This season has been a total whirlwind for Ryan Day, was roasted as “the definition of zero aura” after the Michigan loss, then flipped the script and led OSU to the semifinals. There aren’t many coaches who can do that. Sure, things started out rough for the Ducks, but the Bucks made a strong comeback and got their revenge by eliminating them from the league. Although the loss to Michigan still hurts fans, there is no need to worry because their AD, Ross Bjork, has a $20 million master plan to secure a promising future. Don’t you believe it?

See, last year the Bucks raised $20 million to develop their team, which is also reportedly the highest amount in the sport. They finished 3rd in the recruiting class, and the number isn’t the least bit surprising considering their high-end roster is filled with players like Jeremiah Smith, Jack Swayer, and many others. Now this clever planning of adding talented players to the squad, developing them and then paying them will do wonders for the team next season, Josh Pate believes.

“Ohio State just did that and it doesn’t even get noticed because people continue to pay attention to some of the big portal acquisitions. Do you really think they spent over $20 million on a few portal people? No, they spent it on the people they recruited out of high school and developed internally. They pay a lot of their people more.” Just think about what went wrong against Michigan. Ohio State’s offense had a tough outing. Their running game didn’t get going and the pass defense was just as bad. In addition, the offensive line allowed 17 pressure attempts, meaning the QB was under fire on 50% of his dropbacks.

Now, it’s pretty obvious that Ohio State University’s offensive line was a concern last year. By midseason, the Bucks’ best players were among the best in the country and were semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award. On the other hand, injuries made it difficult for them to survive in the game. Remember when the Bucks lost left tackle Josh Simmons to a season-ending ACL tear against the Ducks?

But despite all this, the Bucks are now in the semifinals with an improved offensive line. But what gave their offensive line the boost it needed? This is because they can count on a strong group of roosters. In early November, Donovan Jackson moved from left guard to left tackle. Then Carson Hinzman, who started twelve games as center last season, stepped in at the left defense position. So now you can understand what kind of development Josh Pate is talking about. Who knows, maybe it will happen again next season! But at the moment there are major concerns about the future of the team.

Ryan Day’s increasing concern

With the Cotton Bowl just days away, Ryan Day and Ohio State are under pressure as 10 transfers, including QBs Air Noland and Devin Brown, have shaken up their offense at a critical moment. The departure of WRs Jayden Ballard and Kojo Antwi has also created holes in their receiving corps. To make matters worse, the Buckeyes also face potential losses at offensive tackle and linebacker, adding to their concerns. It is undoubtedly a challenging situation before such an important game.

However, it is worth noting that these players have had limited playing time this season, so the impact on the team is not catastrophic. While the loss of depth isn’t ideal, it’s not big enough to threaten their playoff chances. Still, it will be fascinating to see how it all plays out.

In addition, it should be noted that the changes go beyond the crime. Ohio State’s defense could face some challenges following the departure of their pass rusher Mitchell Melton, who has entered the transfer portal. While Ryan Day and the Buckeyes remain the frontrunners, the absence of key players could potentially impact their strategies. It will be interesting to watch events unfold and find out what lies ahead for this team.