ARLINGTON, Texas – Ryan Day will be asked countless questions about quarterbacks between now and Aug. 31 when Akron visits the Horseshoe to collect a paycheck and presumably get blown out.

The only question he will be able to answer emphatically is the one about who will start the opener against Akron. He would love to give that answer at the end of spring practice, but that’s doubtful.

Otherwise, what can he say?

Nobody in the spring or preseason camp will have enough experience running his offense in actual games to likely earn a confident blessing to be the man. Answers about who looks good, who has an edge will be vague until someone emerges. And even if that happens, Day’s reputation as a QB guru is on hold.

Devin Brown’s audition was hijacked by a high ankle sprain in the first half of the No. 7 Buckeyes’ 14-3 Cotton Bowl defeat to No. 9 Missouri on Friday night. Brown didn’t have time to show Missouri or anyone else what he can do over the course of an entire game.

His early exit was the worst possible scenario. If he had played the entire game – good or bad – Day would have more clarity. We all would.

True freshman Lincoln Kienholz loved being on the field, but he wasn’t ready. He showed some grit, but it takes more than grit to lead an offense that expects to contend for national championships.

Air Noland, the 4-star quarterback prize of the 2024 recruiting class, will arrive on campus in January and participate in spring practice. Kienholz didn’t do that last year. Noland will have a chance to win the job, but that feels like a longshot and out of Day’s character.

Then there’s the transfer portal. Look around and see if you can find a Heisman finalist. Rumors exist and will likely abound until Day signs one or thinks he already has the answer and doesn’t.

Quarterback, however, is a symptom of a bigger problem.

The offensive line never played consistently like an Ohio State offensive line is supposed to play. There was no Paris Johnson or Josh Myers or Taylor Decker. And as important as the QB position is and as smart of a QB coach that Day is supposed to be, offenses still need consistent blocking.

The offensive line recruiting went downhill at the end of Greg Studrawa’s tenure as line coach. Justin Frye’s job is to rebuild and coach up what he has. Can he coach? Wait until the recent incoming talent gets on the field. Then we’ll know.

Day said he will evaluate everything. That means players, coaches and how he runs things.

Expect some staff shakeup.

Special teams coach Parker Fleming’s seat is hot. A delay of game penalty on the first punt didn’t help his case to keep his job. And punt returners fair catching inside the 5-yard line didn’t, either.

Day also must look at his quarterback coaching situation. Corey Dennis is a young coach who might well have great potential. But for Day to be more of the CEO that he said he wanted to be before the season, he needs an experienced quarterbacks coach with a resume to match.

Day’s evaluation must include himself.

He can’t assume the inability to win big games is everyone else’s fault. Likewise, he can’t just accept blame and promise to work harder. He must thoroughly analyze his key decisions of hiring and delegation of duties.

Why is Brian Hartline the offensive coordinator? He doesn’t call plays. He is obviously involved in game-planning, but how much say does he have?

Day the play-caller with a good offensive line and an accurate passer is a proven 40-plus-points-a-game commodity. But Day the CEO is not.

The CEO talk last offseason centered on getting involved with more of the team and patrolling the practice field. Now it needs to be about managing, hiring the right people and holding them accountable at every turn. This postseason evaluation will be the most important one of Day’s career.

He can’t get it wrong. Because the new athletic director who replaces Gene Smith will feel the heat, too, if next season goes anything like this one.

And it could.

A home game against Iowa’s defense on Oct. 5 won’t be pretty if the line and QB situations aren’t resolved.

The trip to Oregon on Oct. 12 could be disastrous for the same reasons.

Imagine the pressure of heading to Penn State on Nov. 2 with a Big Ten loss or two. Ohio State hasn’t lost 2 B1G games in a season since the disastrous 2011 campaign.

The Michigan game on Nov. 30 is at home. But lately it hasn’t mattered where that game is played.

The longest offseason of Ryan Day’s tenure has begun, and it’s his job to fix it all. He knows excuses won’t be heard or respected. He knew that in the aftermath of the Cotton Bowl debacle.

“Nobody cares that you have a freshman quarterback in there,” he said. “You got to go win the game.”

And nobody will care that you might have an inexperienced quarterback to start next season.

The outcome is all that matters.