Behind the scenes of Ryan Day’s redemption and Ohio State’s new-age title

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3 months ago

January 22, 2025

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ATLANTA — As Monday night hurtled toward Tuesday morning, Ryan Day hustled into the head coach enclave in the Ohio State locker room at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Day opened his office fridge, cracked a 16-ounce Garage beer, poured it into a to-go cup festooned with smiling Buckeyes faces and bounded toward the team bus.

The players had long cleared out, and all that remained was the tornado of ankle tape, shoulder pads and discarded cleats. Giddy Buckeyes managers blasted “Chicken Fried,” and the distinct difference from the normal carnage of an empty locker room was the thick layer of smoke.

The heavy cigar fog hung near the ceiling, pounded the nostrils and offered a symbol — a smoke signal, if you will — of a new reality for Day and the Buckeyes. They’d just completed a historic run to kick off a new college football era, and the win for Day in his sixth full season catapulted him from an elite coach perpetually on the cusp to one who finally broke through.

Day slung his backpack over his shoulder, left his black dress shoes behind and walked with his drink to toast an improbable title forged through the fire. As he made his way through the windy concourse to start the celebration, Day encapsulated the core of this team’s redemptive narrative arc.

“It feels great,” Day told ESPN, “and it probably feels better because it was hard.”

Everything about this Buckeyes title was difficult, right down to the final minute, when a 31-7 lead gave way to a one-score game. There was nothing easy about a path that ended with Ohio State beating more top-five teams — Penn State, Indiana, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame — than any team in the history of the sport. (The teams with four are 2019 LSU, 1967 USC and 1943 Notre Dame.)

And so it’s fitting that the Buckeyes’ coaching staff had to bet big one last time and call a go ball on third-and-11 to precocious freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith with 2:38 remaining. He hauled in the 56-yard pass from Will Howard, and a 33-yard field goal turned a one-score game into a 34-23 final.

Day’s visceral reaction in the Buckeyes’ locker room in front of the team after the game resonated as a catharsis. There were external calls for his job after Ohio State suffered its fourth straight loss to Michigan and a security detail guarding his home for an extended period in the aftermath. Things were so dark that his father-in-law, Stan Spirou, told ESPN he stayed in town for 10 more days after the game just to support the family.

“Just to help the family out because there were some tough times there,” Spirou said. “Know what I mean? Tough times. Having security and so forth. And tonight was a redemption tour. And I think the whole playoff thing was to win four. … It’s hard enough to win one ballgame. And they won four, and they did it the hard way.”

And with that final win, Day goes from the coach in the fish bowl to a coach with a national championship, joining Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney as the only active FBS coaches with a title. Day’s 87.5 winning percentage (70-10) makes him the sport’s active FBS leader in that category. Through 80 games, Day trails only Walter Camp and Knute Rockne.

This title resonates like Smart’s first one back in 2021. Like Day’s title, Smart’s came in his sixth season after losing a previous title game. It took Swinney nine seasons and a loss in the title game before he captured his first.

Day’s team got blown out by a juggernaut Alabama squad in the national title game after the 2020 season and suffered near-misses against Clemson (2019) and Georgia (2023) in the CFP semifinals.

“Nothing great was ever achieved without going through a lot of adversity along the way,” Day said. “Not to overstate it, but for coaches, we’re in this profession and it can take you to your knees. You’ve just got to keep swinging and fighting. And it’s not always easy.”

Until Monday night, Day’s sporting history had been riddled with painful near-misses. There was the 3-pointer that rimmed out in his high school basketball days, against a team led by future NBA mainstay Matt Bonner. As a college quarterback at UNH, there was a fake extra point attempt that fell incomplete in a double-overtime loss to Southern Florida.

There were the two one-score losses to Michigan the past two years, the latest of which left Day with bags of stress under his eyes. He jokingly attributed weight loss to the Ohio State diet, alluding to the stomach churn of coaching there.

