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Cardale Jones shut down the idea of Urban Meyer coaching again in Columbus amid the Ryan Day hot-seat rumors. Jones, a former Ohio State football quarterback, has an extensive history with the Buckeyes' former head coach. The high point of that past was winning the 2014 national title in the College Football Playoff's first year.
Ryan Day's 1-4 record against Michigan has Buckeyes fans longing for their former coach, who compiled a 7-0 record against the Wolverines. While Meyer has only been removed from college football for six years, Jones refuted any idea of the legendary head coach's return in an interview on the “Maggie and Perloff” radio show.
“Not a chance. I don't think so with this new dynamic of the portal and NIL, which Urban wasn't a part of. Urban is a player's coach, he's a coach's coach, and he just wants to coach ball. And I think all these new aspects throw a wrench into the culture that he wants to build and the things he wants to do as a play caller and as a CEO of an organization.”
Ohio State football can still salvage this season
The Buckeyes' loss to the Wolverines is infuriating and unacceptable. Once again, Ohio State football struggled to run the ball, which has been a theme this year. Quarterback Will Howard also had his worst game of the season by far. If Ryan Day and company had won Saturday's game, they would have rematched No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. Another crack at the conference leaders was a matchup the Buckeyes really wanted after losing to a tight one to the Ducks earlier this year.
Nevertheless, while Ohio State cannot contend for a conference championship now, the program is a lock for the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes came in at No. 6 in Tuesday's playoff rankings and are on track to host a first-round home game. Ryan Day's team is still one of the favorites heading into the twelve-team bracket. The Buckeyes hold two dominant wins over No. 3 Penn State and No. 9 Indiana.
If the rankings were to hold, Ohio State football would host No. 9 Tennessee, and the winner would play Oregon. This path would be challenging, but it is still one the Buckeyes can navigate. The key for Ryan Day's team going forward is to be more multidimensional on offense.
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has struggled to generate a consistent running game in 2024. The Buckeyes are rushing for 169.2 yards per game. While that stat isn't abysmal, considering that the Buckeyes have two All-American caliber running backs in TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, it's disappointing. Against Michigan, Ryan Day's team ran for just 77 yards on 26 carries. It will be hard to beat four elite teams in a row with just a reliable passing attack.
Despite the rumblings around Ryan Day, Ohio State football can salvage this season. The Buckeyes still have everything to play and will have a few weeks to rest before the playoff. However, an early exit will only lead to more rumors about Day's future in Columbus. This harsh reality is expected when you lose four straight games to Michigan.
