Ohio State and Ryan Day were in deep soup right after a championship glory. Day witnessed a mass exodus just on the other side of a huge applause for breaking the 10-year trophy drought. They have lost a chunk of their championship roster, including Will Howard, Jeremiah Smith, and a lot of other key contributors. Moreover, the three massive losses in the coaching room (OC Chip Kelly, DC Jim Knowles, OL Justin Frye just opened a can of worms for the coveted franchise. But thanks to the fact that they still had Ryan Day’s resilient vision and enough money to throw around. They were able to reload the roster, snagging a total of 26 athletes in the respective posts, and ended up in rank 3 in the nation. However, in the run-up to 2026, Day seems to receive a blow to pass over.
Ohio State has always been a winner off the field. They never take the time to fire up the recruiting game as soon as the year goes down. Almost every year, we get to see the Buckeyes somewhere among the top 3 of the recruiting class. But when it comes to 2026, they start off a bit slow. Of course, Ohio State has received a flurry of commitments over the last few days. But the latest one, Blaine Bradford’s verbal pledge to become a Buckeye this season, was enough to blow away the fans. Just a couple of days back, offensive lineman Tucker Smith took the spotlight on him, marking a big strategic win for Day.
They have currently bagged a total of 8 commitments in the class. It made them sit lower than teams like Penn State, USC, Illinois, etc. However, Miami has just been two points behind (six on their board). But the latest intel suggests a push for them. They are on the verge of swooping a key RB target of Day and the squad in a boiling ‘behind the scenes’ fight. Yes, the ace in the hole here is Favour Akih, the standout running back fr͏om De͏laware (Ohio) Hayes High School. “Ohio State Miami and USC are the three front runners for him and even if OSU is going to be tough to beat the Hurricanes definitely look like number two on the list, if not higher, which kind of feels a little bit contradictory but whatever the four-star running back loved his trip there last week.” Chat Sports broke down Adam Gorney’s concerning prediction for the Buckeyes.
Akih has been a lucrative catch for both Ohio State and Miami. But there is a very fine line competition between the two schools that’s hard to pinpoint. The Trojans have only wanted to play him as a linebacker, which seemed a bit limiting to the four-star running back. So, it’s safe to keep them (USC) apart from the other two at the moment. But the recent visit to Miami posed a big threat to Day. Akih dubbed his experience with the Canes as “bre͏athtakin͏g.’ He was clearly in awe of their coachin͏g s͏taff, practi͏ce intensity, and the culture. The loaded RB room and the unique yet simple approach of Coach Merritt drew him the most.
Is the grass only greener on the other side? No. Day still has hope only if he can put in the best effort as a recruiter. Akih attend͏e͏d the͏ Buc͏ke͏yes͏’ fir͏st ͏spring prac͏tice on ͏March 17. He also ͏received a ͏scholarship ͏offer from head coach Ryan Day. Despite not elaborating on his meetings with the coaches and players, Akih shared a few snaps on his social handle following the visit, marking his overall satisfaction. But landing a commitment? A long way to go!
Day, however, receives another sharp headache from LSU and Brian Kelly.
Ryan Day seems to be at a crossroads with his big LSU win
Ever since lifting the Natty, Day and his staff probably made their first big recruitments flash this Monday (March 31st). Five-year safety Blaine Bradford, a Baton Rouge native, flipped commitment from LSU to Ohio State in a massive twist. This is a big feat for the Buckeyes as they hustled into the SEO backyard. But wait, can you lock it? The Tigers seem to be really a wounded one, keen to strike even at the slightest chance.
We are all a very long way away from the early signing period in December. So that’s really the first half of this conversation. Doesn’t this one just feel like it’s very, very far from over? A player of Blain Bradford’s caliber—LSU is not going to stop recruiting that guy,” LSU insider Matt Musso warned Day of an advanced heartbreak.
.Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
We are still far away from the final signing period, so be ready for a UNO reverse anytime. It looks more feasible since we are living in the NIL-driven era, particularly. “Just because it was always fluid—recruiting was always fluid. But now with the review share and NIL on top of that, there are plenty of things that can sway recruits and their families and things of that nature,” the insider rightfully added.
However, even if the NIL turns out to be a factor, Day has enough money to win the game. Their $20 million roster last season carries all the testament you need to keep up a little hope.
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