B1G Time: Ryan Day being rewarded for offseason changes as Ohio State nears return to Big Ten title game

Ryan Day had a lot of self-reflection to do following the 2023 season. Ohio State had not only lost its third straight to rival Michigan, but Day then had to watch the Wolverines go on to win the national title. Despite all the success he’d had during his time in Columbus, Ohio, moments like that will make you question everything. That’s precisely what Day did, and to his credit, he recognized the changes that had to be made and made them.

He’s being rewarded for all of it.

The Buckeyes crushed Indiana at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. Yes, they scored a touchdown in the final minutes, which felt like running it up, but it didn’t skew the scoreline overall. I’d argue the 23-point margin at the end of the game wasn’t an accurate reflection of the game itself — it felt like Ohio State won by 30 or more.

The defense controlled the game, but the primary takeaway from me was how Ohio State’s offense fared and how the decisions Day made following last season have paid off. Day made the decision to replace Kyle McCord with Will Howard. He gave up play-calling duties and brought in Chip Kelly, luring him away from a head coaching gig. It’s hard to argue with the results. Just look at how the 2024 Ohio State offense compares to what we saw in 2023.

2023

2.56

43.9%

6.4

0.14

13.6%

43.1%

4.50

26.4%

29.36%

2024

3.26

48.4%

7.0

0.24

16.5%

50.4%

5.32

22.7%

24.24%

Kelly deserves plenty of credit for his ability to put this offense in the right spot at the right time, as well as his ability to maneuver around an offensive line that’s been forced to play musical chairs every week as injury after injury is accrued. Still, for me, the biggest difference maker has been Howard.

I was openly skeptical about the decision to move on from McCord for Howard because I didn’t feel as if Ohio State’s…

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Author : Tom Fornelli

Publish date : 2024-11-26 15:00:00

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