Though the title won by the Ohio State Buckeyes against Notre Dame is now a thing of the past, many are still riding the high of that achievement. Safety Caleb Downs was one of the key players in securing it, and he even highlighted how important head coach Ryan Day was in reaching that goal.
In a recent appearance on the Field Talk Podcast, the talented Buckeyes safety spoke about the impact Coach Day had throughout the weeks. According to Downs, it was a privilege to have spent this time with the experienced head coach.
“For me, it was an honor because he let me come in this year when I entered the transfer portal,” the safety said. “I had a great relationship with him in high school — so it wasn’t that much of a change because they were one of my top schools in high school, and he was one of my favorite head coaches in high school – but I would say it was a surreal feeling knowing we got the job done. Everything we learned throughout the season, the lessons and the losses, got us to that point.”
Undoubtedly, the respect for Day is reflected in every statement his players make, especially after winning the National Championship in College Football.
The 20-year-old registered 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a couple of interceptions and six passes defended during his debut campaign in the program.
A former Super Bowl champion could join Ryan Day’s staff
Winning a title in College Football means the staff did a great job throughout the season. As a result, many of those who worked alongside Day in recent weeks have been tempted by better offers to continue their careers elsewhere.
With the certainty that the Buckeyes’ head coach will no longer have Kelly as OC and Knowles as DC, the program is slowly working to fill the significant void they’ve left. A former Super Bowl champion with the Patriots is rumored to be in line to take over as defensive coordinator.
According to information provided by Matt Zenitz through his X account, former Lions HC Matt Patricia could be heading to Columbus to join Day’s staff: “Matt Patricia was in Columbus yesterday meeting with Ohio State about its defensive coordinator opening, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports. The former Detroit Lions head coach was the New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator from 2012-17.”