“He was like Sisyphus, pushing the rock halfway up the hill, three quarters of the way up,” Spirou said. “And I told Ryan, ‘Trust me that thing’s going to go over the hill.’ And it happened tonight. I couldn’t be any happier and more proud of the way he picked himself up after that Michigan game. He got up the next day and he says, ‘I’m going after this.’ He just went to work.”

Added Day’s brother, Tim: “There’s a look in his eye that was extremely rewarding to see as his brother. And it goes back to the days that we grew up. For him to win this one is extremely rewarding for our family.”

The look only arrived after two dramatic field-flipping plays that sealed the final two games. The go-ball to Smith, who’d cruised past vulnerable Irish corner Christian Gray out on an island, will be the final highlight. And it will resonate in Ohio State lore alongside Jack Sawyer‘s strip/scoop/score after tomahawking his old roommate Quinn Ewers in the Buckeyes’ win over Texas.

“Those are the plays that you remember the rest of your life,” Day told ESPN, “Jeremiah’s play and Jack’s play. You have those special moments to win a championship.”

Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is essentially family to Day. He recruited him to New Hampshire as a quarterback, employed him in the NFL with the Eagles and 49ers and has been a wise-cracking constant in his life.

So it’s fitting that on that pivotal third-and-11 from the Ohio State 34-yard line, the old friends discussed the conundrum of either playing conservative or sealing the game.

“It was kind of an easy call,” Kelly said. “I don’t think it was a gamble.”

Kelly figured they were putting the ball in Howard’s hands, they’d have max protection to stave off any negative play and Howard would either exploit man coverage on the outside or have an answer for any type of zone that Notre Dame ran.

The result was a chunk play that Smith hauled in at the 28-yard line and ran down to the 10.

“I mean, that call right there at the end with Jeremiah Smith, that’s Ryan Day,” former Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said. “He wasn’t conservative and he let it go. And so I’m really proud of him.

“It’s so rewarding to see him up there and see him go through what he went through and then respond the way he did by leading this program and these kids.”

Ohio State’s 2024 national title will serve as a beacon for changing the way college football seasons are viewed. The sport had long been unique in its necessity for perfection — or certainly near perfection. Every loss at a blueblood program prompts storm clouds, and the sport’s history is filled with high-end teams that never reached the pinnacle. The variance of things needed to happen to win a national title have long been part of its lore.

But the sport’s professionalization has come with super leagues, annual free agency and a 12-team playoff. And the confluence of those modern factors has given us the dichotomy of a champion that can be imperfect in the regular season as long as it can ride through a postseason gauntlet.

“It’s still a game,” Day said. “A ball can bounce a certain way. We could get a call. That’s why I kept saying all year: Leave no doubt. Leave no doubt.”

There’s little doubt that everything will soon change for Day. He completed the full arc that included a partial revolt from his fan base, a home playoff game against Tennessee appearing like a road game and being stuck in the purgatory of coaching great teams that didn’t finish the job.

As he carried his beer on to the team bus to start a celebration with friends and family that went long into the evening, Day stepped into the new reality for his coaching career.

“Ohio State is not for everybody,” he said. “But this win cements this team as one of the best in Ohio State history. Over the last 50 years, this is just the third team that’s won the national championship. And I think that gives some pause to be like, ‘Wow, that’s a great team and great accomplishment in the new era.'”

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College Football Playoff impact: Players who stuck around

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2 mins ago

April 30, 2025

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College Football Playoff impact: Players who stuck around

Following two transfer portal windows and the NFL draft, college football fans might need Apple AirTags to track where their favorite players wound up.

This space is dedicated to those who decided to stay — commitments who boosted their teams’ College Football Playoff hopes. Penn State’s 2022 recruiting class could take up half the list: quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and defensive tackle Zane Durant are all back from the Nittany Lions’ CFP semifinal run.

“When we all committed here coming out of our ’22 class, that was one of our goals coming in as Penn Staters, we wanted to compete for championships, both Big Ten and obviously national championships,” Allar said. “And obviously we had a taste of that last year, and we know how close you are, so it’s just building off that and trying to make another run at it.”

