Ohio State reportedly in discussions to make Ryan Day coach-in-waiting

Ohio State is in conversations with Ryan Day to potentially make him the program’s coach-in-waiting, according to a report.

After the Buckeyes’ 49-6 win over Tulane on Saturday afternoon, Ari Wasserman of The Athletic reported that sources close to the situation told him Ohio State is working on a coach-in-waiting arrangement for Day. That means Day would take over as the head coach of the program when Urban Meyer departs.

There were no details on the discussions available.

Day does not have any head coaching experience, but did serve as Ohio State’s interim head coach while Meyer was suspended through the firs three games. The Buckeyes were 3-0, defeating Oregon State, Rutgers and TCU in that stretch.

From The Athletic:

Day received a three-year deal and a raise before this season, which isn’t typical for Buckeyes assistants. That was Ohio State’s attempt to keep him away from Mississippi State, which offered him its head-coaching position. The Buckeyes also made him the first $1 million coordinator in program history.

Ohio State had options when naming an interim coach after Meyer was suspended. It could have gone with Greg Schiano, a former coach in the NFL and at Rutgers, or Kevin Wilson, Indiana’s former coach. The Buckeyes also could have gone with defensive line coach Larry Johnson, a longtime college assistant. But it went with Day. The person close to the program said getting Day head-coaching experience that his peers on the staff already had was part of the reason the choice of Day was made.

Though Meyer’s future with Ohio State was in question throughout the university’s investigation, it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll part ways with the program for the foreseeable future.

Saturday’s game against Tulane was Meyer’s first time on the sideline in 2018. He concluded his suspension last Saturday, though he had been attending practice.

Ohio State is 4-0 on the season and will play Penn State next Saturday.