Day was the offensive coordinator for Temple in 2012, as well as the offensive coordinator for Boston College from 2013 to 2014.[7][8] He was hired as the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterbacks coach on January 22, 2015.[9] Then, in 2016, after his mentor Chip Kelly was relieved of his duties in Philadelphia, Day was hired in the same role by Kelly, who became the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.[10] On January 3, 2017, Day was hired to replace co-offensive coordinator Tim Beck of the Ohio State Buckeyes.[11] After being linked to the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator position in January 2018, Day was promoted to offensive coordinator and primary play caller at Ohio State.[12]
Ohio State
2018 season
On August 1, 2018, Day was named acting head coach at Ohio State when head coach Urban Meyer was placed on administrative leave[13] when news came to light of Meyer's knowledge of events surrounding then-fired Zach Smith's domestic violence accusations made by Smith's estranged wife. Day won all three games during Meyer's absence.[14] On December 4, 2018, Ohio State announced that Meyer would retire as head coach after the 2019 Rose Bowl and be replaced by Day on a full-time basis.[15][16]
Day's second season was significantly shortened due to the Big Ten Conference's policies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The Buckeyes' regular season was shortened from 12 games to 8 games,[24] and then down to 5 because of cancellations due to the pandemic.[25][26][27] After starting the season 4–0, Coach Day was forced to miss the December 5 game against Michigan State after testing positive for COVID-19,[28] which the Buckeyes won, 52–12. What would have been Ohio State's sixth regular season game, against rival Michigan, was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns within the Michigan program. This was the first time since the 1917 season that Ohio State and Michigan did not play each other. The Big Ten's coronavirus policies would have prevented the Buckeyes from playing in the 2020 Big Ten Football Championship Game, as they did not meet the six-game threshold put forth by the conference.[29] However, on December 9, 2020, the Big Ten administrative council voted to remove the six game minimum, allowing Ohio State to advance to the conference championship.[30] The Buckeyes played in the Big Ten Championship game on December 19, where they beat the Northwestern Wildcats 22–10.[31] Ohio State was selected as the number 3 seed in the College Football Playoff, where they faced number 2 Clemson in the 2021 Sugar Bowl.[32] Ohio State defeated Clemson 49–28, and advanced to the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship, to face number 1 Alabama.[33] The Buckeyes lost to Alabama 52–24.[34]
2021 season
The 2021 season, Day's third full season as head coach, began with the Buckeyes ranked fourth in both the AP and Coaches' Poll.[35][36] After an early season upset by Oregon, Day led Ohio State through a nine-game win streak behind Heisman finalist C. J. Stroud.[37][38] Ohio State had wins against then 20th-ranked Penn State and fifth-ranked Michigan State. Going into the Michigan game, Ohio State was ranked No. 2 and Michigan was ranked No. 5 by the College Football Playoff committee. Michigan defeated Ohio State for the first time since 2011.[39] Though Ohio State and Michigan tied for the division championship, the head-to-head victory earned Michigan the right to represent the Big Ten East in the Conference Championship game. This loss also effectively eliminated Ohio State from playoff contention. Ohio State was selected to play against Utah in the Rose Bowl.[40] Ohio State won the Rose Bowl, 48–45.[41]
Day prior to a game
2022 season
The 2022 season, which was Day's fourth full season at the helm, featured the Buckeyes starting ranked #2 in the nation in both the AP and Coaches' Poll.[42] With returning quarterback C. J. Stroud, Ohio State managed to start 8–0, with double digit wins at home over a then-top 5 Notre Dame and away at the #13 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions.[43][44] In the inaugural College Football Playoff rankings of the season, the Buckeyes landed at #2, a spot they would hold for four weeks.[45] Though they struggled in games[46][47] against a 1–7 Northwestern and a 6–4 Maryland, Ohio State managed to remain undefeated heading into the matchup against #3 Michigan for the series' second matchup of 11–0 teams (the first since 2006),[48] and the third meeting between top-5 teams since they met in 2016.[49] Despite being favored by eight points,[50] Ohio State was utterly embarrassed 45–23, and managed to score only three points in the second half.[51] With this loss, Ohio State failed to reach the Big Ten Championship for the second consecutive season, and Ryan Day fell to 1–2 against the Wolverines, becoming the first Ohio State head coach to lose multiple games to Michigan in the 21st century. This made Day 0–2 in the series since he had boasted that he would "hang 100 on them."[52] Despite the loss to the Wolverines, the Buckeyes made the College Football Playoff as the 4-seed.[53] In the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Day and Buckeyes fell to the eventual National Champion Georgia Bulldogs 42–41.[54]
2023 season
In the 2023 season, which was Day's fifth season at the helm, featured the Buckeyes reaching an 11–0 record and being ranked #2 going into the Michigan game for the third consecutive year. This time, Michigan won 30–24. It marked the Buckeyes first three-game losing streak to Michigan since 1995–97. The Buckeyes were then invited to the 2023 Cotton Bowl, where they lost to the Missouri Tigers 14–3 on December 29, 2023, to finish the season with an 11–2 record.[55]
2024 season
On November 30, 2024, Day's Buckeyes were defeated by the rival Michigan Wolverines for the fourth consecutive season.[56] Entering each of those games, Ohio State had been ranked No. 2 in the country. The 2024 Buckeyes lost despite being favored by three touchdowns over the 6–5 Wolverines prior to the game.
Personal life
Day met his wife, Christina Ourania Spirou, whom he calls Nina, when they played together on the same tee ball team when she was seven and he was six.[57] Married in June 2005, the Days have three children.[58]
Day was raised by his mother after his father died by suicide when Ryan was nine years old.[59] Day is an advocate for mental health awareness. Since becoming head coach at Ohio State, Day and his wife have chosen to partner with an organization focused on lifting stigmas related to mental health called On Our Sleeves, a movement begun at the Nationwide Children's Hospital. An extension of this partnership is The Nina and Ryan Day Resilience Fund for Pediatric and Adolescent Mental Wellness, which the Days donated $100,000 to initiate.[60]
^ abOhio State head coach Urban Meyer was placed on administrative leave for the first three games of the 2018 season. Day served as acting head coach in his absence. Ohio State credits the first three games of the season to Day and the remaining 11 games, including the Rose Bowl, to Meyer.
