Ohio State's Ryan Day 'third base' narrative, CFP expansion lead college football mailbag

Ohio State’s Ryan Day ‘third base’ narrative, CFP expansion lead college football mailbag

Posted by author January 31, 2025 Football

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The narrative that Ryan Day’s career began on third base discounts his achievements. Anyway, he got Ohio State to home plate. Day deserves his flowers.
Deep Notre Dame quarterback competition headlined by CJ Carr and Steve Angeli among top offseason topics.
Brian Kelly headed to hot seat at LSU? Maybe pump the brakes on that thought.

The narrative that Ryan Day’s career began on third base discounts his achievements as an offensive coordinator and quarterback developer before he succeeded Urban Meyer as Ohio State’s coach. Day earned Chip Kelly’s respect while starring for him as New Hampshire’s record-breaking quarterback, then caught Meyer’s eye as a Florida graduate assistant. Within a coaching industry where nepo babies are unmissable, Day didn’t gain that shortcut.

But, even to the extent that “third base” narrative rings true by Day landing Ohio State as his first head coaching job, Day deserves praise for assembling an uber-talented team and bringing the Buckeyes across home plate for their first national championship in more than a decade.

Day’s coaching performance remains a water-cooler topic as the offseason uncorks, as does runner-up Notre Dame’s outlook and the College Football Playoff format.

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Let’s answer some reader mail addressing these topics:

Does Ryan Day get too much credit at Ohio State?

Gene writes: I think that Coach Day is given too much credit, except for raising money and recruiting. Having the best talent that money can buy, … he should win it all. … Doing the expected is reason for appreciation but not high praise.

My response: College football championships are won foremost through stockpiling talent and getting the stars to play together as a unit. Nick Saban had a mind for the game, sure, but he became the GOAT because nobody consistently attracted and united more talent than Saban’s Alabama. Then, Kirby Smart replicated Saban’s success as a recruiter, motivator and developer.

As the saying goes, Jimmys and Joes matter more than X’s and O’s.

Day proved himself an ace recruiter, before and after NIL, and energizing NIL fundraising now is part of a coach’s duties. His persistent ability to magnetize talent made winning a national championship a matter of when, not if.

Day hired excellent coordinators and let them do what they do best while he effectively served as CEO. He kept the Buckeyes focused and motivated after another soul-sucking loss to Michigan. Yes, Day built an enviable amount of talent, but others (see: Alabama, Georgia) achieved less this season with talented rosters.

Day burnished his quarterback development résumé, too, while transfer Will Howard flourished in the postseason.

Discounting Day’s coaching abilities because he’s a skilled recruiter and he galvanizines NIL is like saying your mechanic gets too much credit, because all he does is fix your car. That’s the job.

Recruiting, fundraising, leadership and motivation are college football’s coaching pillars. Day became the coach Ohio State needed, because he assembled and inspired an unmatchable roster, much as Smart and Saban did during their national championship seasons.

Should the College Football Playoff get smaller?

Tim writes: I read your column about the CFP. I believe 12 teams are too many. The games proved that to be the case. … Pick the eight best teams and seed them.

My response: The playoff will not shrink in size. Not happening. If anything, it might grow to 14 teams in 2026.

Even if we could wave a wand and shrink the playoff, I wouldn’t want to. I like that this playoff earmarks byes for the top conference champions. Byes would go away in a three-round, eight-team playoff.

With an 11-game playoff, you’re naturally going to have some lopsided outcomes. That’s not new, though. The four-team playoff regularly featured blowouts. The NFL’s wildcard round featured several blowouts, too, but I don’t detect a clamoring to shrink the NFL playoff.

Fortunately, the CFP games improved as the rounds progressed, peaking with two excellent semifinals.

The first-round format heightens the chance for blowouts because the better-seeded team hosts. That’s one argument for keeping quarterfinal games at neutral sites. Playing at bowl sites removes score-tilting home-field advantage.

Let’s leave room for a larger sample size before making sweeping rebukes of this format. Just because the No. 8 vs. No. 9 game became a blowout this season, doesn’t mean that will repeat.

Is it Steve Angeli or CJ Carr for Notre Dame?

Guy writes: I think you are grossly underestimating the abilities of Steve Angeli, (a contender for Notre Dame’s starting quarterback vacancy). We have not seen CJ Carr in game action. … As in the Penn State game, Angeli has shown himself to be a more than adequate alternative.

My response: The Irish require a standout quarterback, not a “more than adequate” quarterback, to become national champions. More wide receiver starpower would help, too. It’s a pitch-and-catch game, as much as block-and-tackle. Virginia transfer Malachi Fields boosts the receiving corps, but that leaves the matter of replacing starting quarterback Riley Leonard.

Angeli probably would offer Notre Dame a respectable floor. The Irish would do well to retain him, but if the Irish are serious about pursuing a national championship in 2025, then a healthy Carr is the choice. He earned rave reviews after signing as a blue-chip recruit. His September elbow injury ended the chance of seeing his abilities this season. Never mind the floor. A healthy, effective Carr offers Notre Dame the highest ceiling.

Ohio State had too much talent for Notre Dame

James writes: You are right on!!! Glad someone said it: Ohio State was superior to Notre Dame with the skill-position guys. Are the Irish just recruiting star rankings?

My response: It’s not a matter of Notre Dame being too focused on star ratings. To the contrary, the Irish would benefit from signing a five-star receiver.

Ohio State’s top three receivers, Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate, were five-star recruits, as rated by 247Sports. Smith rated as the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in the 2024 class.

Michael Floyd, who signed with the Irish in 2008, remains the last receiver with a 247Sports Composite five-star rating to sign with Notre Dame. Floyd became a first-round NFL Draft pick after a stellar Notre Dame career.

What’s the difference between a four-star and five-star wide receiver? I don’t mean to oversimplify it, but consider Notre Dame’s Jaden Greathouse compared to Ohio State’s Smith. Greathouse was a four-star, and Smith a five-star. See the difference? Greathouse is good. Smith is sensational.

Brian Kelly is College Football Playoff or bust at LSU

Tim writes: Full disclosure, SEC homer and LSU fan. If Brian Kelly doesn’t have us in CFP next year, look for his buyout!

My response: Kelly crushed the hot-stove league. LSU plundered an impressive bounty of portal prizes – both in quantity and quality – to accompany a top-10 recruiting class. Add it up, it’s the best player acquisition haul all of Kelly’s tenure.

Kelly’s been good, not great, for LSU, totaling 29 wins in three seasons. It’s fair for LSU fans to enter next season with a playoff-or-bust mentality, particularly considering Garrett Nussmeier returns as the SEC’s most proven quarterback. Kelly’s quest will hinge on retooling the offensive line and finally engineering improvement on defense for a unit mired in a yearslong slump.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.