Ryan Day reveals Ohio State's game day offensive coaching operation vs. Miami

There are a lot of changes going on with the Ohio State Buckeyes' offense during the playoffs that could either make things chaotic or masterfully put together.

Since Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline is leaving after the season to take over as South Florida's head coach and has been working two jobs at once, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day has said he would take over play calling for the playoffs. Day went into more details about how the operation is going to work between him, Hartline, and co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Keenan Bailey
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“It looks like Brian and I will be down on the field. We will have Keenan go upstairs, and then Brian can really help — he'll still be involved with everything we do, everybody is involved with the play calling, and ultimately I'll have the last say,” Day said via Eleven Warriors' Chase Brown. “But (Brian) is gonna come down, help with the receivers, and Keenan will go up and help organizationally.”

Ryan Day said Brian Hartline will be on the field and Keenan Bailey will be in the box for the Cotton Bowl.

“It looks like Brian and I will be down on the field. We will have Keenan go upstairs, and then Brian can really help — he'll still be involved with everything we do,…
— Chase Brown (@chaseabrown__) December 30, 2025

It's been an excellent season for the offense at Ohio State, as they are ranked fourth in the Big Ten in total offense (429.6 yards per game) and second in passing (266.8 yards per game). The unit has also scored 34.9 points per game and rushed for 162.8 yards per game.

Ohio State's standouts on the unit have been quarterback Julian Sayin, who is coming off being a Heisman Trophy candidate and was just named the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award winner. Buckeyes wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate have established themselves as the best one-two punch at receiver in the nation.

There were concerns about what the offense would look like with Hartline one foot out the door, but with Day being more hands-on with the unit, Ohio State looks to be in a solid position to pick up where they left off in the regular season. Hartline will still be able to help make the transition smooth while a veteran like Day handles the heavy lifting.

This is also going to be an excellent opportunity for Bailey to gain experience, as it shows signs of the Buckeyes turning the offense over to him after the 2025 season. Once he sees how Day gets into a rhythm with the play calling, that should lead to success for the Buckeyes in the future.

There have been coaches that have come and gone from Ohio State, so this program knows how to handle it. While there will be headlines from this game with the offensive staff, it's not as big a deal as some might think. Ohio State is a well-oiled machine.