Hey all --
Know it's been a quiet week on the coaching front since Jim Knowles left, and there hasn't been a ton of movement at this point to report -- and frankly, not a great deal of urgency truly necessary for Ohio State right now. Although there are a few key dominoes that could fall one way or another in the coming days that could change the equation.
DC: Our understanding at DTE is that the betting favorite is still a co-coordinating split for Matt Guerrieri and Tim Walton. Ohio State did have conversations with Jim Leonhard, but that resistance to recruiting seemed to be the determining factor again just as it was when he was approached by Notre Dame. So, that would still leave a vacant spot on the staff.
DL/Front Seven: The ball is in Larry Johnson's court to determine if he's ending on top with another national championship or if he has one more year left in him at Ohio State. Those conversations are expected to occur over the weekend, but LJ has continued to recruit this week in the final stretch before the staff comes off the road. Either way, Ohio State is expected to pursue somebody in the defensive front to fill out the full-time staff. The exact logistics of that are not nailed down, but as always, one name to watch would be Randall Joyner -- although there certainly appear to be candidates currently at the NFL level who Day could be involved with as that carousel spins and the season winds down at the Super Bowl.
OC: Chip Kelly is interested in a return to the NFL level. Will he get offered a job? Don't know. Would he take it if so? Probably so, but not definite.
OL: Here's where an NFL job actually appears to be on the table as we speak. Justin Frye interviewed with the Bears, and it seems he would be in line for a significant raise to jump to the next level as DTE understands it. Could Ohio State add another half-million bucks to Frye's contract? Potentially, and it's clear that he's earned a bump and has leverage to get it now based on another job offer and the national-title run with a short-handed, makeshift position group. But the Bears can offer both money and a chance to get off the NIL-crazed recruiting trail, which certainly suggests Ohio State needs to be prepared to replace Frye. Tim Drevno is currently in the Woody, but he's also apparently got interest in his services elsewhere. Mike Sollenne just left for UNLV, and it's unclear if the Buckeyes would be able to snap their fingers and simply bring him back.
Know it's been a quiet week on the coaching front since Jim Knowles left, and there hasn't been a ton of movement at this point to report -- and frankly, not a great deal of urgency truly necessary for Ohio State right now. Although there are a few key dominoes that could fall one way or another in the coming days that could change the equation.
DC: Our understanding at DTE is that the betting favorite is still a co-coordinating split for Matt Guerrieri and Tim Walton. Ohio State did have conversations with Jim Leonhard, but that resistance to recruiting seemed to be the determining factor again just as it was when he was approached by Notre Dame. So, that would still leave a vacant spot on the staff.
DL/Front Seven: The ball is in Larry Johnson's court to determine if he's ending on top with another national championship or if he has one more year left in him at Ohio State. Those conversations are expected to occur over the weekend, but LJ has continued to recruit this week in the final stretch before the staff comes off the road. Either way, Ohio State is expected to pursue somebody in the defensive front to fill out the full-time staff. The exact logistics of that are not nailed down, but as always, one name to watch would be Randall Joyner -- although there certainly appear to be candidates currently at the NFL level who Day could be involved with as that carousel spins and the season winds down at the Super Bowl.
OC: Chip Kelly is interested in a return to the NFL level. Will he get offered a job? Don't know. Would he take it if so? Probably so, but not definite.
OL: Here's where an NFL job actually appears to be on the table as we speak. Justin Frye interviewed with the Bears, and it seems he would be in line for a significant raise to jump to the next level as DTE understands it. Could Ohio State add another half-million bucks to Frye's contract? Potentially, and it's clear that he's earned a bump and has leverage to get it now based on another job offer and the national-title run with a short-handed, makeshift position group. But the Bears can offer both money and a chance to get off the NIL-crazed recruiting trail, which certainly suggests Ohio State needs to be prepared to replace Frye. Tim Drevno is currently in the Woody, but he's also apparently got interest in his services elsewhere. Mike Sollenne just left for UNLV, and it's unclear if the Buckeyes would be able to snap their fingers and simply bring him back.
