Ohio State football coach Ryan Day wants his recruits to stay a little longer than just a season on the team.
In an interview with Josh Pate on May 12, Day expressed his interest in the NCAA adopting a mandatory two-year commitment rule for athletes, rather than the ability to transfer after just one season. Though Day noted there would be “ripple effects” causing more amendments, he is for the notion.
“I feel pretty strong about that,” Day said in the interview. “… Like you said, they jump right into spring ball. They have this season and during that freshman season, typically, they’re not playing as much as they’d like. They’re going through challenges. They’re failing, but that’s part of being a freshman. You’ve got to fail to learn. That’s just how it works.”
If a freshman does not get to play in the regular season, Day said there is no cool-off period before the transfer portal arrives in December and January, leading to more emotional decisions to transfer out.
“I just think it’s good for their overall mental health knowing that I’m somewhere for two years,” Day said. “And you know, I know I have to push through some adversity along the way, and I’ve got to grow.”
Day also said that extenuating circumstances, like a coaching change, could be an exception to the hypothetical two-year rule.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ryan Day on why he wants two-year commitment rule
