If Bill O'Brien bolts Ohio State for Boston College, will Ryan Day delegate play-calling duties to the Buckeyes' next offensive coordinator?

Ohio State is going for it in 2024. 

Ryan Day has aggressively upgraded both the Buckeyes’ roster, with OSU landing a Top 3 recruiting class as well as some of the top talent from the transfer portal in former 5-star Alabama safety Caleb Downs, Ole Miss tailback Quinshon Judkins and Kansas State quarterback Will Howard. 

Day also tweaked his coaching staff, making multiple assistant changes including hiring veteran offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to call plays next season. While the move was panned in some circles, O’Brien has been a successful head coach and OC at both the NFL and college levels, and notably, Day trusted him enough to delegate his play-calling duties.

This was a major shift by Day, who is seen as one of the best offensive minds in the sport. Yet for the betterment of the entire program, he came to the conclusion this was the best move to position Ohio State for championship success next season. 

Well, Bill O’Brien may not last a month in Columbus. 

The former New England Patriots offensive coordinator is reportedly eyeing a return to Boston, where he is the frontrunner for the head coach opening at Boston College. Interviews are ongoing but a decision could come soon. 

It’s a good opportunity for O’Brien, a Boston native, to return home and remain close to his son, Jack, who suffers from a rare brain condition. 

It’s also a tough blow for Day and Ohio State, and it will be interesting to see if he sticks to his guns and hires another offensive coordinator with game-planning or play-calling responsibilities. Or will he reverse course and continue to handle the heavy workload himself?

Why Ryan Day decided to delegate play-calling responsibilities

Ryan Day is 56-8 as a head coach, yet he’s under as much scrutiny as any in the country after losing to Michigan three seasons in a row. He’s clearly re-assessed several aspects within his program this offseason — from talent acquisition, to offensive identity, to how he can best serve as the CEO of the organization. 

Day made the conscious decision to hand certain duties to someone he trusted, and he explained why in a recent interview with a Cleveland radio station.

“Every year, you have to look and identify the things you want to tweak and change. I felt like this was important for a lot of reasons. The landscape of college football has changed,” Day said. 

“Where my focus needs to be has changed. Bill brings a tremendous amount of experience to the table. I wouldn’t have done it with just anybody.”

And now we’re likely going to find out if Day has another OC candidate he trusts enough to hand the keys to Ohio State’s offense. 

With so much on a head coach’s plate these days, it’s become more and more popular for offensive coaches to cede play-calling duties. Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz did it to great success just last season. Still, coaches love to be in total control, which is why it’s become just as en vogue for coaches to say they’re going to have someone else call plays, only to yank back the responsibilities (see: Gus Malzahn, Hugh Freeze). 

So what will Day do if O’Brien leaves Ohio State?

The Buckeyes should have no shortage of interested candidates — from UCLA head coach Chip Kelly to Toledo head coach Jason Candle. Joe Moorehead would be a good fit. Same for Dan Mullen, should he decide he’s bored playing golf and doing TV (probably not!). 

But Day hired Bill O’Brien for a reason. He was the OC that would allow Day to better manage the overall program. Does Day trust someone else to do the same? He’s pulled all the right strings so far this offseason, but his next decision might be the most important one: To delegate or not to delegate?