Major sports outlets—including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and The Columbus Dispatch—report that Ohio State has *not* fired Ryan Day. In fact, following the Buckeyes’ dominant win over Tennessee, the athletic director reaffirmed confidence in him ([si.com][1]).
The firing claims originated on a fringe site that also alleges “financial misconduct and maltreatment” without providing any evidence([zoesoccereco.co.uk][2]). No mainstream or reliable outlet corroborates these serious accusations.
### 3. **Context: A Tough Season, Internal Tensions**
* **On-field struggles**: Losses to Michigan (now 1–4 under Day) and a disappointing finish to the regular season have intensified fan scrutiny ([zoesoccereco.co.uk][2]).
* **Analyst pressure**: Critics like Stephen A. Smith and Taylor Lewan have questioned his ability to win big games or develop young talent ([sportskeeda.com][3]).
* **Internal dynamics**: Rumored friction within the coaching staff emerged after defensive coordinator Jim Knowles departed for Penn State; Day publicly downplayed it ([essentiallysports.com][4]).
### 4. **Players and Supporters Rallying**
Jack Sawyer defended Day, praising his leadership and character amid fan and media backlash ([si.com][5]). Meanwhile, fans and ESPN analysts like Kirk Herbstreit described criticism as part of a louder contingent, but not reflective of the administration’s stance ([reddit.com][6]).
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## 🗂 Why This Matters
1. **Stability vs. Pressure**
Despite fan frustration, Ohio State likely won’t act until *after* the College Football Playoff. With deep postseason expectations—and a costly buyout clause (≈ \$46 million)—the Buckeyes will weigh timing, optics, and financial fallout ([si.com][7], [sportskeeda.com][8]).
2. **Recruiting & Retention at Stake**
A midseason firing could lead to player defections through the transfer portal. Many Reddit users caution that an abrupt change might destabilize team cohesion ([reddit.com][9]).
3. **Fan vs. Administration Narrative**
The most vocal critic voices (like Reddit threads calling for his firing) are notably louder online than in official corridors. Administrators and boosters tend to move cautiously ([en.wikipedia.org][10]).
—
## ✅ How to View the “Fired” Rumor
| Fact | Assessment |
| —————– | ——————————————————- |
| Rumor source | Fringe site with no evidence |
| Credible pushback | Athletic director and major outlets still support Day |
| Investigations? | None public, no allegations acknowledged by OSU or NCAA |
—
## 🔭 Looking Ahead
* **End of Season & Playoff Run** – How Day performs in the postseason could determine his fate more than regular-season losses.
* **Booster Sentiment** – Influential donors, NIL contributors, and internal power structures will heavily sway administrative decisions ([reddit.com][9], [zoesoccereco.co.uk][2]).
* **Replacement Talk** – Names like Mike Vrabel, Jim Leonhard, and possibly internal promotions (e.g., Brian Hartline) are floating in speculation—none have received serious traction yet .
The claim that Ryan Day has been fired is **likely false** and not supported by any credible source. What is happening is *intense scrutiny* following key losses, internal restructuring, and high-stakes expectations—culminating in heightened coach-on-hot-seat narratives.
I’ll keep monitoring coverage through playoff time. If you’d like a deep dive into any contender for his job or the internal structure at OSU, just let me know!
* [nypost.com](https://nypost.com/2024/12/22/sports/kirk-herbstreit-calls-out-ryan-days-critics-in-fiery-takedown/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
[1]: https://www.si.com/college/ohiostate/news/ohio-state-buckeyes-ryan-day-is-definitely-not-getting-fired?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Ohio State Buckeyes HC Ryan Day Is Definitely Not Getting Fired”
[2]: https://zoesoccereco.co.uk/ohio-state/shocking-news-ohio-state-buckeyes-has-officially-fired-head-coach-ryan-day-by-the-team-management-over-allegation-of-maltreatment-and-financial-misconduct/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “SHOCKING NEWS: Ohio State Buckeyes has officially fired head coach Ryan Day by the team management over Allegation of maltreatment and financial misconduct – Zoesoccereco”
[3]: https://www.sportskeeda.com/college-football/news-cfb-analysts-make-bold-plea-ohio-state-fire-ryan-day-following-disappointing-michigan-loss-week-14?utm_source=chatgpt.com “CFB analysts make bold plea for Ohio State to fire Ryan Day following disappointing Michigan loss in Week 14”
[4]: https://www.essentiallysports.com/ncaa-college-football-news-ryan-day-makes-concerning-ohio-state-revelation-after-breaking-silence-on-alleged-internal-rift/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Ryan Day Makes Concerning Ohio State Revelation After Breaking Silence on Alleged Internal Rift – EssentiallySports”
[5]: https://www.si.com/college/ohiostate/news/ohio-state-buckeyes-jack-sawyer-doesnt-hold-back-about-ryan-day?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Ohio State Buckeyes Star Doesn’t Hold Back About Ryan Day”
[6]: https://www.reddit.com/r/OhioStateFootball/comments/1h3z5ei?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Who’s your realistic replacement for Day?”
[7]: https://www.si.com/college/ohiostate/news/ryan-day-called-to-be-fired-if-ohio-state-loses-to-michigan-again-01j3gcd1xm6t?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Ryan Day Called To Be Fired If Ohio State Loses To Michigan Again”
[8]: https://www.sportskeeda.com/college-football/will-ryan-day-get-fired-ohio-state-hc-s-coaching-rumors-buckeyes-future-explored?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Will Ryan Day get fired? Ohio State HC’s coaching rumors and Buckeyes future explored”
[9]: https://www.reddit.com/r/OhioStateFootball/comments/1h6fyts?utm_source=chatgpt.com “What’s realistically going to happen with Day this offseason”
[10]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_football?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Ohio State Buckeyes football”