Tag: Ryan Day

Raiders new OC Chip Kelly walked away from head coach job, ‘rekindled’ love for football

The Raiders new OC decision to step away from head coaching turned out to be a great decision. and he couldn’t be happier.

This time a year ago, Chip Kelly was the head coach at UCLA. And after leading the Bruins to an 8-5 record and a win over Boise State in the LA Bowl, the university had planned to have him back. But Kelly had other ideas. And it involved a rare decision to give up his head coaching job to return to being an offensive coordinator.

It’s not unusual for a college head coach to take a coordinator position at the next level. But Kelly was simply moving to another Big Ten team, making for a somewhat unconventional move.

It paid off though. A year later, he helped the Buckeyes win a National Championship and was called back to the NFL by the Las Vegas Raiders. 

Fresh off taking the job with the Raiders, I asked Kelly what went into his decision a year ago to give up his head coaching job to become an OC again.

“Part of it was in our bowl game a year ago against Boise [State],” Kelly replied. “Our quarterback coach had left to be the coach at Oregon State and then for those two-and-a-half weeks before the bowl game, I got a chance to coach the quarterbacks again, and coach a position again and I think my wife remarked ‘I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time’. 

“But I think you really start to think and get the perspective of the essence of why you do what you do and I’ve really enjoyed the one-on-ones with the quarterbacks and being with a specific group. As a head coach you’re in every meeting. You’re in the Oline meeting then you’re in the Dline meeting, but you miss just having a position group. And I thought about it and when an opportunity presented itself like would you consider not being a head coach anymore, to just be a coordinator and just be a position coach, it was appealing.”

Over a couple months time, Kelly had time to consider what he wanted to do as a coach. And ultimately the answer came from someone who he had a football connection from nearly a quarter century ago.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day’s football career began at New Hampshire under Kelly. And three times since then Day has been on Kelly’s coaching staff. Now 27 years since Day first took the field for Kelly, Day was hiring his former head coach to lead his offense with the Buckeyes. And merger was obviously a great one.

“It just kind of rekindled my love for just coaching football,” Kelly said. “I think sometimes as a head coach those rules turn into like a little bit of a CEO at the college level. With the advent of NIL and the transfer portal I think coaches are getting pulled in a lot of different directions and it’s away from actually coaching football. And I just really enjoy coaching football.”

Coaches and GMs talk about wanting players who love football. Well, it’s a valuable trait in a coach as well. To have a coach who has seen the top of his profession at multiple levels and has decided that the position that the team wants him to be is also where he thrives.

Watch Ohio State’s Ryan Day on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Making the rounds #GoBucks

Life is good when you’re a national championship winning coach. And right now, life is good for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day. It has been a whirlwind for Day in the week following the Buckeye win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff Championship Game. Television, radio, and public appearances have taken a great deal of the head coach’s time. And he’s done it all grinning ear to ear.

On Monday evening, Day appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to share some of the experience. He was asked a variety of questions from what the final moments felt like, to LeBron James, and even his Super Bowl prediction. You can see some of the best clips below.

What it was like winning the National Championship

 

Thoughts on LeBron

 

 

Super Bowl Prediction

 

Watch the full segment with Ryan Day

It’s funny how quickly things can change in a matter of just a few weeks, but here we are. National Championship Coach Ryan Day has a nice ring to it.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. 

Penn State DC hire makes USC’s retention of D’Anton Lynn more impressive

Penn State just hired elite defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. USC was ready to keep D’Anton Lynn away from Happy Valley. The Trojans did something right.

Two weeks ago, USC made a big move by extending fast-rising defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. The move came amid interest in Lynn from Penn State, his alma mater, for its defensive coordinator position.

On Sunday, the Nittany Lions announced their new defensive coordinator, and it was a big name. Penn State was able to poach star DC Jim Knowles away from Big Ten foe Ohio State. Less than a week removed from winning a national championship with the Buckeyes, Knowles will now head to Happy Valley to work in the same role.

The Knowles hire only makes USC’s retention of Lynn look all the more impressive. Clearly, Penn State was willing to pay top dollar to pry a top candidate away from an established powerhouse. The fact that the Trojans were able to hold onto Lynn despite the Nittany Lions’ push further highlights USC’s strong investment in the football program.

As we wrote over the weekend, this also means there are no excuses for head coach Lincoln Riley. The athletic department has spent significant money to retain his highly touted defensive coordinator and hire general manager Chad Bowden away from rival Notre Dame. If the Trojans flop on the field yet again in 2025, Riley will have no one but himself to blame.

Oregon Ducks coach named among top candidates for Ohio State DC vacancy

With Jim Knowles leaving Ohio State for Penn State, Oregon co-DC Chris Hampton is a candidate to replace him in Columbus.

