Ryan Day Quarterback Timeline: The Long And Winding Road

When four-star Georgia quarterback Prentiss “Air” Noland committed to Ohio State on Saturday, it marked the latest red-letter day in a remarkable quarterback timeline since Ryan Day came to Columbus.

Since Day was hired as Ohio State’s quarterbacks coach/co-offensive coordinator a little over six years ago January 3, 2017, the Buckeyes have signed, landed transfers, or received commitments from 15 scholarship quarterbacks. In that same time, four quarterbacks have decommitted from Ohio State during Day’s tenure, and five have transferred have out.

There will always be drama at the most important position in sports, and few schools have had more drama at quarterback than Ohio State. And yet, arguably no school has been as consistent and productive at the position as the Buckeyes have been under Day.

This becomes an even more amazing fact when you look at the timeline of quarterback events over the past six years or so as they relate to Ryan Day and Ohio State.

Dec. 31, 2016 

Ohio State loses 31-0 to Clemson in the 2016 College Football Playoffs. After the game, head coach Urban Meyer says, “Ohio State is not used to this. I’m not used to this, and we will not get used to this. That’s not going to happen again. So we’ll get things worked out.”

Jan. 3, 2017

Ryan Day is hired as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Jan. 12, 2017

Five-star Nevada quarterback Tate Martell enrolls at Ohio State.

Aug. 21, 2017

Joe Burrow breaks his hand in practice during fall camp, giving clearance for Dwayne Haskins to be JT Barrett’s backup.

Sept. 9, 2017

Ohio State gets beat at home by Oklahoma. Five-star linebacker recruit Micah Parsons tweets that Dwayne Haskins should be starting instead of JT Barrett. It becomes one of the reasons that OSU moves on from Parsons.

Sept. 11, 2017

Two days after Oklahoma’s 31-16 win over Ohio State, 5-star Ohio offensive line recruit Jackson Carman tweets that Dwayne Haskins should be starting. Carman would go on to commit to Clemson in December.

Nov. 12, 2017

Even though Ohio State has a commitment from 2018 4-star quarterback Emory Jones, they go ahead and offer 2018 quarterback Matthew Baldwin, who is currently committed to Colorado State.

Nov. 25, 2017

Prior to the Michigan game, JT Barrett is warming up on the sideline and has his knee Gillooly’d by a camera man. He plays the first three quarters of the game with a knee that won’t stay put.

Nov. 25, 2017

Dwayne Haskins steps in against Michigan when JT Barrett goes down and leads the Buckeyes to a win over the Wolverines. After the game, Urban Meyer vows to find out who it was that injured his quarterback.

Dec. 2, 2017

Following Ohio State’s Big Ten Championship Game victory over Wisconsin, Joe Burrow talks to reporters about the possibility of transferring after graduating in the coming spring.

Dec. 7, 2017

Ohio State gets a commitment from 2018 quarterback recruit Matthew Baldwin.

Dec. 20, 2017

2018 quarterback commit Emory Jones decommits from Ohio State and signs with Florida.

Dec. 29, 2017

JT Barrett plays in his final game as a Buckeye. Ohio State defeats USC 24-7 in the Cotton Bowl.

April 14, 2018

Joe Burrow and Dwayne Haskins compete in the OSU Spring Game. No starter is announced for the season.

May 8, 2018

Joe Burrow announces he’s transferring from Ohio State.

May 19, 2018

Joe Burrow ends up at LSU.

June 24, 2018

Following a surprise visit to Friday Night Lights, 2019 Michigan State quarterback commit D’Wan Mathis commits to Ohio State.

July 1, 2018

Ohio State gets a commitment from 4-star 2020 quarterback Jack Miller out of Arizona.

Aug. 25, 2018

West Virginia graduate quarterback Chris Chugunov transfers to Ohio State.

Dec. 4, 2018

Ryan Day is announced as OSU’s next head coach.

Dec. 8, 2018

Dwayne Haskins finishes third in Heisman Trophy voting.

