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Ryan Day says Ohio State removed national title iconography from football facilities
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Ohio State head coach Ryan Day says the Buckeyes aren’t “defending” a national championship in 2025. Ohio State won the 2024 title and that, he says, can’t be taken away. But he also said this year’s group feels like it doesn’t quite have a claim to that 2024 title anyway.
According to Bill Connelly’s calculations, Ohio State ranks 101st nationally in returning production. The Buckeyes have to replace their quarterback, their top 2 running backs, their top receiver (by receptions), their top tight end, and 8 of their top 10 tacklers.
With so much change on the roster, and so many players who were in leadership positions last fall now gone, the Buckeyes are going through something of a reload.
Correction: rebuild.
In an interview with CBS Sports’ Josh Pate that was released Thursday, Day shared how this year’s group is approaching the new season.
“We brought the leadership committee in (after the season) and we talked about what we want to get done … and the first thing was reinforce the culture,” Day said. “The leaders from this year’s group said, ‘Reinforce? There’s guys in this room that don’t even know what the culture is. You’ve gotta rebuild the culture.'”
According to Day, players asked that paraphernalia from Ohio State’s national championship be taken down throughout the football facility to drive home a very specific. The 2025 Buckeyes aren’t champions.
“We didn’t win a national championship. The last group did,” Day told Pate. “And so that was a good sign. They understood that this is gonna be a new year.”
Day said some of the staff changes this offseason have also helped. Both coordinators from last year’s team were replaced, and Day said the newcomers have brought a different energy.
The cupboard isn’t bare, though. This is still Ohio State at the end of the day; the roster is plenty talented. And there are players who played a significant role in last year’s title run who returned for 2025. Caleb Downs is one of the best safeties in America. Sonny Styles is back after a 100-tackle season. Jeremiah Smith is still around.
“We’ve got some really good pieces here,” Day said. “But … there are some new guys who were in backup roles last year who are going to have to step up and carry the water, and that’s a lot different than being the backup.”
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.