Players aren’t the only ones coming and going this college football offseason. Coaches are hitting the road left and right, and one of, if not the biggest, hiring splashes this offseason just occurred: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles left Columbus to join the Penn State Nittany Lions for the same position in Happy Valley.

With an unexpected opening on the Ohio State coaching staff, Oregon co-defensive coordinator Chris Hampton is being suggested as a prime candidate for the job.

Sources told On3.com ($) that last year, Hampton received interest from five schools across the ACC and SEC to become a top defensive coordinator. He turned down those potential jobs and returned to Eugene for the 2025 season. The Ducks went on to have a stellar defensive year, ranking No. 15 in the nation in yards allowed per game, with 315.9.

Hiring an Oregon coach away from the Ducks wouldn’t be anything new for the Buckeyes as head coach Ryan Day was able to hire Carlos Locklyn a year ago as their running backs coach, replacing Tony Alford, who in turn left Columbus to go to Michigan.

Hampton might be a candidate for Ohio State, but he is far from being the only possible coach to replace Knowles. Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker, Arkansas DC Travis Williams and Ohio State safeties coach Matt Guerrieri are thought to be up for the job as well.

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Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork appears ready to extend Ryan Day contract

While it was in the heat of a championship parade, Ohio State football’s athletic director gave Ryan Day a multi-year commitment.

The Ohio State Buckeyes reigned supreme over the college football world for the 2024 season, and while it was a fairly easy ride in the College Football Playoff, the games leading up to it were anything but pleasant.

The Buckeyes lost to the Michigan Wolverines to end their regular season, and it was a brutal defeat to Ryan Day, marking his fourth-straight shortcoming in the rivalry. This time, the Buckeyes were at home and almost a three-score favorite.

Many were calling for Day’s job after that, but he had other plans, such as going on to win the CFP national championship game and renewing a belief in him as the team’s leader.

Athletic Director Ross Bjork gave a powerful statement when introducing Day for the championship celebration. He said Day is going to be the head coach for “years to come.”

Day deserves that type of confidence, especially considering what he’s been able to build in Columbus. Now, until he beats Michigan, that target on his back may never truly go away.

For now, though, the national championship he brought home seems to have him in the good graces of one of the premier college football programs in the country.

Legendary head coach believes Jim Knowles hire would be a ‘home run’

Former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops shared his thoughts on the potential of bringing Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Norman.

The Oklahoma Sooners and head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] are still looking to fill out their coaching staff heading into the 2025 season.

The defensive coordinator/linebackers coach spot is still vacant, as Venables has yet to replace the departed Zac Alley. Alley took a very similar role at West Virginia back in December. Venables has both internal options and external options to fill the defensive coordinator role with coaches who coach various positions.

The biggest name that keeps coming up is Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. He’s fresh off of a national championship victory on Monday night, as the Buckeyes won the inaugural expanded playoff title game.

Knowles responded to rumors about OU’s interest last week.

“Beat Notre Dame; that’s all I’m focused on,” Knowles said. “These things happen, I guess, when you have success. Players are making plays; my job is to put them in the best position. These things come up when you do well.”

Well now that the Buckeyes did, in fact, beat the Fighting Irish, the noise around Knowles coming to Norman will only intensify. Knowles didn’t coach linebackers in Columbus this season, but he did in his first two seasons on Ryan Day’s staff, and at Oklahoma State under Mike Gundy for four seasons from 2018-2021. He has been the defensive play-caller throughout his time in Columbus and in Stillwater as well.

At least one powerful voice in Oklahoma Sooners Football thinks that a Venables-Knowles defensive partnership would be very beneficial in Norman.

Former head coach and hall of famer [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag] was a guest on KREF earlier this week and was asked about his thoughts on the Knowles rumors. A defensive expert who knows a thing or two about hiring good coordinators on both sides of the ball, Stoops endorsed the possible move.

“I really hope it’s true,” Stoops said. “It would’ve surprised me, I said that I think last week, but the fact that he hasn’t said that there’s nothing to it by now, then there has to be something to it, which is great … I think it would be a home run. I think it’s a fantastic hire.”

A Knowles hire would take a lot of pressure off of Venables. He’d have coveted coordinators on both offense and defense. He added [autotag]Ben Arbuckle[/autotag] to the staff in December as the new offensive coordinator. It would allow Venables to serve in even more of a “CEO” role, overseeing everything within the program with an excellent play-caller like Knowles running the defense. Knowles being the DC would also prevent a shuffling of position coaches, as he can slide into Alley’s old role coaching linebackers. He’d be a proven upgrade over the still young Alley.

