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Ryan Day named First-Year Head Coach of the Year after Ohio State’s 13-1 season
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Ryan Day is adding some hardware to his personal trophy case after a memorable first season as the head coach of Ohio State.
The Football Writers Association of America recently named Day the First-Year Head Coach of the Year after leading the Buckeyes to a 13-1 record, a B1G championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. It was the first time Ohio State had played in the four-team playoff since the 2016 season.
Ohio State didn’t just end the regular season undefeated, it was one of the most complete teams in college football. The Buckeyes owned the No. 1 scoring offense in the country and the No. 4 scoring defense nationally. The Buckeyes defeated ranked opponents Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan to get to 12-0 and earn a trip to the B1G Championship Game.
The Buckeyes defeated the Badgers the second time in Indianapolis to claim their third-straight B1G title. The previous two were won under former head coach Urban Meyer.
Day and the Buckeyes fell one victory short of competing for a national title, falling 29-23 to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State owned a 16-0 lead in the first half, but a roaring comeback from the Tigers was too much to overcome.
Bringing in a top five recruiting class, Ohio State will be one of the favorites to return to the College Football Playoff in 2020.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB