Ohio State football rumors: Buckeyes named as school to watch for former Penn State star

HC Ryan Day is reshaping the Buckeyes’ offensive approach at the exact moment the margins shrink, taking over play-calling duties from Brian Hartline for Ohio State’s CFP run as the program prepares for its New Year’s Eve matchup against Miami.

The move comes after an uneven showing in the Big Ten title game loss to Indiana, when the offense struggled to consistently create explosive plays.

That playoff push now overlaps with an intriguing portal storyline.

According to On3, one early school “to watch” for Penn State EDGE Chaz Coleman is Ohio State. Coleman is listed as the top-ranked player in the transfer portal in the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking, and the fit has some natural connective tissue: he’s a Warren, Ohio native, a former four-star recruit, and a 6-foot-4, 240-pound pass rusher who logged one sack as a true freshman.

The timing is notable. A staff can sell two things at once: immediate CFP relevance and a clear defensive role. For a premier edge prospect, the pitch is always about impact, development, and visibility, and Ohio State can credibly offer all three while it’s still playing meaningful games.

On the field, Day’s play-calling shift is the headline because it signals urgency.

It also places the responsibility squarely on the head coach to unlock a cleaner rhythm for Julian Sayin and a deeper involvement for top weapons, especially with Miami bringing a defense that just held Texas A&M’s offense to three points in College Station.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal has already pointed directly at Jeremiah Smith as the kind of problem that changes game plans. He said Smith is an “NFL prototype” player and praised Ohio State’s entire receiving group for being big, explosive, fast, and effective both against man coverage and in zones, while also blocking in the run game.

Ohio State and Miami meet on New Year’s Eve in the Cotton Bowl, and the Buckeyes now head into that stage with Day holding the offensive steering wheel, and portal chatter adding another potential edge-rusher storyline in the background.

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