Crisis Strikes Ryan Day As OSU Receives Troubling Update on Will Howard Replacement After Championship Game

Call Ryan Day a phoenix. Because nobody can rise from the ashes like he does. The journey from a heartbreaking 13-10 Michigan punch to a spectacular Natty win felt like a sky full of stars. Seven weeks and two days ago, Ohio State coach Ryan Day stood sideline with a pale face, watching Michigan players planting their flag at midfield inside the Horseshoe, fans shouting “Fire Ryan Day.” On that day, that very moment, it was quite unthinkable to preview Monday Night. But life and sports have their own way of unveiling in the most unexpected form at the most unexpected time. But you can’t just thank the stars for it, Day himself steered his team to this dreamy bounce-back.  The trophy is home. But Day’s core guy, the standout backup QB, is out in search of a new home. The latest intel added to Day’s heartache.

Despite entering the transfer portal right at the end of his regular season, Devin Brown stayed with the program until the last. He put on a heroic performance, leading the team to an unprecedented 34-23 and a college football national championship trophy, and immediately bid goodbye to the Buckeyes. We have seen plenty of players leave the team in a time of dire need. You can’t really blame them, though, as the portal timeline itself made it difficult for players to strike a balance between prioritizing their existing school and their looming career growth. But Brown is a man of his word. He promised to stick to the team until the season ended and he did. Now, when the entire nation seems busy celebrating the hard-fought victory, one of its key architects pulled the rug with grace.

Now the question it begs: where to now? Pete Nakos of On3 felt that Brown would head to California to play for the Golden Bears. It’s been a long-standing rumor that Cal could be a perfect home for Brown since they lost Fernando Mendoza as a transfer to Indiana. The four-star recruit, originally hailed from Utah, might choose to revert to the west in a surprise homecoming move.

Just like the Ohio State cursed prototype, things have gone sour for Brown in the middle of his tenure. He has only played in 17 games over three seasons with one start while battling ankle and hand injuries. But no matter what, his loyalty shined through thick and thin.

Devin Brown didn’t let challenges tamper his loyalty to Ohio State 

During his three-year tenure in Columbus, Brown has seen a lot. The Arizona native stands as one of the five scholarship quarterbacks on the Buckeyes’ 2024 depth chart alongside starter Will Howard and backups Julian Sayin, Air Noland, and Lincoln Kienholz.

Brown kick-started spring camp in a quarterback competition with Kansas State transfer Will Howard. He hustled through the fall camp but couldn’t sustain himself. Howard eventually owned over the battle and grabbed the starter spot in fall practice and Smith was named the Buckeyes’ backup.

In his Ohio State career, Brown threw for 325 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.“I’m a man of my word,” Brown said, “and I made a promise to this team that I was going to be here no matter what to try to win a national championship. I’m really focused on this game and help this team in any way possible,” Brown said, “because I’m one snap away from playing.”

When Brown put his name in the portal a few weeks back, he dropped a humbling message to the schools. “As long as you have your name out there, it’s valuable.”

Now, it remains to be seen where the QB phenom chose to bring his talent the next.