It’s all rumors at this point, but Knowles certainly didn’t deny that the Sooners had real interest. He did get high praise from his boss for the last three seasons, as the newly-minted championship head coach, Ryan Day, spoke glowingly of his DC on media day.

“Jim Knowles is the best defensive coordinator in the country,” Day said. “I think what he’s done this season and how he’s built it over the years has been tremendous.”

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.

Will Howard didn’t come to USC, but he’ll forever be a Trojan hero

Will Howard prevented Notre Dame from winning the national championship. He helped USC after all.

13 months ago, it appeared highly likely that then-Kansas State quarterback Will Howard would transfer to USC. On3’s Pete Nakos even went as far as to log a USC prediction for Howard. With Caleb Williams off to the NFL, it appeared as though Lincoln Riley had found his quarterback for the 2024 season.

As we all know, however, plans can change in a heartbeat in college football. Williams opted out of the Holiday Bowl against Louisville, and backup Miller Moss lit up the Cardinals, throwing for 372 yards and six touchdowns. With Moss seemingly entrenching himself as the Trojans’ starter for 2024, Howard headed to Ohio State instead.

The move had a massive ripple effect, leaving fans wondering what might have been had things played out differently. While the Trojans struggled with Moss eventually losing the starting job towards the end of the season, Howard led the Buckeyes to the national championship.

But even though Howard never took a snap for the Trojans, he will always be a hero to USC fans. Because en route to the national title, he slayed three of the Trojans’ biggest foes.

Against Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Howard threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-21 blowout win. The performance ensured that the Ducks’ remarkable run of having never won a national championship continued, much to the delight of USC fans.

In the Cotton Bowl, Howard threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, as the Buckeyes held off the Longhorns 28-14. Although it was not Howard’s best performance, it was enough to ensure that Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian—who had an ugly breakup with USC in 2015—did not win a title before the Trojans did.

Finally, in the national championship game, Howard and the Buckeyes went up against the Trojans’ greatest foe: Notre Dame. Behind Howard completing 17 of 21 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns, Ohio State rolled to a 34-23 win, preventing the Irish from winning their first national championship since 1988.

Will Howard may have never even played a snap for USC. But he prevented three of their biggest foes from winning a national title. And for that, he will always be a Trojan hero.

USC fans relieved as Notre Dame loses national championship game

Notre Dame didn’t lift the championship trophy, so there’s that.

Like all college football rivalries, the long-standing feud between USC and Notre Dame is based on hate. It should be no surprise then that fans of the two schools generally do not wish the other much success.

Hence, USC fans did not particularly enjoy watching Notre Dame’s run to the national championship game. While the Trojans were struggling to even make a bowl, the Fighting Irish had a legitimate shot to win a title.

On Monday night, however, Notre Dame’s run came to an end. The Irish fell 34-23 to Ohio State in the title game, giving the Buckeyes the national championship.

With Notre Dame losing, USC fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Although it was largely a miserable college football season for supporters of the Cardinal and Gold, at least it did not end with the Trojans’ hated foe winning the national title.

Notre Dame’s loss extended the Irish’s national championship drought to 36 years, dating back to the 1988 season. While Notre Dame has largely dominated the rivalry in recent years, USC fans can at least take solace in the fact that the Trojans have a national championship this century (two of them, actually) and the Irish do not.

USC and Ohio State have never particularly cared for one another—especially now that they are conference foes in the Big Ten. But for one night only, the Trojan Family says: Thank you, Buckeyes!

Ryan Day’s postgame golf cart crash made him look like Austin Powers

Oops!

Ohio State is a national champion. And Ryan Day got his redemption moment after a roller-coaster of a season. No wonder his players are doubly happy for him.

But after the Buckeyes took care of business against Notre Dame on Monday night, there was one thing that went wrong: Day and other Ohio State personnel were in a large golf cart that needed to speed off through the halls of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. But the driver pulled an Austin Powers and had trouble navigating.

OHIO STATE WINS! 12 photos of the Buckeyes celebrating the national title

And it crashed into the wall. Everyone took it in stride and seemed OK. They decided to walk.

WARNING: There’s NSFW language in here:

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Golf cart with Ohio State coach Ryan Day, QB Will Howard crashes into wall

Ryan Day and Will Howard were jolted on a golf-cart ride

The hardest hit Ohio State quarterback Will Howard took on Monday happened after the Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame, 34-23, for the national championship.

Howard and head coach Ryan Day were on a golf cart when the driver misjudged the turn and drove it straight into a wall.

Both Day and Howard were okay but quickly exited the golf cart.

The embarrassed driver apologized profusely but that was the end of her assignment as coach and QB chose to walk.

Day received congratulations from someone who used some salty language.

(Warning: NSFW language in video)