Marcus Freeman extension puts more pressure on Ohio State to move on from Ryan Day

We can officially cross off Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman from being a serious candidate to come back home to h is alma mater. The former Ohio State linebacker just agreed to a four-year extension to stay in South Bend. This deal will supposedly keep Freeman leading the Fighting Irish for the next six seasons. By that time, who knows what state the Ohio State football program will be in?

While both the Fighting Irish and the Buckeyes are in the College Football Playoff, there are completely different vibes surrounding their respective head coaches. Although both teams are favored in their first-round home games, only Freeman can afford to lose. Another home loss in The Horseshoe could be the end of the line for Day in Columbus. We may reach a resolution by Sunday.

Here is what Freeman had to say in a prepared statement upon being extended by Notre Dame.

"I am grateful for the support of the Board of Trustees, led by John Veihmeyer, President Fr. Bob Dowd, C.S.C., and Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua. The investment they continue to pour into our program is invaluable to our student-athletes and staff. This commitment goes well beyond myself, as they are dedicated to ensuring all aspects of our program are competitive within the upper echelon of college football."

Freeman played at Ohio State in the mid-2000s under Jim Tressel before getting into coaching. He was fellow Ohio State alum Luke Fickell's defensive coordinator for years at Cincinnati before briefly working under Brian Kelly for a season. Freeman just completed his third season as the head coach of the Fighting Irish. Day has been in Columbus for twice as long as Freeman with similar success levels.

With Freeman out of the picture, it might now be Mike Vrabel or bust to potentially move on from Day.

Marcus Freeman Notre Dame extension may leave Ohio State scrambling

While I believe that Day would get hired immediately if Ohio State were to move on from him, he seems to have hit a wall leading the Buckeyes. No amount of money or coaching resources are helping him beat Michigan even one time since COVID. Should Ohio State fall at home to Tennessee on Saturday night, there is a strong possibility that Day coaches his final game leading the Buckeyes.

Because fellow Ohio State alum Mike Vrabel is arguably the best head-coaching candidate in the NFL, he will have his pick of the litter when it comes to any jobs opening up there. However, you can never put a price on potentially coming back home to coach at one's alma mater. Vrabel had been an assistant in college football before, but he is better known for leading the Tennessee Titans.

Ultimately, it always felt like Freeman's name being dangled out there for NFL jobs, and the Ohio State gig to some extent, was only to be used as leverage in negotiating another contract for him at Notre Dame. There are some high-end limitations when it comes to a program like Notre Dame, but it is one that you do not leave for another job. Alma mater might call again one day, but Freeman is staying.

My guess is a win over Tennessee ensures Ohio State of being led by Day for at least one more year.