After speaking at the Ohio High School Football Coaches’ Association clinic at the Hampton Inn in Easton Town Center in Columbus on Friday, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said that while he cannot confirm any reported hirings, he is expected to have his 2025 coaching staff finalized by early next week.
“We’re still putting the finishing touches on it,” Day said. “I’m hoping by this weekend or the beginning of next week, we’ll have everything out there. We’re making good progress.
“We obviously have a bunch of really good guys on staff, but a bunch of other guys who are obviously interested in the positions, so we’re going to work hard to get this thing kind of ironed out here in the next few days.”
Although Day did not disclose any specific names, Ohio State is expected to promote current co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Brian Hartline to full-time offensive coordinator to replace Chip Kelly and current offensive analyst Billy Fessler to quarterbacks coach, while it is also reportedly hiring Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen as the team’s offensive line coach, replacing Justin Frye.
The Buckeyes have yet to find a replacement for former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who took the same role at Penn State the day of OSU’s national championship celebration on Jan. 25, with current safeties coach Matt Guerrieri and secondary/cornerbacks coach Tim Walton emerging as potential in-house options for the role.
Day also spoke on Friday about the seven-year contract extension he signed on Thursday, which made him the second highest-paid college football head coach at $12.5 million per year.
The now one-time national championship-winning coach said that he is thankful for everyone who was involved in the process of his extension and is looking forward to being the Buckeyes’ leader for the long term.
“I just want to say thank you to everybody involved,” Day said. “Starting with Buckeye Nation, and then on to the Board of Trustees, president (Ted) Carter, (athletic director Ross Bjork), our coaching staff and then obviously our players. None of that would even be possible without everyone together on it. We’re just honored to be able to represent Ohio State again for the next seven years.”
