The Big Ten was just frightened by Ohio State and Ryan Day: Use a vicious power move to seize the top coach.

In the cutthroat world of college football, power shifts happen in the blink of an eye. For years, the Big Ten Conference has been home to powerhouse programs, from Michigan to Penn State to Wisconsin. But in the last few seasons, it became undeniable: Ohio State, under the guidance of head coach Ryan Day, had not only held its ground — it had begun to assert its dominance with a ferocity that sent shockwaves through the entire conference.

For much of the 21st century, Ohio State had been the top dog in the Big Ten, but their position at the very pinnacle was never guaranteed. The rivalry with Michigan was as intense as ever, and programs like Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin frequently posed serious challenges. Yet, in recent seasons, Ryan Day, who took over the reins in 2019 following Urban Meyer’s retirement, began to build something more than just a team of elite players — he constructed a blueprint for Ohio State’s football program that would send a chilling message to every team in the Big Ten: The Buckeyes weren’t just aiming to win; they were coming for total control.

Day’s leadership has not only shaped Ohio State into a juggernaut but also altered the competitive landscape of the Big Ten. The coaching staff he assembled, combined with a relentless recruiting strategy and an emphasis on high-powered offensive football, positioned Ohio State in a unique way — they were no longer just competing for championships; they were dictating the terms of the competition. Through a series of masterful moves, Ryan Day and Ohio State began to dominate the Big Ten in ways that frightened their rivals, and a clear power shift occurred.

The Rise of Ryan Day: From Prodigy to Power Broker

Ryan Day’s arrival at Ohio State was not without expectations. Coming from a successful stint as the offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer, Day’s transition into the head coaching role was smooth on the surface. But behind the scenes, Day wasted no time making his mark.

While Ohio State had long been a dominant force in college football, Day’s brand of football brought a new intensity to the program. Day’s offense was explosive, innovative, and tailored to the modern game, leading to record-breaking performances on offense. But his success didn’t stop there. He was a force in recruitment, consistently landing some of the best high school prospects across the nation, especially at the skill positions. Day’s ability to bring in top-tier talent, particularly at quarterback, allowed Ohio State to maintain a level of dominance that left the rest of the Big Ten scrambling to catch up.

However, Day’s true power move came not just from his recruiting or his offensive schemes. It was in the way he responded to the challenges posed by the other top programs in the conference, specifically Michigan.

The Michigan Rivalry: Where Day’s Authority Was Cemented

For decades, the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry has been one of the most storied in college football. The games are often unpredictable, heated, and full of emotional highs and lows. But under Day, something changed in this rivalry. It became clear that Ohio State was no longer just a worthy opponent to Michigan — they were a force that was too powerful to reckon with.

In his first two years as head coach, Day went undefeated against Michigan, a feat that further emphasized his control over the Big Ten. While Urban Meyer’s success had laid the foundation, it was Day who built upon it with a relentless offensive attack that consistently overwhelmed the Wolverines. In a sport where rivalries often define legacies, Day’s performance against Michigan was not just a statement of victory; it was a proclamation of power.

Ohio State’s superiority in this rivalry was no longer in question. The Buckeyes weren’t simply winning; they were dominating. Day’s ability to consistently outperform Michigan in recruiting, game preparation, and execution on the field established him as the standard in the Big Ten. It sent a chilling message to the rest of the conference: If you wanted to challenge for the top spot in the Big Ten, you’d have to go through Ohio State — and Ryan Day.

Ryan Day’s Recruiting Masterstroke: Rebuilding the Big Ten

Beyond the Michigan rivalry, Ryan Day’s recruiting prowess ensured that Ohio State remained not just a contender, but the team to beat in the Big Ten. With the rise of other conference programs like Penn State and Wisconsin, many teams were becoming more competitive, but none had the consistent, top-tier recruiting power that Ohio State boasted.

Day’s influence on the recruiting trail was immediate and undeniable. Ohio State’s recruiting class became one of the best in the nation, often landing the top quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers. Day’s aggressive approach in securing five-star talent meant that the Buckeyes had a level of depth and skill that outclassed most of their rivals.

It wasn’t just about attracting top recruits. Day’s offensive system was tailored to suit the strengths of these high-level players, and it became clear that he was playing the long game — not just looking to win this season, but ensuring Ohio State remained a power for years to come.

In addition to landing key recruits, Day was also a master at identifying under-the-radar talent and developing them into stars. This ability to make diamonds out of coal turned Ohio State into a team that couldn’t just rely on top-ranked talent — they could create it. This added layer to Day’s power in the Big Ten made him a terrifying figure in the world of college football. It wasn’t enough to try to match Ohio State’s talent. Programs needed to create their own perfect storm of coaching, recruiting, and development to even compete.

The Power Move: Ohio State’s Coaching Tree and the Big Ten’s Response

Ryan Day’s dominance in the Big Ten wasn’t just evident on the field. It was also reflected in the ways in which Ohio State began to shape the conference’s coaching landscape.

As Day built his program, he also began to send ripples through the Big Ten’s coaching ranks. He developed and mentored assistant coaches who went on to take head coaching positions at other programs, further spreading Ohio State’s influence. Coaches like Jeff Hafley, Kerry Coombs, and Al Washington — who had been part of Day’s staff — left to take leadership positions elsewhere, but their coaching philosophy, shaped by Day, quickly found its way into other Big Ten teams.

This network of influence made it clear: Day wasn’t just changing the direction of Ohio State; he was shaping the future of the entire conference. His coaching tree grew, and as former assistants became head coaches at other Big Ten programs, they brought with them Day’s system — a system that had proven to be successful, not only at Ohio State but also as a blueprint for success across the conference.

What followed was a paradox: while Day’s former assistants tried to implement the same aggressive and innovative strategies, none could replicate his success. The reason was simple — Ryan Day’s ability to adapt, evolve, and stay ahead of the curve was unmatched. As his coaching tree grew, it only became clearer that the power had firmly shifted to Ohio State.

Seizing the Top Coach in the Big Ten: Ryan Day’s Uncontested Authority

By the time the 2023 season rolled around, Ohio State was not just a contender in the Big Ten — they were the undisputed leader. Other Big Ten programs began to rethink their approach to football, knowing that if they wanted to compete, they needed a complete overhaul. Michigan, Penn State, and other schools started to make significant moves to try and catch up with Ohio State, but it was clear they were playing catch-up.

Ryan Day’s most significant power move wasn’t just winning games; it was creating an environment where his success became the standard for everyone else. He built Ohio State into a machine that couldn’t be stopped. Even the most powerful programs in the Big Ten realized that, to claim the conference’s top spot, they would need a program overhaul — one that could compete with Ohio State’s talent, depth, and innovative coaching.

As the 2023 season progressed, it became evident: Ohio State, under Ryan Day, was no longer just the dominant team in the Big Ten. They had solidified themselves as the measuring stick, and every other program was left scrambling to adapt, to catch up, to replicate the formula. Day’s rise to power wasn’t just about victories — it was about imposing a new standard for excellence that left the rest of the Big Ten with little room to maneuver.