Dec. 19, 2018

With rumors swirling that Georgia quarterback Justin Fields could be headed to Ohio State, D’Wan Mathis decommits from the Buckeyes and signs with Georgia.

Dec. 30, 2018

Speaking at Rose Bowl Media Day, Tate Martell is asked about the Justin Fields rumors and says he’s “100% sure” he (Martell) will start in 2019.

Jan. 2, 2019

Ryan Day officially takes over as Ohio State head football coach.

Jan. 4, 2019

Justin Fields transfers to Ohio State.

Jan. 5, 2019

Justin Fields, Dwayne Haskins, and Urban Meyer attend an Ohio State men’s basketball game together.

Jan. 7, 2019

Dwayne Haskins enters the NFL Draft.

Jan. 10, 2019

Tate Martell enters the transfer portal.

Jan. 16, 2019

Tate Martell transfers to Miami.

Jan. 17, 2019

Ohio State walk-on quarterback Kory Curtis transfers to Bryant University.

Feb. 8, 2019

Justin Fields is ruled immediately eligible for the Buckeyes in 2019.

April 18, 2019

Matthew Baldwin enters the transfer portal.

April 23, 2019

Kentucky graduate quarterback Gunnar Hoak enters the transfer portal.

April 26, 2019

California 3-star quarterback JP Andrade commits to Ohio State as a preferred walk-on.

April 27, 2019

Gunnar Hoak announces intention to transfer to Ohio State following his graduation.

April 30, 2019

Ohio State lands a commitment from 4-star 2021 quarterback Kyle McCord, as Ryan day chose McCord over eventual Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy.

May 8, 2019

Matthew Baldwin announces his transfer to TCU.

May 19, 2019 

Texas A&M walk-on quarterback Jagger LaRoe announces that he is transferring to Ohio State.

June 2019 

Gunnar Hoak enrolls at Ohio State as a graduate transfer after earning his degree in agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky.

Aug. 19, 2019 

Ryan Day announces that Justin Fields has beaten out Gunnar Hoak and Chris Chugunov in the Buckeyes’ quarterback competition.

Aug. 31, 2019 

Justin Fields’ first carry as a Buckeye goes for a 51-yard touchdown in a 45-21 win over Florida Atlantic to start the season.

Sept. 21, 2019

In his first start at Bryant University, former OSU walk-on Kory Curtis throws for 394 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-30 loss to Brown.

Dec. 7, 2019 

Justin Fields becomes the first quarterback in Big Ten history to throw for 40 touchdowns and rush for 10 touchdowns.

Dec. 14, 2019 

Justin Fields finishes third in the Heisman voting behind winner Joe Burrow and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts. Burrow on his Heisman win: “…it’s for LSU, Ohio State, southeast Ohio and all of Louisiana.”

Dec. 18, 2019 

The Buckeyes land a commitment from 2020 5-star quarterback CJ Stroud out of California on the first day of the early signing period. He signs the same day. Ohio State also signs 2020 4-star Arizona quarterback Jack Miller who had been committed since July 1, 2018.

Jan. 13, 2020

Joe Burrow leads his LSU Tigers to a win over Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Burrow threw for 5,671 yards and an FBS-record 60 touchdowns as a senior.

Jan. 25, 2020 

TCU announces Matthew Baldwin is retiring from football due to knee and back injuries.

August 16, 2020

Justin Fields starts a petition requesting that the Big Ten immediately reinstate the 2020 football season. It gathers hundreds of thousands of signatures and national attention.

Sept. 16, 2020

The Big Ten caves to Justin Fields’ demands. The season is reinstated.

Sept. 18, 2020 

Tate Martell opts out of Miami’s season. He did not play in the Hurricanes’ first game of the season.

Oct. 24, 2020 

True freshman Jack Miller becomes the first quarterback off the bench for the Buckeyes in their 52-17 season-opening win over Nebraska. Miller doesn’t throw the ball, but carries it twice for 23 yards and a touchdown.

