The Ohio State Buckeyes are just days removed from securing their first National Championship since 2014, yet their roster is already facing significant upheaval in the transfer portal. Head coach Ryan Day is understandably frustrated by this situation as reports emerged on Friday that star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has received a staggering $4.5 million offer should he choose to enter the portal. He isn’t alone, as fellow wideout Carnell Tate is also attracting considerable attention, with reports indicating he has been offered $1 million to make the same move.
Losing either Smith or Tate, or both, would undoubtedly be a severe blow for the Buckeyes. It raises critical questions about the need for regulation in the transfer portal moving forward. Although neither Smith nor Tate has expressed a desire to enter the portal, the pressure they face to evaluate their market value is intense. This predicament has left Ryan Day upset with the current landscape of college football. During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, he emphasized that he and other coaches are advocating for “more guidelines” regarding what is permissible in the transfer portal.
“As coaches, we’re all looking for more guidelines on this; everything is so gray right now,” stated Day.
Ryan Day calls for enforcement:
“As coaches we’re all looking for more guidelines on this, everything is so gray right now.”
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It’s understandable that Day is upset about his players attracting interest from outside programs, especially when they haven’t even entered the transfer portal. However, one could argue that his frustrations ring somewhat hollow, given his own $20 million investment in last year’s roster and his success in the transfer portal, which included the acquisitions of star quarterback Will Howard and Quinshon Judkins. Now, Day finds himself on the receiving end of the shifting dynamics in college football. While it may not seem fair, this is the reality now, and coaches like Day must adapt, perhaps even seeking out top players from other teams to reinforce their own rosters.
