College football coaches know that life in the trenches is no picnic. Now, Ohio State Buckeyes HC Ryan Day knows it firsthand. After all, even bringing home the National Championship title was not enough to keep his players close. They might have been waiting for the D-Day. Over the past five days, Day has lost almost two dozen players. The count says it’s 21! But amidst these surprisingly challenging times, the Buckeyes HC could find a ray of hope. Thanks to their one loyal player who decided to stay with Day’s program and announced his return for the senior year.  

Finally, Day has been able to save his job. But could he save his program from sinking? Sadly, no. A couple of notable names have already taken the exit door. The list is pretty long and includes the backup quarterback Devin Brown, wide receiver Kojo Antwi, and offensive tackle George Fitzpatrick. But here comes some good news to brighten up Day’s day.

The Ohio State HC might be sending a prayer of gratitude to the universe for his linebacker, Sonny Styles. The athlete already has a national championship ring to show for his Ohio State career. However, he did not leave Ryan Day’s hands in such tumultuous times.

Looks like he is not finished with his time with the Buckeyes. As reported by Hayes Fawcett on January 24, “BREAKING: Ohio State starting LB Sonny Styles is returning in 2025, he tells @on3.” Now this comes off as a huge boost for Day’s defense as it prepares to replace eight starters from a championship team. Styles’ numbers are enough to put that smile back on the HC’s face.

He has started all 16 games at linebacker for the Buckeyes in his first year. His resume does all the talking. The linebacker tallied 100 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and six sacks during the national championship run. During his three-year stint with Day’s program, Styles has 162 total tackles to go with 17 tackles for loss and eight sacks.

He, along with senior captain Cody Simon, made up a power-packed duo that replaced Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers as the starting linebackers for the defense. While this might be good news for Day, he should lock the gates for his record-breaker. 

Ryan Day’s crisis continues 

We are talking about the Buckeyes freshman star Jeremiah Smith. Standing tall at 6 feet 3 inches and 215 pounds, he is a complete package. The phenom possesses the speed, athleticism, route-running, hands, and ability to high-point catches. The 2024 season has been a big one for Smith. He shattered the Ohio State freshman receiving record (187 yards), previously held by none other than Cris Carter (172 yards), who also set the mark in the Rose Bowl.

Day’s sensational receiver did not limit himself to breaking the Ohio State record. He had set the single-season conference record for most touchdown receptions by a freshman. It marked Smith’s 13th receiving score of the season. Before him, Purdue’s Rondale Moore held the Big Ten record for totaling 12 touchdown catches in 2012. Sadly, now Day got a taste of the fear of losing Smith.

As per the latest reports, the wide receiver has received NIL offers worth $4.5 million to $5 million to enter the transfer portal. But at this moment Ryan Day and Co. can’t afford to lose this gem. So, as per On3 reports, the program “is ready to do whatever it needs” to stop Smith from leaving Columbus. The record-breaker’s loyalty is about to be tested—can it match Sonny Styles’ unwavering dedication?