Desmond Howard Names Best Coach To Replace Ryan Day At Ohio State

"College GameDay" analyst and former Michigan Wolverine Desmond Howard has already named who he thinks Ohio State will replace head coach Ryan Day with if the school decides to move on from him after the 2024 season.

This year is a big one for the Buckeyes. They're focused on snapping their three-game losing streak against the Wolverines and putting Michigan’s 2023 National Championship behind them with one of their own.

Before this three-game stretch, Ohio State had won the last eight meetings against Michigan.

Ohio State splurged heavily to acquire top talent from the transfer portal, including safety Caleb Downs, running back Quinshon Judkins, center Seth McLaughlin, and quarterback Will Howard.

If their plan to go all-in for 2024 fails, the "College GameDay" analyst thinks Day will be replaced with current Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

"If things go awry, I think they have somebody who's behind Ryan Day," Howard said. "...Chip Kelly can be the next coach, too. I think Ryan Day is on the hot seat right now."

Ohio State came in ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP Poll.

Their 2024 schedule features games against four ranked opponents: No. 25 Iowa, No. 3 Oregon, No. 8 Penn State, and No. 9 Michigan.

Kelly boasts an impressive head coaching history, with tenures at Oregon, the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers, and UCLA. Despite his longevity, he has only found significant success while coaching the Ducks.

From 2009-12, Kelly led Oregon to four consecutive BCS bowl games, including a BCS National Championship, where they lost to Auburn and Cam Newton.

His NFL coaching career lasted from 2013-16. He served as the head coach of the Eagles for three seasons and spent one season with the 49ers. He only made the playoffs once, and his Eagles lost to the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Round.

Kelly coached at UCLA for the past six years. His team's highest win total was nine, achieved only once in 2022. Surprisingly, this past offseason, he left on his own terms to take a position with less hierarchy at Ohio State.

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