Nov. 7, 2020 

True freshman CJ Stroud is the first quarterback off the bench for the Buckeyes in their 49-27 win over Rutgers.

Nov. 19, 2020 

Ohio State lands a commitment from 5-star Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. Ewers is the No. 1 pro-style passer in the 2022 class and the No. 2 player overall per the 247Sports Composite.

Nov. 29, 2020

Georgia quarterback D’Wan Mathis enters the transfer portal.

Dec. 14, 2020

D’Wan Mathis announces he is transferring to Temple.

Dec. 24, 2020

Justin Fields finishes seventh in Heisman voting. 

Jan. 27, 2021

Miami quarterback Tate Martell enters the transfer portal.

July 25, 2021

Tate Martell transfers to UNLV.

Aug. 2, 2021

Quinn Ewers announces that he is skipping his senior season of high school and enrolling at Ohio State early. The news comes one day before fall practice begins for the Buckeyes.

Aug. 9, 2021

Quinn Ewers reveals an endorsement deal with a kombucha company.

Aug. 14, 2021

Quinn Ewers arrives at Ohio State, as does the kombucha.

Sept. 25, 2021

True freshman Kyle McCord starts against Akron so that CJ Stroud can rest a sore shoulder. McCord completes 13-of-18 passes for 319 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Nov. 20, 2021

Quinn Ewers plays in his only game as a Buckeye. He hands off twice in a 56-7 win over Michigan State.

Nov. 28, 2021

Jack Miller enters the transfer portal.

Dec. 1, 2021

Five-star Utah quarterback Devin Brown commits to Ohio State.

Dec. 3, 2021

Two weeks after finally playing in a game for the Buckeyes, Quinn Ewers enters the transfer portal.

Dec. 21, 2021

Jack Miller announces his commitment to Florida.

Jan. 4, 2022

JP Andrade enters the transfer portal.

Jan. 18, 2022

UNLV quarterback Tate Martell retires from college football.

Feb. 2, 2022

JP Andrade announces he is transferring to Jackson State to play for Deion Sanders.

March 19, 2022

Florida quarterback Emory Jones enters the transfer portal.

May 5, 2022

Emory Jones announces transfer to Arizona State.

May 9, 2022

The nation’s top 2024 prospect — quarterback Dylan Raiola — commits to Ohio State. There are no kombucha deals.

July 30, 2022

Three-star 2023 Memphis quarterback Brock Glenn commits to Ohio State.

Sept. 19, 2022

Temple quarterback D’Wan Mathis moves to receiver.

Nov. 21, 2022

Brock Glenn decommits from Ohio State.

Dec. 2, 2022

Ryan Day extends a scholarship offer to 4-star 2023 South Dakota quarterback Lincoln Kienholz. Kienholz is currently committed to Washington.

Dec. 12, 2022

Arizona State quarterback Emory Jones enters the transfer portal.

Dec. 14, 2022

Lincoln Kienholz decommits from Washington. He then announces his commitment to Ohio State. As a senior, Kienholz threw for 3,422 yards with 46 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for 1,436 yards and 24 scores. 

Dec. 17, 2022

Dylan Raiola decommits from Ohio State.

Dec. 21, 2022

Emory Jones announces transfer to Cincinnati.

Jan. 16, 2023

Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud announces his intention to enter the 2023 NFL Draft. He is considered one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft.

Jan. 18, 2023

Oregon State quarterback Tristan Gebbia announces he is transferring to Ohio State for his seventh year of college.

March 29, 2023

Kory Curtis throws a football 84 yards at his Pro Day. As a senior at Gannon University, Curtis threw for 2,879 yards with 27 touchdowns and four interceptions.

March 31, 2023

Four-star 2024 Georgia quarterback Air Noland takes an unofficial visit to Ohio State.

April 1, 2023

Ryan Day offers Air Noland on his visit.

April 8, 2023

One week after Air Noland’s visit and scholarship offer, he announces his verbal commitment to Ohio State

April 9, 2023

Nothing yet, but the weekend isn’t over yet.

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