Here’s a look at 13 players from 11 schools and representing five different leagues whose decisions to either forgo the NFL draft or sidestep the portal have beefed up their respective teams’ playoff chances.

The decision: Forgo the 2025 NFL draft

What his return means: Nussmeier, a fifth-year senior, and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan are entering their second season together and aiming to improve upon a stellar debut, which will help the Tigers contend for the SEC title. Nussmeier threw for 4,052 passing yards last year, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Even if LSU can’t win the league, Nussmeier’s return can help the Tigers earn an at-large CFP bid — especially if he makes a similar jump to his predecessors, Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels, who both won the Heisman Trophy in their second seasons in Baton Rouge. Nussmeier’s dad, Doug, will be nearby as the Saints’ offensive coordinator after winning a Super Bowl as the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach. With four new starters on the Tigers’ offensive line, there’s going to be an adjustment period, but if the “Nuss Bus” gets the time he needs, this should be a breakout season and his draft stock will rise with LSU’s playoff chances.

2. Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

The decision: Forgo the 2025 NFL draft

What his return means: Penn State has something Ohio State and Oregon don’t — a starting quarterback with playoff experience. The Nittany Lions might finally have the pieces in place to return to the top of the Big Ten and contend for a national title. Allar, who’s entering his third season as the starter, will be surrounded by NFL talent on the offensive line and in the running game, and could make a case to be Penn State’s first Heisman Trophy winner since John Cappelletti in 1973. Last season, he had 3,327 passing yards, the third most in a season in school history. With a second season under coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and more options at wide receiver — plus a still-loaded tight end room — there will be no shortage of options for Allar to push the ball downfield more.

The decision: Forgo the 2025 NFL draft

What his return means: On paper, Clemson has enough offensive firepower returning to elevate the Tigers into a deeper CFP run than their first-round exit in 2024 and they should have the Heisman-contending quarterback the program has desperately missed. Klubnik leads a Clemson offense that is No. 1 in the FBS in returning production (81%), according to ESPN’s Bill Connelly. Klubnik reestablished himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country following a down season in 2023. Last year, his 308 completions, 3,639 passing yards and 36 passing touchdowns all ranked among the best seasons in program history. As he enters his third season as a starter under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, Klubnik’s understanding of the offense and his relationship with Riley has grown, positioning Klubnik for what should be his best season with the Tigers.

4. Nicholas Singleton/Kaytron Allen, RBs, Penn State

The decision: Forgo the 2025 NFL draft

What their return means: The nation’s best running back duo returns intact, and they’ve got playoff experience along with familiarity and knowledge of the offense in coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s second season, all of which should boost the Nittany Lions’ hopes of winning the Big Ten and returning to the CFP. Singleton and Allen were projected by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. to be the Nos. 5 and 6 running backs available in the 2025 draft after becoming the first combo in Penn State history to each have at least 1,000 rushing yards in the same season. Penn State ran for more than 200 yards in 10 games last season, and the Nittany Lions led all Power 4 teams and Notre Dame in rushing with 3,237 yards. Of course, it helps to have 6-foot-4, 350-pound offensive guard Olaivavega Ioane blocking.

The decision: Avoid the transfer portal

What his return means: Sellers absolutely drew interest from other teams in November and December, but he re-signed quickly with the Gamecocks — and his commitment could be the difference between receiving or not receiving a CFP bid. The same can be said for edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who also attracted attention after 10.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks last year. South Carolina made a playoff case with Sellers leading the offense last year, but the CFP selection committee didn’t rank the No. 15 Gamecocks high enough for inclusion. He improved throughout the season last fall, increasing his Total QBR from 52 in his first six games to 81 over the last six. This year, he’ll be working with Mike Shula, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.

