn’t ideal, but that is what you have to do because everyone else is.

Day appeared on “The Late Show With Jimmy Fallon” earlier in the week and the following morning he was visiting five-star 2026 OT Jackson Cantwell in Missouri, who Ohio State has as a major target for them. The country’s No. 1 offensive tackle is wanted by every program in America for good reason.

Day visited the No. 1 safety in 2026 shortly after in Louisiana and Blaine Bradford is a player that the Buckeyes would love to have in the class of 2026 right after landing Faheem Delane in 2025.

From there, Day visited Buford, Georgia, which is always churning out major college football talent. Tyriq Green is a four-star 2026 ATH that was visited by Day a couple of days ago.

Day couldn’t go to Georgia without seeing the No. 1 linebacker in the country, Tyler Atkinson, who is a top defensive target for the Buckeyes. Atkinson is a player that is going to play as a true freshman in college.

Ohio State has been handing out plenty of offers over the last week as well. Day has made other media stops too, as one would expect from a National Championship-winning head coach. The price of winning it all comes at a cost, but it is all worth it and what head coaches dream of. 

Related Articles