The Ohio State Blueprint: How Patience Builds a Powerhouse

Ohio State is the model to follow. Not Indiana. Not Colorado. Not Oregon.

Since expanding to 10-game seasons in 1968, Ohio State has been remarkably consistent — winning eight or more games in every year but six: 1971, 1978 (Woody Hayes’ final season), 1987 (Earle Bruce’s last), 1988 (John Cooper’s first), 2001 (Jim Tressel’s first) and 2011 (Luke Fickell’s only).

Urban Meyer never won fewer than 10 games at Ohio State, compiling an 83–9 record during his tenure.

The machine in Columbus works. Every coach who takes the job knows the pressure that comes with it — the expectation to keep the Buckeyes rolling. Ryan Day is the latest to shoulder that weight.

Since taking over as Ohio State's head coach in 2019, Day has compiled a 77-10 record. As the transfer portal reshaped college football and immediate eligibility became the norm, Ohio State consistently retained the talent it needed — and attracted the players it wanted.

Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes is interviewed after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Ohio State’s coaching and support staffs remain among the best in the nation. From Larry Johnson Sr.’s dominant defensive line, to strength coach Mickey Marotti’s ability to turn big, fast, strong players into even bigger, faster, stronger ones, to general manager Mark Pantoni’s unmatched eye for talent — the Buckeyes have built a program that’s both nimble and powerful in an era of chaos across college football.

When a market inefficiency emerges, the Buckeyes exploit it. When others complained about having to pay big salaries to players through NIL, Ohio State formed not one, but two collectives and raised millions to pay them.

Whether it’s paying top dollar