The decision: Avoid the transfer portal (twice)

What his return means: Illinois can be a CFP sleeper team by competing for the Big Ten title and earning an at-large bid if it doesn’t win the league. The importance of Illinois retaining its starting quarterback after a strong spring push from Tennessee can’t be understated. The Illini have a chance to be this year’s Indiana — a Big Ten contender with a manageable schedule that can play its way into the selection committee’s rankings with a standout quarterback and his supporting cast. After public speculation he might transfer for his final year of eligibility, Altmyer announced in December he would return to the team. He did it again in April, following the drama at Tennessee. Altmyer passed for 2,543 yards, 21 touchdowns and only five interceptions last year, leading Illinois to a 9-3 regular season and a top-20 ranking in the Associated Press poll.

The decision: Avoid the transfer portal

What his return means: K-State can win another wide-open Big 12 race and earn an automatic bid into the playoff as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions. Johnson never entered the transfer portal, but he attracted interest, especially after Tennessee lost Nico Iamaleava. “We got a damned wall built around him,” a K-State source told ESPN. “They better bring the Tennessee National Guard.” Expectations will be higher this year for Johnson, who threw for 2,712 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his first full season as a starter last year. He also had 605 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. With the depth at wide receiver, K-State’s passing game could flourish this fall.

The decision: Forgo the NFL draft

What his return means: A veteran offensive line that includes four returning starters from a group that allowed the third-fewest sacks in the SEC last season (20). It also means better protection for quarterback DJ Lagway, who could be one of the best in the country if he can stay healthy — and Lagway’s health is the most critical component to Florida’s success this year. According to Pro Football Focus, Slaughter allowed one sack, one QB hit, six QB hurries and eight pressures — with only three penalties — in 728 snaps. The Gators again have one of the toughest schedules in the country, and Slaughter is the kind of veteran they need up front to help Lagway survive it.

The decision: Forgo the NFL draft

What his return means: That the Buckeyes didn’t lose everyone from their national championship defense. Styles had an outstanding 2024 season with 100 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and five passes defended. His draft stock rose as the Buckeyes ascended through the CFP bracket, but he told reporters at their national championship celebration that he “wasn’t ready to leave yet.” Styles still has room to improve and grow, and his draft stock will continue to rise. He’s now in a position of leadership as one of just three returning starters on defense and the most experienced player among the rising seniors.

The decision: Forgo the NFL draft

What his return means: The Ducks retained a 6-foot, 175-pound receiver who played a key role in advancing them to the top seed in the 2024 CFP, and they’ll need his help again — especially with the departure of Tez Johnson, who entered the NFL draft after leading Oregon with 83 receptions for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns his senior season. Stewart is Oregon’s only returning receiver who had more than 30 receptions in 2024. Stewart, who transferred to Oregon from Texas A&M, had 48 catches last season for 613 yards and tied for the team high with five receiving touchdowns. He was Oregon’s second-most targeted receiver in an offense that finished 13th nationally in passing yards. Stewart’s role will increase, and his decision to return will help the Ducks’ new starting quarterback, which could be former UCLA QB Dante Moore.

The decision: Forgo the NFL draft

What his decision means: The Longhorns have leadership, playoff experience, NFL talent and a familiar face returning to a defense that again has to replace multiple starters from the previous season. Taaffe, a rising senior who ascended from walk-on to All-American, had 71 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 10 passes defended, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. His decision to return was driven in large part by the desire to win a national title at Texas and the devastation he said he felt following the loss to Ohio State. Taaffe will get another chance at the Buckeyes in the season opener.

The decision: Withdrew name from portal

What his return means: The Broncos were able to retain top talent from their 2024 CFP run, which featured one of the nation’s top defensive fronts, a huge boost for coach Spencer Danielson as he tries to own the Group of 5’s guaranteed spot as one of the nation’s five highest-ranked conference champions. Fely took visits to Miami and Cal before announcing on social media he planned to return to Boise. Fely, who spent the past three seasons at Boise State, started 28 games in the past two seasons. He had nine TFLs last year and 5.5 sacks.

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Boise State’s Danielson gets deal through 2029

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2 mins ago

April 30, 2025

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Boise State's Danielson gets deal through 2029

Boise State has finalized a new contract for coach Spencer Danielson, in the wake of leading the Broncos to the College Football Playoff in his first full season as their head coach, the school announced Tuesday.

