"Defense got overshadowed": CFB analyst points out why Ryan Day's Ohio State could suffer next season
Despite winning the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame, Ohio State could face a defensive decline in 2025. CFB analyst Ari Wasserman, speaking on the "Andy & Ari On3" podcast Wednesday, explained why Ryan Day's Buckeyes may struggle next season.
Ohio State’s dominant defense in 2024 often took a backseat in national conversations, overshadowed by the Buckeyes' explosive offense and freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith.
“Ohio State's defense last year got overshadowed by their offense and Jeremiah Smith,” Wasserman said. “People like touchdowns and true freshman receivers, but what you think was the better unit on Ohio State's team a year ago.”
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However, replicating that success in 2025 will be a challenge. The departure of key defensive players to the NFL leaves major gaps, and while new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has a strong NFL resume, the Buckeyes’ defensive personnel will look vastly different.
Replacing Jim Knowles with Patricia has been a controversial move, and Wasserman believes it carries risk. Patricia excelled as an NFL defensive coordinator, where it’s harder to succeed, but college football presents a different challenge — especially with Ohio State losing nearly all of its top defensive talent.
Andy Staples also weighed in, noting that Patricia shouldn’t be judged based on Knowles’ 2024 performance, as the talent level won’t be the same.
“Ohio State's defense is absolutely dominant the way that it was a year ago is probably just irrational expectation,” Staples said.
Ohio State’s 2025 schedule is no cakewalk, featuring early tests against Texas and Washington, two programs with elite offenses. These matchups will quickly reveal whether the Buckeyes' retooled defense is up to the task.
While Patricia’s NFL experience is valuable, his success at Ohio State will hinge on how well he adapts to the college game and how quickly the new defensive core develops.
The Buckeyes remain a national contender, but defensive regression could be their biggest hurdle in 2025.
Ryan Day, Ohio State agree to seven-year contract extension through 2031
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has agreed in principle to a seven-year contract extension that will keep him in Columbus through the 2031 football season, pending approval from the university's Board of Trustees. The deal is reportedly worth $12.5 million per year, including a $2 million base salary, making Day one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.
The contract extension comes on the heels of Ohio State’s 2025 College Football Playoff triumph, the program’s ninth national title and first since 2014. The Buckeyes captured the championship by winning four playoff games in 31 days, defeating Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame.
Ryan Day is now one of only three active head coaches with a national title, joining Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.
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