In the hires of Jeff Hafley in 2019 and Kerry Coombs a year later, the young head coach of Ohio State handed the keys to an NFL position coach with no previous play-calling at the college or pro level, but with whom Day had been co-workers in the past. The former's arrival was softened by the presence of a veteran in Greg Mattison, while the latter was a beloved son of Ohio returning to Columbus after an apprenticeship at the sport's highest level.
While Hafley's lone season in Scarlet and Gray earned him a permanent place in every Buckeye fan's heart, it has become more apparent over the past two seasons that much of his success was due to the absurd wealth of talent at his disposal.