Urban Meyer Revealed Ryan Day’s Plan for Ohio State To Contend in 2026

Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer shared what Ryan Day said to him about the secret to constructing the roster and winning a title in 2026.

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Urban Meyer on the sidelines prior to the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff between the Oregon Ducks and the Indiana Hoosiers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes had an earlier-than-expected playoff exit after losing to the Miami Hurricanes in the second round, with everyone searching for answers on what they can do better

Going into the offseason, the Buckeyes have been hard at work in the transfer portal, finding the right veteran talent to help them out. Former Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer discussed it on The Triple Option show, what Ryan Day is doing to ensure Ohio State stays competitive in a different landscape of college football.

"I think the template has been all set now. The Big Ten has won it three years in a row. Most mature, veteran team. Every team's average age was about the same as an NFL team," Meyer said. "I actually talked to Day about it yesterday before the national championship game, and he mentioned that everybody is talking about it now."

Urban Meyer said he talked to Ryan Day the day of the National Championship. Day confirmed Ohio State wants to be in the business of having an older locker full of grown ass men following the recent model of the last three National Champions. pic.twitter.com/KASPqbn4HQ

— JBook. (@JBook_37) January 22, 2026

Buckeyes looking to get older with roster for a 2026 national title run

This was a big reason that the 2025 season was successful for most of the year, as the veterans really stepped up. It was partly why the defense played better than the offense, with more veterans on the defensive side.

On defense, the Buckeyes had plenty of veteran stars, including Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, Caden Curry, and Kayden McDonald. Now, all those guys will be entering the 2026 NFL Draft and will most likely be first-round picks after playing in a pro-style scheme under defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

As for the offense, the young guys led the way as the stars on that side of the ball. From freshmen running back Bo Jackson and quarterback Julian Sayin to sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the unit was on the younger side, and it showed in the stats.

The Buckeyes' defense was ranked one or two in nearly every defensive category during the 2025 season. Ohio State was only able to get into the top five in the Big Ten in most of the key offensive statistics.

With all the departures on defense, the tide is about to change: Ohio State has more veterans on offense, and the defense needs to restock its veteran talent. That will put a lot of pressure on Day, Patricia, and the rest of the defensive staff to put the right team together on defense.

Ohio State is trying to avoid a rebuild year on defense, and that's why the transfer portal will become more important than ever to ensure that doesn't happen.