Ryan Day takes over offensive play-calling duties for Ohio State in College Football Playoff

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ryan Day will call the offensive plays for Ohio State during the College Football Playoff, beginning with the Dec. 31 quarterfinal game at the Cotton Bowl against Miami.

Brian Hartline was the offensive play caller during the Buckeyes regular season, but accepted the head coaching position at South Florida on Dec. 3. Hartline remains on the Buckeyes’ staff through the CFP and is coaching the wide receivers.

“It’s such a strange calendar and the timing is brutal. But he’s handled it great, as you can imagine,” Day said on Monday. “It’s a lot on his plate. It’s a lot to manage. So we’re kind of taking it day-to-day right now, just in terms of as we move forward.”

Day said putting together the game plan remains a group effort with co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Keenan Bailey, Carlos Locklyn (running backs), Billy Fessler (quarterbacks) and Tyler Bowen (offensive line) equally involved.

Day called plays on offense the first five years he was Ohio State’s head coach. He turned over those duties to Chip Kelly in 2024 and gave them to Hartline this season when Kelly left for the NFL.

Over the past couple seasons, Day said he has done a better job of learning how to manage the game.

“I think it’s more just about when you’re not calling it, your eyes aren’t down on the call sheet. You’re with the defense. You’re watching the offense. You’re watching the other side. You’re watching what’s going on as opposed to being down on your call sheet. And I think that’s where we got to be good upstairs,” Day said. “There’s not a game that’s gone by where I’m not involved or listening to every call and making sure it’s what we’ve agreed upon going in. So, it’s similar to the way it was before.”

The second-seeded Buckeyes (12-1) go into the Miami game with the fifth-ranked offense of the remaining eight teams, averaging 429.5 yards per game.

The 10th-seeded Hurricanes (11-2) advanced with a 10-3 victory over Texas A&M on Saturday.

“I know Coach Hartline will always continue to push me hard, no matter what it is,” wide receiver Jeremiah Smith said. “But I always still want to be pushed, and I tell him to crank it up, because now it’s time to win another natty around here.”

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