Ryan Day

Ryan Day met his wife, Christina Ourania Spirou, known as Nina, when they played on the same tee-ball team as children. They married in June 2005 and have three children, Ryan Jr. (RJ), Grace and Nia. Day is Catholic.

Day's father died by suicide when Day was nine, and he grew up in a single-parent household with his mother. He and Nina have partnered with On Our Sleeves, a mental-health initiative connected with Nationwide Children's Hospital, and established programs supporting pediatric and adolescent mental wellness.

Day played quarterback and linebacker at the University of New Hampshire from 1998 to 2001. He was a three-year starter, served as team captain during his senior season and set multiple school passing records. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from New Hampshire in 2002 and a master's degree in administrative studies from Boston College in 2004.

He began coaching at New Hampshire in 2002 as a tight ends coach alongside Chip Kelly, who had been his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach as a player. Day later worked as a graduate assistant at Boston College and Florida, coached wide receivers at Temple and Boston College, and became offensive coordinator at Temple in 2012 and Boston College in 2013 and 2014. At Boston College, he coached Andre Williams during his 2,000-yard rushing season and Heisman Trophy finalist campaign.

Day entered the NFL coaching ranks as the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterbacks coach in 2015. He joined the San Francisco 49ers in the same role in 2016 after Chip Kelly became the team's head coach, working with Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. He also coached Sam Bradford during Bradford's record-setting 2015 season with Philadelphia.

Ohio State hired Day in 2017 as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He became the program's offensive coordinator and primary play caller in 2018, and served as acting head coach for the first three games of that season while Urban Meyer was on administrative leave. Day won all three games before being named the full-time successor to Meyer.

Day's first full season as Ohio State's head coach came in 2019. The Buckeyes went 13-1, won the Big Ten championship and reached the College Football Playoff. The team was led by quarterback Justin Fields and running back J.K. Dobbins, who became the first Ohio State running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Day was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Ohio State won consecutive Big Ten championships in 2019 and 2020. The 2020 Buckeyes also reached the national championship game after defeating Clemson in the Sugar Bowl. Day's teams returned to the College Football Playoff in 2022 and produced Rose Bowl victories over Utah in 2021 and Oregon in 2024.

The defining achievement of Day's tenure came in the 2024 season. Ohio State defeated Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame over a 31-day playoff run, winning four College Football Playoff games and the program's ninth national championship. The Buckeyes became the first FBS team to defeat five top-five opponents in one season, and Day joined Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer as an Ohio State head coach to win a national title.

Day has developed Ohio State into a major source of NFL talent. During his tenure, 69 Buckeyes were selected in the NFL Draft, including 20 first-round picks. His players have included Heisman Trophy finalists such as Dwayne Haskins, Chase Young, Justin Fields, C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Julian Sayin.

Ohio State's teams under Day have also produced extensive individual honors and academic achievements. He has coached 27 first-team All-Americans, while the program has set records for Scholar-Athletes and Academic All-Big Ten honorees. His teams have ranked among the nation's leaders in offensive and defensive production, including No. 1 national finishes in total offense, scoring offense, total defense, passing defense and scoring defense in multiple seasons.