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Ryan Day Coaching History & Bio
By Chris Wright
Last Updated:
Ryan Day will enter 2025 in his seventh season leading the Ohio State program — and first as a national champion.
Despite losing to Michigan in The Game in 2024, the Buckeyes rebounded to win the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. It was the Buckeyes’ 9th national championship and first since capturing the inaugural 4-team Playoff in 2014.
Ryan Day Head Coaching Record
- Ohio State (2018, acting head coach): 3-0 (1-0 in B1G play)
- Ohio State (6 seasons): 56-8 (39-3 in B1G play)
Ryan Day Coaching Record at Ohio State
| Year | Record (B1G) |
|---|---|
| 2024* | 14-2 (7-2) |
| 2023 | 11-2 (8-1) |
| 2022 | 11-2 (8-1) |
| 2021 | 11-2 (8-1) |
| 2020 | 7-1 (5-0) |
| 2019 | 13-1 (9-0) |
| 2018** | 3-0 (2-0) |
* – won national championship
** – replaced Urban Meyer as interim head coach
Ryan Day Bio
Ryan Day has been one of the most consistent head coaches in America, though some of his overall body of work has come into question in recent seasons.
Since taking the whistle from Urban Meyer late in the 2018 season, Day has compiled a 70-10 overall record with the Buckeyes entering the 2025 season. That includes the 2024 national championship, back-to-back B1G titles in 2019 and 2020 and 3 other trips to the College Football Playoff.
Of Day’s 10 total losses as head coach of the Buckeyes, 3 have come in the Playoff. He has just 5 losses in conference play during his 6 full seasons with the program.
And in 2024, he quieted his critics who said he couldn’t win the big one.
There’s still the nagging issue with TTUN.
Day has lost 4 consecutive times to Michigan — and he’ll enter 2025 trying to prevent Michigan from winning 5 in a row for the first time since the 1920s.
While Day’s success against the rest of the B1G is unlikely to change in the 2025 season, he’ll need to find a way to flip the script against the Wolverines. Beyond that, Ohio State maintains the goal of a national championship every season, something the program has fulfilled twice in the Playoff era.
During his time at Ohio State (including as an offensive assistant), Day has generated a reputation for developing elite quarterback play. He played a large role in developing Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields and CJ Stroud, with all 3 of those players becoming first-round picks in the NFL Draft.
Prior to becoming the full-time head coach at Ohio State, Day had a brief stint as the acting head coach under Urban Meyer. Following a suspension to begin the 2018 season, Day led the Buckeyes to a 3-0 start before returning the reins to Meyer for the remainder of the season.
Ryan Day Coaching History
- 2002: New Hampshire — Tight ends coach
- 2003-04: Boston College — Graduate assistant
- 2005: Florida — Graduate assistant
- 2006: Temple — Wide receivers coach
- 2007-11: Boston College — Wide receivers coach
- 2012: Temple — Offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach
- 2013-14: Boston College — Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach
- 2015: Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) — Quarterbacks coach
- 2016: San Francisco 49ers (NFL) — Quarterbacks coach
- 2017: Ohio State — Co-Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach
- 2018: Ohio State — Acting head coach/offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach
- 2019-present: Ohio State — Head coach
Ryan Day FAQ
What is Ryan Day's record vs. Michigan?
Entering 2025, Ryan Day is 1-4 vs. Michigan. His lone win, to date, came in his first game against the Wolverines in 2019. Michigan and Ohio State did not play The Game in 2020.
What is Ryan Day's salary?
Ryan Day received a new contract extension after winning the 2024-25 College Football Playoff. His new 7-year deal keeps him on the Buckeyes sideline through the 2031 season. His annual salary package is $12.5 million.
What is Ryan Day's buyout?
The new contract also includes a new buyout figure. If Ohio State fires Day without cause, it will owe Day $11.5 million for each year remaining on the contract, which runs through the 2031 season.
Did Ryan Day play college football?
Yes. Ryan Day played quarterback at the University of New Hampshire, an FCS program. Day started for 3 seasons and was named a team captain as a senior in 2001.
Did Ryan Day coach in the NFL?
Yes. Ryan Day spent 2 seasons as a quarterbacks coach, first with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, and then with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016.
How did Ryan Day get the Ohio State job?
Ryan Day was the offensive coordinator on Urban Meyer’s staff. When Meyer was suspended for the first 3 games of the 2018 season, Day was named interim coach and led the Buckeyes to victories over Oregon State, Rutgers and TCU. When Meyer retired under pressure after the 2018 season, Day was named the permanent head coach.