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An ESPN article titled “How Ohio State built a $20 million, ‘national championship or bust' roster” has been a big topic of discussion this week. Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day had a lot of NIL money to work with in the transfer portal this year, and he formed one of the best rosters in all of college football. Ole Miss football head coach Lane Kiffin saw the article, and he shared it on social media, stirring the pot a bit.
Ryan Day met with the media on Tuesday and he was asked about the article. He noted that these guys came to Ohio State football because they want to be Buckeyes, and he just wants to see them be successful.
“When you look at our guys, you know they're here because they want to be Buckeyes,” Day said, according to a post from Adam King. “You know they're here because they want to win championships. They're here because of each other, you know. And to see, you know, what they did the other day on campus, to see the impact they're making on people like, you know, they understand what it means to be a buckeye. They understand what it means to win a championship here. And that's the most important thing to me. You know, the other part, there's a lot of changes in college football, and we're gonna do everything we can to adapt and make sure that we're doing our part. But there's been a lot of hard work to put this roster together, and that's great. That's what we're supposed to do. We're doing our job. But to me it's about these players. And that's the number one thing for me, and that's what allows me to put two feet on the ground every day is envisioning, you know, these guys, and these players, you know, hoisting trophies and winning championships.”
This season is championship or bust for Ohio State football
In today's era of college football, you can use $20 million to build your roster, and that is what Ohio State football did. Do all schools have access to that kind of money for their players? Absolutely not, but that's what college football is now. The Buckeyes haven't been happy with how the past few years went, and they wanted to change things.
“I was really just struck by his intensity, his thoroughness at the time,” Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said, according to the ESPN article. “No one's been happy with the last couple seasons and how they've ended. There's a reset that had to take place. Coach Day was at the forefront of activating all of that. He had a methodical, intense, intentional plan. … To hear it directly from Ryan, I thought it was really exciting and encouraging.”
The thing about this Ohio State team is that talent hasn't been the issue for them in recent years. They have always had one of the most talented rosters in college football, but they haven't been able to put everything together when it mattered most. That's really what needs to change.
“We'll find out what this foundation looks like as we get into the season and get some of those storms that are coming our way,” Day said. “They're coming. We've got to be ready.”
Ohio State will get their 2024 season started this weekend against Akron at home. The Buckeyes and Zips will kick off from Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio at 3:30 ET on Saturday. The game will be airing on CBS, and Ohio State is favored by 49.5 points.
