Buzz Builds Around Ohio State Coach Ryan Day as Praise Pours in Following Program’s Continued Development and Leadership Recognition

The buzz surrounding Ryan Day has steadily grown louder in recent weeks, and now it’s impossible to ignore. The Ohio State head football coach, often scrutinized for failing to capture a national championship in the post-Urban Meyer era, is now drawing widespread praise from both inside and outside the program. The positive attention comes at a pivotal moment — not just for Day, but for Ohio State football as a whole.

Much of the renewed excitement began to build following spring practice, where insiders began to notice a change not only in Day’s demeanor, but in his overall leadership style. Players and staff members have commented on his growing presence, confidence, and hands-on approach. He appears more assertive, more calculated, and, perhaps most importantly, more in control than ever before. That’s no small feat for a coach who has always carried the weighty expectations that come with leading a program like Ohio State.

The external praise recently peaked with several high-profile analysts and former players publicly commending Day’s evolution as a head coach. One notable voice came from a former Buckeye captain who now works as a national college football analyst. He remarked that Day “has found the perfect balance between modern offensive genius and old-school Buckeye toughness,” crediting him for developing a team identity that resonates both in the locker room and among the fan base.

This isn’t the first time Day has been celebrated for his offensive acumen. Since taking the reins in 2019, he’s consistently fielded top-ranked offenses, developing quarterbacks like Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud into NFL stars. But until now, Day’s teams were often criticized for a perceived lack of physicality — particularly on defense and in the trenches. The perception that Michigan outmuscled the Buckeyes in recent years only added fuel to that fire. Now, that narrative seems to be changing.

Behind the scenes, sources have pointed to Day’s ability to adapt and delegate more effectively. In the 2024 season, he gave full defensive control to Jim Knowles, who has transformed the Buckeyes into one of the most balanced teams in the country. That decision alone earned him plaudits from coaching peers, as it demonstrated maturity and trust in his staff — an area where many young head coaches struggle. It signaled that Day wasn’t concerned with personal ego, only with winning.

And winning is exactly what the Buckeyes have been doing. After a narrow loss to Michigan in 2023, many wondered if Day had hit his ceiling. But Ohio State responded with a dominant 2024 campaign, including a statement win over Michigan, a Big Ten title, and a strong College Football Playoff run. The momentum has carried into the 2025 offseason, where recruiting is booming and morale inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center appears to be at an all-time high.

Day’s growth hasn’t gone unnoticed by his players either. Numerous returning veterans have spoken openly about the culture shift and how Day has empowered team leaders. Linebacker C.J. Hicks recently said, “Coach Day is more present in every part of what we do. He’s holding everyone accountable, including himself. That means a lot.” Star quarterback Devin Brown echoed those sentiments, praising Day for his renewed intensity and clear communication throughout spring drills.

Perhaps most significantly, recruits are noticing. The 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes are shaping up to be among the best in the country, with Ohio State firmly in the mix for several top-five national prospects. Part of that surge is due to the stability and consistency Day now represents. While some top programs deal with uncertainty — whether due to staff turnover, NIL confusion, or playoff pressure — Day has created a foundation that elite prospects want to be part of.

That stability is also translating to the national media narrative. In recent weeks, several outlets have listed Day among the top three coaches in college football, joining the ranks of Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. That’s a significant shift from just a year ago, when his job security was being openly debated by segments of the Ohio State fan base. In a sport where perception often becomes reality, Day is climbing back toward elite status at precisely the right time.

It’s worth noting that the criticisms of Day were never entirely unfair. He entered one of the highest-profile jobs in America during a transitional moment and faced immediate comparisons to Urban Meyer — a national championship winner and one of the sport’s most controversial legends. Day won early and often but struggled to beat Michigan consistently, a benchmark that remains sacred in Columbus. The losses in 2021, 2022, and 2023 each came with high stakes, and each one triggered calls for changes. Those calls weren’t ignored.

Rather than doubling down on what wasn’t working, Day retooled his approach. He became more visible in the weight room. He made recruiting inroads in key battleground states. He opened up more emotionally to his players and became a more relatable leader. That evolution is now being cited as the primary reason why Ohio State looks like a national title contender heading into the fall.

The praise isn’t just external. University officials have also rallied behind Day in recent weeks, with athletic director Gene Smith (who is transitioning out of his role) calling Day “a steady hand and a forward-thinking coach who is the right leader for this moment.” That kind of endorsement matters, especially as NIL continues to reshape the college football landscape and many schools scramble for structure. Day provides that structure, blending the traditional values of Ohio State with a new-age outlook on player empowerment and program branding.

His savvy handling of the transfer portal also stands out. While many programs either lean too heavily on the portal or shy away from it altogether, Day has used it to complement his rosters without compromising development. In 2025 alone, Ohio State landed multiple instant-impact transfers, including a veteran offensive lineman and a dynamic safety — both of whom chose the Buckeyes because of Day’s vision and direct involvement in their recruitment.

If there’s a singular theme behind the growing buzz, it’s that Ryan Day has finally stepped fully into the role. No longer operating in Urban Meyer’s shadow or fielding questions about job security, he’s embraced being the face of the program with newfound clarity and composure. That transformation is being felt in recruiting, in player development, in national conversations — and, most critically, in the win column.

All of this adds up to a crucial turning point. For Day, it represents the culmination of years of pressure, scrutiny, and hard-earned lessons. For Ohio State, it signals a new chapter — one that blends tradition with evolution and power with purpose. As preseason rankings begin to trickle out, expect Ohio State to be near the top of every list. More importantly, expect Ryan Day to be front and center in every major college football conversation.

And that’s exactly where he belongs.