After playing the odd combination of quarterback and linebacker under head coach Chip Kelly for the 1AA (FCS) new Hampshire Wildcats, Ryan Day spent seventeen seasons climbing the coaching ladder, from the lowly post of graduate assistant at Boston College, on to multiple stops as a position coach, which led to coordinator opportunities, all the way to the sport’s highest echelon as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

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Now after a 23-1 start through two seasons in Columbus Day’s former boss in Urban Meyer, the coach who selected Day for the Ohio State job, says he believes his young protege has a lot in common with Alabama’s Nick Saban, the generation’s most towering figure. That is monumental praise for a coach with two seasons under his belt, being compared directly with Saban, who over 25 campaigns as a program chief has won 1o conference titles and six national championships while dominating the sport in a fashion that is without precedent in the modern era. 

Meyer went on FS1 Friday during their national championship preview and compared Saban and Day. According to a post at 247 Sports, this was Meyer’s statement:

I think they’re both very similar. Obviously, we hand-picked Ryan Day to take over Ohio State. I’ve known coach Saban forever and coached against him four times. They’re a lot different because one’s a defensive-minded coach and one’s an offensive-minded coach.

However, they are both very similar. They believe in fundamentals. They believe in selflessness and team first. That’s why they win. They believe in discipline. Both teams are very disciplined.

I see a lot of similarities. One has been around a long time and one’s just getting this thing started. Two of the best people and coaches I’ve been around.

In the end Meyer did not lay too much on Day in the days before he is set to face Saban in the championship round. Beside that, if Day truly is anything like Saban then the opportunity to compete against the best in the business would be what he relished about the work.