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Michigan football: Which coach would you choose over Jim Harbaugh?

By Cameron Stokes

Oct 24, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during pre game warmups before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during pre game warmups before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ryan Day

When it was announced that Urban Meyer would be retiring after the 2018 season, U-M fans rejoiced. We all thought it might’ve been the tide finally turning in Michigan’s direction for once. We were ready to swing the rivalry series around in our favor. Unfortunately, Ryan Day being hired was the worst possible outcome (although U-M fans didn’t know it at the time).

Nobody (probably not even OSU fans) expected Ryan Day to be as successful as he was right away. In his first year at OSU, OSU went 12-1, and their only loss was to the Trevor Lawrence-led Clemson Tigers in the CFP Playoff. Ryan Day’s first season at OSU was also great because a certain QB transfer from Georgia named Justin Fields played extremely well in Day’s first season at the helm.

Fast forward to 2021, and Ryan Day has been a recruiting savant for OSU. He’s been recruiting at an extremely elite level, with his biggest commit the No.1 QB in 2022, Quinn Ewers. Since 2019, Day has recruited the #14, #5, and #2 ranked recruiting classes.

OSU’s defense has been good in all the seasons Day has been the coach as well. OSU is a balanced team. Their defense has ranked (since 2019) #2, and #59 (although 2020 was a COVID-riddled season and OSU had a lot of injuries and players out due to COVID).  In conference play, Day is 23-2, with both losses coming in the CFP.

Really, the only question I have about Day is: can a QB he recruited and developed be successful?

Justin Fields was a transfer from Georgia, and Joe Burrow transferred out of OSU to go to LSU. So technically, Day hasn’t actually developed and made a QB successful at OSU from the ground up yet.

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