How Ryan Day's evolution into Ohio State CEO compares to Jim Harbaugh's own growth at Michigan

Between their roster and coaching staff, the Ohio State Buckeyes have revamped things this offseason and positioned themselves as one of the nation’s top teams and a national championship contender. Highlighted by major changes orchestrated by head coach Ryan Day.

This season Day will not be calling the plays for the Buckeyes’ offense for the first time during his head coaching tenure in Columbus. Turning over those duties to new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly as Day broadens his focus. Which Lettermen Row’s Spencer Holbrook discussed with Andy Staples at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis.

“I’ve seen a little bit of a different Ryan Day,” Holbrook said. “In the spring he was able to delegate and then walk around, he’s doing running back drills. When Tony Alford left for Michigan he was the running backs coach until they got Carlos Locklyn and then you saw him do some defensive back drills, he’s doing the turnover drills instead of just working with quarterbacks. Well Chip Kelly’s the quarterbacks coach now.”

Day initially hired Bill O’Brien as his offensive coordinator this offseason, who quickly departed to become the next head coach at Boston College. And in that universe, Holbrook strongly believes Day would remain as playcaller for the offense.

But given his longstanding relationship with and the offensive continuity the two share, Day has fully handed the keys of the offense to Kelly. Allowing him to serve in more of a CEO role that’s required of head coaches in the modern age of college football.

“He doesn’t trust anybody, he might not even trust his family more than he trusts Chip Kelly. So he handed his baby, the quarterback position, over to Chip Kelly and he’s delegated,” Holbrook explained.

“I think he’s opening himself up a little more,” he added. “I don’t know if he’s got more time because that CEO role doesn’t give you much more time. He’s got a lot of NIL meetings, he’s got a lot of booster meetings, he’s got a lot of football meetings that he’s sitting in on. I think he’s just a more well rounded head coach and this offseason I think done wonders for the way that he is able to delegate and then also have have eyes on the entire program.”

The new responsibility of head coaches at the college level played a role in why Kelly left UCLA to become Ohio State’s OC. Which in turn has resulted in Day excelling off the field in the NIL space and recruiting similarly to a rival that Buckeyes’ fans won’t want to admit.

“Jim Harbaugh had to give up a lot of offensive control to start beating Ohio State, and eventually as a head coach you have to evolve. Ryan Day has evolved on so many levels,” Holrbook said. “He’s evolved on NIL, he’s evolved on the way that he recruits, he’s evolved on staff structure and getting rid of a special teams coordinator and delegating those things. Well, he’s evolving a little bit further into that CEO role and I think that’s important for him.”

“And you saw what it did for Jim Harbaugh, and I’m not saying that it’s apples to apples, but I do think that there’s a little bit of a parallel there where hey. Once Jim Harbaugh gave up this play calling duties, you really saw him be able to be a head coach, and I think Ryan Day is going to be a head coach this year.”

Michigan’s changes under Harbaugh resulted in three straight Big Ten titles and a national championship win last season. Results that Ohio State isn’t just hoping for, but expecting following the changes the program has made this offseason.