Ryan Day praises Ohio State’s investment in modern era: ‘We know Ohio State football can’t fail’

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Ahead of Big Ten Media Days, Ohio State announced a lucrative jersey patch partnership with JPMorgan Chase. It’s one of the highest-valued deals since the NCAA allowed ads on jerseys, and Ryan Day said it shows the type of investment the school is willing to make in the modern era.

Ohio State’s deal with JPMorgan Chase is valued at $15 million annually, On3’s Pete Nakos reported. It’s believed to be one of the highest-valued jersey patch ad deals yet, trailing only Notre Dame’s agreement with SoFi.

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Day said that level of investment is crucial to Ohio State’s standing in the NIL and revenue-sharing era. As talent acquisition continues to change, he wants to be in position to keep landing high-level prospects in the recruiting trail.

“The minute we compromise on that, we’re in trouble,” Day told NBC Sports. “Because we’ve always had excellent coaches. We’ve always had excellent talent, in terms of players. So the minute that gets compromised, everything’s going to change because it’s going to get harder and harder because of of the way things are being designed.

“I can’t give enough credit to Ross Bjork, our president Ravi Bellamkonda, our board, our cabinet – everybody that’s been involved … to adapt with the times because we know Ohio State football can’t fail. It’s not an option. And everybody understands that. It’s not necessarily comfortable, but we have to make sure that talent acquisition, although it’s changed … we have to make sure we’re bringing the best.”

Ryan Day wants players ‘not just coming in for money’

Now that players can be compensated through NIL and revenue-sharing, schools have been looking to add more revenue streams. In addition to jersey patch ads, on-field logos are becoming more prevalent across college sports and naming rights deals are another direction universities can go.

But Ryan Day also noted the balancing act that comes with recruiting. While the money part of the conversation is important, he made clear Ohio State wants to bring in players who have a passion for football, as well.

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“It’s our responsibility as coaches, my responsibility as a head coach, to bring in the right guys,” Day said. “Guys that understand what this means and not just coming in for money or for what they can get out of the place, but dive into what it means to be a Buckeye and leave something behind.

“That’s why we’re reading a book called Legacy this summer because that’s the No. 1 purpose of our program right now, this season, is to leave a legacy. How do you leave a legacy? You leave the jersey in a better place than you found it and you win games because you can’t leave a legacy at Ohio State if you don’t win games.”

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