“Ohio State’s not for everybody“: Ryan Day takes a clear stance on talented student-athletes outside Buckeyes

Speaking on "The Herd With Colin Cowherd" on Friday, Ryan Day discussed what it means to become an Ohio State Buckeye. According to the coach, even if a player is destined to be an NFL star, they still might not be the right fit for Ohio State.

Day recognized the abundance of talent outside Ohio State but said being a Buckeye involves embracing a unique culture and commitment.

"There's a lot of NFL players that you know aren't in Ohio State, you know that maybe that maybe just aren't the right fit for who we are, and so we try to do a great job of identifying you know the right people that fit us," he said.

"There's a lot of great players out there, but what you know, Ohio State is not for everybody and we try to make sure that we bring in the right folks that fit our culture."

Ryan Day's comments begin at the 4:30 mark of the video below

For Day, the players who fit Ohio State’s culture will be grateful to be in Columbus, even if they aren’t making as much money as some of their teammates.

Ryan Day on the hidden meaning of the national title win with Ohio State

On the same program, Ryan Day shared a personal story about what it meant for the national championship game to be played on Jan. 20, saying his father passed away on that same date.

The coach told Cowherd that playing on Jan. 20 made him feel his father’s presence:

“For me, it was my father. I didn’t really make this public before, but since you asked me, I’m going to answer the question, I lost my father on January 20th when I was 9 years old, and I saw when the schedule came out that the national championship game was on the same day that I lost my father. I just knew he was with me that day.”

Now, Ryan Day is already focused on the 2025 season. As spring training approaches, the Buckeyes are favored by oddsmakers to repeat their success from last season. According to CBS Sports, they have +450 odds to win the next national title — the best of any school at the moment.