Ryan Day has successfully dodged the unbridled backlash following the fourth straight Michigan loss with a Natty. He gets his prize as well. A new contract extension of up to seven years runs through the 2031 season and pays Day a base salary of $12.5 million per season, making him one of the three highest-paid coaches in college football. But wait, don’t just breathe a sigh of relief thinking that he has perpetually secured his job and esteem at Columbus! He didn’t. The path ahead looks like a covert trap for the sixth-year head coach. Within a month of OSU’s stellar national title win, Day has lost one of his key architects of a stalwart defense, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Penn State and the one-year offensive mastermind, Chip Kelly to the NFL.

Now, Day didn’t have the luxury to ponder over the losses for longer. He quickly jumped on to fill both shoes, bringing Brian Hartline and Matt Patricia to the offensive and defensive forefront, respectively. But how do the rushed moves weigh in on his big benchmark season at Columbus?

Veteran analyst downplays Matt Patricia as the new DC of the Ohio State 

Well, it’s certainly better to bring a renowned NFL veteran to your storied program than just sitting around and thinking over the potential options for an eternity. Day made the right move by landing the former Detroit Lions’ mogul, Matt Patricia, to his the No. 1 defensive line unit in the country. Greg McElroy thinks bringing an NFL prodigy will turn the tide for the Buckeyes’ defense, leaving Ohio State stress-free at least on the defensive side of the ball. However, On3’s J.D. PicKell has taken the shot with a grain of salt and for a reason.

Nobody could see Matt Patricia ending up landing in Columbus with the OSU DC offer at his hand, surpassing a long list of suitors. Patricia has had an impressive resume as one of the ablest defensive coordinators under Bill Belichick for the New England Patriots. He has also left a mark as the Detroit Lions head coach from 2018 to 2020 before taking up the senior defensive assistant role for the Eagles. But when it comes to his proven expertise in college football periphery, it’s still nil. ‘‘Matt Patricia, coming from the NFL level with multiple Super Bowls is great but what has he done at the college level to get me excited about him calling my defense in Columbus,” PicKell asked a valid question that should make you rethink as an Ohio State fan.

Now, hypothetically, Ryan Day might have some counter-argument to this stance. One of them might hold Patricia’s prolonged 13 years of experience in the pro and that too under a goated NFL coach (Bill Belichick). So, it’s hard to argue that someone at the collegiate level can be better in terms of producing better defensive schemes and diverse game plans than him.

But then again, PicKell sticks to the one big serious con he can see with wide-open eyes: Patricia’s limited exposure to the college football dynamic. ”What am I pointing to here that says, ‘Hey, this is a home run,’ and again, Ryan Day, I’m sure he knows his staff. He knows what he’s looking for, some more power to him, but this feels a little bit like a risk if I’m calling my shot, to be honest.” It’s been more than two decades since Patricia last coached in 2003 as a Syracuse graduate assistant. So, can he just rise up to the recruiting game or the other nitty-gritty of the program?

Hiring a seasoned defensive coach is never a point of doubt, but keeping up with a program that is running behind another Natty for the second year in a row is. ‘‘Is he the guy that makes a 10 to 15% difference that you need to have on the defensive side to allow you to accomplish your goals and your standards in Columbus, which win a National Championship,” PicKell asked, leaving the answer up in the air.

However, Ryan Day is seemingly facing some unresolved wrath from Tom Brady as the truth of his other right-hand man’s (Chip Kelly) departure came to light.

Tom Brady still plays the covert villain for Ohio State and Ryan Day

Tom Brady, has been a major part of the iconic ‘Game’ between Michigan and Ohio State during his heyday with the Wolverines. But the heat still didn’t settle well.

The three-time MVP didn’t just topple Ohio State when he suited up for Michigan on the field—he’s still playing a secret agent role for the Wolves in a more passive way. Rich Eisen, another proud Michigan faithful, spilled the bean during The Rich Eisen Show when he exposed Brady for disrupting OSU offense by taking out Chip Kelly, the genius offensive coordinator from Ohio State to his Raiders.

He said, “Tom Brady is just one of the greatest Michigan men of all time. Um, he hires Chip Kelly, gives Chip Kelly Caleb.. money, you know, to go be the OC in Vegas and, um, and takes Chip away from Ohio State at the same time, which is next-level Michigan man maneuvering.” Well, to break it down more, Brady, now the co-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, hired Chip Kelly to be the next offensive coordinator of the program—just days after Kelly got the job done for the Buckeyes after a decade.

It will be intriguing to watch out for Brian Hartline and Matt Patricia to play their card right, dismissing all the chews and bites.