Ohio State Star Delivers Heartfelt Claim on Ryan Day

An Ohio State Buckeyes star has delivered a heartfelt take on what it meant to win a championship with head coach Ryan Day.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day holds the College Football Playoff trophy during the Ohio State Buckeyes National Championship celebration at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Jan. 26, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There was a time when Ryan Day probably wasn't entirely sure he was going to be keeping his job as Ohio State Buckeyes head coach, as fans everywhere were calling for his head following his fourth straight loss to the Michigan Wolverines back in November.

But then, Day led Ohio State to its first national championship in a decade, ensuring that he was unquestionably the man for the job.

A big reason why Day was able to guide the Buckeyes to glory this past season was because of the incredible defense he built, and a key part of that defense was safety Caleb Downs.

During a recent episode of the Field Talk Podcast, Downs spoke about Day and how much it meant to win a title with him as the head coach.

"For me, it was an honor because he let me come in this year when I entered the transfer portal," the former University of Alabama standout 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.”

It's blatantly obvious that Day's players love him, which speaks volumes of how great of a job he did in that locker room in 2024 and in years past.

Downs spent just one year at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State, where he registered 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a couple of interceptions and six passes defended during his debut campaign in Columbus.

The 20-year-old will certainly be a player to watch in 2025, and we will also no longer have to discuss Day potentially being on the hot seat.

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