Ryan Day just can’t catch a break! Fresh off winning the ultimate championship, the Ohio State HC might have thought he could take a breather. But little did he know that portal miseries were just around the corner—he lost plenty of great Buckeyes talents despite their lofty achievement. And now one of his most trusted assistants is siding with Jonathan Gannon at a $4.8 billion NFL franchise. 

The Arizona Cardinals are about to render another heartbreak to Ryan Day. “Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye is expected to become the offensive line coach of the Arizona Cardinals,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote in a new X post on February 2. “Frye is a veteran OL coach with stops at UCLA, Boston College, and Temple. Frye was also offensive coordinator during his time at UCLA under Chip Kelly.”

This is a big-time loss for Ryan Day whose offensive success largely depended on Justin Frye. The three-year OSU coach is an offensive genius with broad experience as an O-line coach, starting with Temple (2011-2012) and then heading to Boston College (2013-2017) before working under Chip Kelly from 2018 to 2021, where he even had a run at OC. But his arrival in Columbus in 2022 made a turning point in his career and the Buckeyes’ as well. 

Justin Frye had a breakout season with OSU in 2024, “juggling 10 offensive linemen and more than 20 different offensive line combinations on Ohio State’s path to the national title,” as Pete Thamel added. His O-line unit made it possible for RBs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins to hit the 1,000-yard rushing mark each. Even though the Buckeyes faced injury challenges with Josh Simmons and Seth McLaughlin earlier in the season, Frye still made his presence known. In the CFP games, OSU led the rushing attack, averaging 158 yards per game, and allowed just one sack per game. 

Frye will be replacing former O-line coach Klayton Adams in Arizona, who left to be the new offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. This means he’ll also join former Buckeyes’ left tackle Paris Johnson, who was a first round pick by the Cardinals in the 2023 season. But back at Columbus, Ryan Day’s stress is only adding up. 

Ryan Day is already facing early portal pressure 

After Ohio State’s National Championship victory on January 20, players got five days to enter the transfer portal. And quite unexpectedly, Ryan Day’s boys shocked the nation with 15 of them hitting the transfer portal with notable talents like QB Devin Brown, OT George Fitzpatrick, and WR Kojo Antwi. A tough pill to swallow for a team that went 14-2 and conquered the coveted trophy. 

Coupled with the departure of Justin Frye, this is a hit for Ohio State. But at least, as a CFP team, they’ll be getting an extension for the first window of the transfer portal from December 9-28. Plus, Ryan Day’s 2025 recruiting class is no joke! It ranks No. 5 overall in the nation per 247Sports, bringing in 26 new commits, including three 5-star players who can carry the name of the reigning national champions. 

Ohio State’s offensive identity took a big hit. With Justin Frye gone and several key players leaving, Ryan Day has some big decisions to make. Can he find the right person to keep his O-line elite? Buckeye Nation will soon find out!