Ryan Day has led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a respectable 66-10 record across seven seasons. But his 2-4 record in bowl games sticks out like a sore thumb. The same goes for Ohio State’s last game, a 13-10 loss to an unranked Michigan Wolverines team.
Day’s struggles have been on full display, and they’re getting harder and harder to ignore. Now, some are speculating that Ohio State should search for Day’s replacement, and the candidates are lining up quickly. One of the leading candidates even has ties to the university and would bring NFL head coaching experience with him.
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Mike Vrabel may be a top candidate to coach Ohio State Buckeyes
Mike Vrabel is an Akron, Ohio native who can’t seem to get the love for his home state out of his veins. Vrabel committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes as a player, then, once his NFL career was over, he returned as a linebackers coach before moving onto the defensive line for two seasons.
It didn’t take long for the NFL to notice the former linebacker/special teams standout. By 2014, just three years after he started coaching, Vrabel joined the Houston Texans as their LB coach. Three years later, he was promoted to defensive coordinator.
Then, in 2018, the Tennessee Titans made Vrabel their head coach for six seasons, which included three playoff appearances and a 54-45 win-loss record. Vrabel even had a respectable 2-3 record in the postseason but was let go after a 6-11 record in 2023.
He then latched on with the Cleveland Browns, back in his home state, as a coaching and personnel consultant. But now Vrabel could be looking at other jobs, and head coaching opportunities are already pouring in.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, there are “rumblings that Vrabel could be a top candidate” for the Ohio State Buckeyes job, should they move on from Ryan Day.
Vrabel has also been mentioned as a top candidate to coach the Chicago Bears, where he’d be replacing Matt Eberflus and linking up with Caleb Williams. Yet, the allure of returning and leading his alma mater could weigh heavily on Vrabel’s mind.