Michigan captured a national title after defeating Ohio State for the third consecutive time. The Buckeyes could be on the precipice of turning the tables.
Ryan Day has gone to work this offseason, hiring offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien while scoring significant additions from the transfer portal. That led 247Sports’ Chris Hummer to declare that the head coach is “finally all in.”
Hummer wrote that Ohio State has “snatched” some momentum away from Michigan this offseason.
“You don’t win a national championship with January roster movement,” Hummer said. “But Day’s aggressiveness in all aspects of his program have positioned the Buckeyes better than they have been in years to finally break through.
“Day’s chips are now in the middle of the table. The Buckeyes are going for it.”
“Michigan may have had the momentum after its national title just weeks ago. But the Buckeyes, in short order, have managed to snatch it back.”
Finally going all in with the transfer portal, Ryan Day and Ohio State are making moves, @chris_hummer writes:https://t.co/RjzOmyv9ZU pic.twitter.com/OWxuEzPvct
— 247Sports (@247Sports) January 22, 2024
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Hummer said Day took Ohio State’s job in “an immediate position of strength” when inheriting a stacked team from Urban Meyer. He “allowed Michigan to catch up” by maintaining the status quo.
That’s before an “aggressive” change in course this winter. Day brought O’Brien back from the NFL after ranking 25th in yards per play and attacked the portal rather than worrying as much about those additions driving away in-house players.
Ohio State landed Alabama safety Caleb Downs and Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, the top transfers at their respective positions. Will Howard and Julian Sayin join a quarterback room that lost incumbent starter Kyle McCord.
“Forget upsetting the players currently on your roster,” Hummer wrote. “Transfers like Downs and Judkins are good enough to shift the 2024 national title race. Day did what he had to do.”
Buckeyes fans will hope this altered approach leads to a victory over the Wolverines en route to a title run.