As Ohio State prepares to host Tennessee in a first-round matchup in the College Football Playoff, there’s been no shortage of speculation regarding Ryan Day’s job status.
But while most of that conversation has focused on the possibility of Mike Vrabel returning to Columbus to coach his alma mater, Stephen A. Smith has another former NFL star in mind for the Buckeyes’ potential head coaching vacancy: Deion Sanders.
“They want a name. Somebody mentioned to me Mike Vrabel, who starred at Ohio State and did a good job in the NFL in Tennessee. But as good as he is, that’s not going to create the sizzle,” Smith said on Wednesday’s episode of First Take. “I think in the age of NIL and the transfer portal and all of that, the combination of the two, I think when you have these blue chip programs, you’re looking for sizzle.
“Of course, you’re looking for production — ultimately, somebody that can get the job done. It definitely always comes down to that. But if you can get the sizzle to be an allure, an attraction that’s gonna generate revenue for you, not just with the games, but just the mere mention of your name and what that brings. See, that’s where the Prime Times of the world come into play and that’s what’s gonna make him so attractive.
“If you know now that he’s proven he can coach on this level and he can win football games, if you put him in a position where you know that it really just depends on his ability to recruit and he brings that sizzle, you’re thinking about he pays for himself… he pays for himself because his popularity is so huge. That’s what you’re you’re looking for if you’re Ohio State. Ryan Day does not do that for you.”
Stephen A. Smith makes the case for Ohio State to hire Deion Sanders as its next head coach.
“He brings that sizzle… he pays for himself because of his popularity. It’s so huge. That’s what you’re looking for if you’re Ohio State. Ryan Day doesn’t do that for you.” pic.twitter.com/XB4XPZewF4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 18, 2024
By this point, Smith’s habit of linking Sanders to blue chip jobs — be it Alabama or Texas A&M — has been well established, so it’s not a surprise that the Buckeyes have now entered the equation with Day seemingly on the hot seat. And while one could argue whether Sanders would be a better fit in Columbus than Day has been or bring more “sizzle” than Vrabel would, it’s undeniable that the idea of Coach Prime coaching Ohio State is an intriguing one.
[First Take]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.