No. 5 – Ohio State Co-offensive coordinators Kevin Wilson and Ryan Day
What Rittenberg says
Hired: Jan. 10, 2017 (Wilson) and Jan. 3, 2017 (Day)
Term: Wilson 2017-present; Day 2017, 2018 seasons (named Ohio State head coach Dec. 4, 2018)
What they inherited: “A talented offense with a convoluted coaching structure and damaging no-shows against Michigan State in 2015 and in the 2016 CFP semifinal against Clemson, a defense that shut out the Buckeyes 31-0. Ohio State in 2016 ranked 48th nationally in yards per play and 81st in passing offense.”
What happened next: “Wilson was the high-profile hire, while Day arrived as a relative unknown after two years on Chip Kelly’s NFL staff. Together, they have overseen a record-setting offense and the best stretch of quarterback play in team history. In 2017, Ohio State rose to No. 6 nationally in scoring (41.4 PPG) and ranked in the top 10 in yards per play, first downs and third-down conversion percentage. The next year, Ohio State set Big Ten records for total offense (535.6 YPG) and touchdown passes (51). Since 2017, Ohio State leads the nation in touchdown passes (138) and ranks second in total touchdowns (234). Quarterback Dwayne Haskins was a 2018 Heisman Trophy finalist and became the first Buckeyes QB drafted in the first round since 1982. Quarterbcak Justin Fields, a 2019 Heisman finalist, should be one of the first names called in the 2021 draft. Since 2017, Ohio State is 38-4 with three Big Ten titles and three AP top-five finishes.”
It should be noted that ahead of these two hires in Columbus, the top four assistant hires over the last decade according to Rittenberg include Clemson co-offensive coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott (4), Oklahoma offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley (3), LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady (2), and Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables at No. 1.