Ohio State's Ryan Day Makes Big Coordinator Decision Ahead of Northwestern Game

The Ohio State Buckeyes are undergoing a late-season transition period as they enter back-to-back home games in November and the remainder of the season, no matter how long it lasts.

Following Saturday's 41-28 home loss to the Oregon Ducks, which now marks consecutive losses for the Buckeyes since quarterback Luke Fahey succeeded Julian Sayin in mid-October, it's a different side of the ball that Day is tweaking.

In a release by the school on Monday, Day is making a change at special teams ahead of Saturday's game against the Northwestern Wildcats (noon ET, Fox).

Robby Discher Out at Ohio State

Robby Discher vs. Iowa. — Ohio State Buckeyes special teams coordinator Robby Discher watches during the NCAA football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Oct. 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day announced that special teams coordinator
Robby Discher has been relieved of his duties," the statement read. "The Buckeyes continue their homestand Saturday, Nov. 14, hosting Northwestern at Ohio Stadium in the second of three November home games. The matchup marks Northwestern’s first visit to Ohio Stadium since 2016 and its first during Ryan Day’s tenure. Ohio State is 4-0 against the Wildcats under Day, including two victories in the Big Ten Championship Game."

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Discher had been in Columbus for less than a year, having previously held the same role at Illinois. Day previously stated how excited he was about what Discher brought to the program following his initial hiring.

After the loss, however, which included a fake punt sequence, Day was agitated. It's unclear whether the singular moment led to the change.

"Getting off the field there before the fake punt would have been a huge stop and enabled for us to get the ball on offense and eat up some more clock there in the second quarter," Day told reporters after the loss. "But it didn't happen. So I've got to evaluate everything and try to come in [Sunday] and figure out with the staff the things that we're just coming up short on and figure out how to adjust those things."

Day was unimpressed by the lack of his team's discipline, too.

"The penalties are a killer," Day said. "At the end of the day as a coach, you've got to look yourself in the mirror and find out why that's happening."

Day's team is in a desperate situation, needing three wins and help to get into the College Football Playoff, much less the Big Ten title game in December. It's also the final year of the 12-team CFP before it transitions to 24 teams next season, while eliminating conference title games.

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