Since taking over the Ohio State head coaching job in 2018, Ryan Day has quickly made a name for himself as one of the best young coaches in college football. Fresh off another trip to the College Football Playoff, the 42-year old head coach of the Buckeyes has his sights on getting back to the championship game this season.
But after 2021, there’s some question as to whether or not Day will remain in Columbus.
The Ohio State head coach has garnered some serious attention from the NFL with his performance over the past few years at the college level. He also has some experience in the pros having served as the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015 and the San Fransisco 49ers a year later.
Although NFL teams might have interest, SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum is skeptical that Day would leave a program like Ohio State to go coach in the pros. The radio host thinks the Buckeyes head coach has built something strong in Columbus and should want to stay where he’ll remain successful.
“He is coveted by the NFL, but I think it’s real [that he’ll be at Ohio State in 2022],” Finebaum said on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin. “Everyone talks about Nick Saban recruiting, but Ryan Day right now is recruiting at the same level as Nick Saban at Alabama. I can’t imagine why he would leave right now just to go take a garden variety NFL job that will likely last two or three years, to me, is not worth it.”
Finebaum makes a fair point that Day may be wary of trying to make a leap to the NFL and landing in a difficult situation. However, a handful of college coaches such as Matt Rhule, Kliff Kingsbury and Day’s predecessor at Ohio State Urban Meyer have made the leap to the pros in recent years.
Still, Day is 23-2 since taking over the Buckeyes and has won two straight Big Ten titles. It’s hard to see him going anywhere else anytime soon.
In the immediate future, Day has his sights set on the 2021 college season. Ohio State opens its campaign this Thursday, Sept. 2 against Minnesota.
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