Ryan Day saved the Ohio State Buckeyes’ reputation by lifting the 2024 College Football National Championship trophy. However, the head coach is yet to overcome one of the nagging issues in Columbus: the special teams’ struggles. A former Buckeyes linebacker tried to shake Day up, saying it’s his biggest test to salvage his reputation. 

“It’s been over 20 years. I’m not saying we need to win the big guy, but let’s get our b— to at least the finals, okay?” said Buckeyes alum Bobby Carpenter on his podcast. “How differently would people view Ryan Day’s tenure if maybe some of those kicking miscues were executed?”

The key point in the debate about Carpenter is that Ohio State under Day has not often lost because of a lack of talent or subpar strategy; rather, losses have often stemmed from situational mistakes, especially on special teams.

Diving deeper, Brandon Inniss flashed big play potential with a 32-yard return versus Washington. But a cardinal sin soon followed. He fumbled the ball back to the Huskies in a game where each possession was precious. Even before Carpenter, Buckeye Talk host Stefan Krajisnik had pinpointed Day’s special teams’ struggle.

“It’s the one step forward, two steps back thing, I guess, for lack of a better analogy,” said the analyst. 

The unit’s maddening inconsistency was on full display against Indiana. While punter Joe McGuire excelled, the return game was nonexistent. It was a recurring theme that has proven costly in high-stakes matchups. McGuire punted three times for a 45.3-yard average, all inside the 20, against Indiana. Inniss handled returns well, but Lorenzo Styles Jr. didn’t attempt a return.

Likewise, when Ohio State faced Georgia in the 2022 Peach Bowl, C.J. Stroud threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns, but Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard field goal with three seconds left just missed, leading to a close 42-41 loss.

Ohio State was already running uphill in its 14-3 Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri in 2023, with an injured roster and losses in the transfer portal. That’s when a missed 48-yard field goal by Jayden Fielding that could’ve made it 6-0 in the third quarter, a miss that left fans groaning in frustration. 

Much like Day’s Buckeyes, their arch-rival Michigan also struggled on special teams. They ranked No.117 in special teams efficiency in 2025. Recognizing these repeated failures, Day is finally making aggressive moves to overhaul the unit. 

Ryan Day hits the ‘reset’ button for special teams

Ohio State could no longer sweep its special team troubles under the rug. The Buckeyes haven’t had a true special teams coordinator since Parker Fleming was let go after the 2023 season. Day instead opted to spread those duties among multiple position coaches. 

According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Day is making a push to hire Robby Discher as the team’s special teams coordinator for the 2026 season, poaching him from Illinois. He brings his previous coaching experience at Tulane and Georgia as the special teams coordinator and special teams quality control coach, respectively. 

Under him, Illinois’ special teams ranked No.16 in 2024. Along with maintaining the unit’s pillars, Day also upgraded the roster. Ohio State took a dip into the portal and landed the commitment of Baylor transfer kicker, Connor Hawkins. 

He didn’t miss a single extra point (37-for-37) and drilled 18 of 22 field goals, including three from 50-plus. For a Buckeyes program haunted by kicking woes, Hawkins represents a potential solution. 

With upgrades across the board, the Buckeyes’ special teams finally have a chance to deliver the consistency Ryan Day has been chasing for years.