Danielson has signed a five-year deal through the 2029 season, and sources said it will double his salary, as he’ll average $2.2 million over the course of the deal.

Danielson, 36, led Boise State to a 12-2 record in 2024, which included a Mountain West title and an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl against Penn State.

He has led Boise State to a pair of Mountain West titles, including one during his interim season after taking over in November 2023.

Danielson is 15-3 overall. He lost to UCLA in the LA Bowl, Oregon in the regular season in 2024 and Penn State in the CFP.

“Spencer has proven to be the right leader at the right time for Boise State football and our university as a whole,” director of athletics Jeramiah Dickey said in a statement.

“I truly believe it’s my calling to be the head coach at Boise State,” Danielson said in the statement.

Danielson’s deal will start at $2 million per year this season and increase by $100,000 over the course of the five years. The total deal will end up at nearly $11 million over the five years. He is expected to be the second-highest paid coach in the Mountain West behind UNLV’s Dan Mullen, who is set to make $3.5 million this year. Utah State’s Bronco Mendenhall is also set to make $2 million next year.

It’s a significant jump from Danielson’s original contract, which was a total of $6.5 million over five years after he earned the job with a strong run as the interim.

Danielson was promoted from defensive coordinator to Boise State’s interim coach in the wake of the firing of coach Andy Avalos. From there, Boise State won three games to emphatically to end the regular season, including a blowout of UNLV in the Mountain West title game.

Dickey saw how the team responded to Danielson and hired him as the full-time coach. Boise State parlayed that momentum to a run to the playoff, which included earning a No. 3 seed and a bye. Boise State logged wins over Washington State and twice beat UNLV to earn the Mountain West title last year.

Behind star tailback Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 pick in the NFL draft, Boise State went undefeated in conference play. Jeanty staying in Boise for the 2024 season was Danielson’s biggest recruiting win, as Jeanty finished as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Since the 2024 season ended, Boise State has done a strong job retaining players in the wake of its playoff run. The school has also shown significant commitment to both coordinator pay and staff salary pool.

Danielson was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year in 2024 and was a finalist for multiple national coaching honors. He began at Boise State as a graduate assistant in 2017.

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UF’s Lagway back throwing after resting shoulder

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2 mins ago

April 30, 2025

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UF's Lagway back throwing after resting shoulder

Associated Press

Apr 28, 2025, 05:54 PM ET

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway has resumed throwing after resting his ailing right shoulder throughout the Gators’ spring practice.

Lagway posted two short videos on social media Monday of him making throws at CORTX Sports Performance in Ponte Vedra Beach, a training center near Jacksonville that has worked with current NFL quarterbacks Brock Purdy, Anthony Richardson, Jordan Travis and Gardner Minshew.

It was a positive step forward for Lagway, a sophomore who reported shoulder soreness in the offseason that carried over from last year. He was limited in spring practice and then played just five snaps in the team’s annual spring game, all of them ending in handoffs.

The Gators took a cautious approach with Lagway in hopes of giving his throwing shoulder extra time to heal. Florida coach Billy Napier said Lagway, who also was recovering from a core muscle injury, is expected to be full go when the team reconvenes for workouts in June.

Lagway completed 60% of his passes for 1,915 yards, with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a freshman last season. He took over the starting role after Graham Mertz tore a knee ligament in October.

In his final three years at Willis High School in Texas, Lagway threw 849 passes for 8,264 yards and 99 touchdowns and ran 278 times for 1,684 yards and 29 more scores. He also served as a pitcher on the baseball team, leaving his shoulder little downtime.

He missed some practice time as a freshman last fall due to shoulder soreness, but it never caused him to miss a game.

He was sidelined one game last November while recovering from a strained left hamstring, but started every game thereafter, including Florida’s bowl victory against Tulane in December.

The Gators signed college journeyman Harrison Bailey to be Lagway’s backup this fall. Bailey has played at Tennessee, UNLV and Louisville.