Ryan Day set the tone for the 2025 season for his Ohio State Buckeyes, declaring that his team isn’t defending anything, but rather attacking for another title.

Ohio State may be the reigning national champions. But Ryan Day made one thing abundantly clear at Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas: the Buckeyes are not defending anything. They’re attacking.

“We’re looking to attack and win a championship with this team,” Day declared. “They can’t take the National Championship away.”

It was the headline soundbite from Day’s time at the podium, but it also encapsulated the main message that this is a new season, team, and mindset. There’s a hunger inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center that Day says is driving everything the program does in 2025.

Despite coming off a National Title run, Day emphasized the youth of this Buckeye team. Ohio State is a very young team, but they’re talented. That blend of youth and experience is anchored by returning stars like Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs. They are touted as the two best players in the country.

Defensively, Sonny Styles and Davidson Igbinosun also bring leadership and experience to a unit that’s undergoing a coaching transition. Kenyatta Jackson was also highlighted repeatedly as someone expected to make an immediate impact this season.

At quarterback, all signs point toward Julian Sayin taking the reins. He will be supported by a talented group of returning wideouts, including Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss. Day said those players understand what it takes to win at the highest level because they’ve done it. They know the standard and the culture.

Day explained how the leadership team is not walking around like they won something this year because that was last year. This is a new team, and it’s hungry and working hard. Jeremiah Smith is leading those efforts by example by winning sprints and going as hard as he can in every drill. Day called Smith “self-motivated” and “unbelievably disciplined.”

The Ohio State head coach also spoke about reshaping the team’s structure and culture because last year’s Buckeyes won the title, not this year’s. The changes are both philosophical and practical. On offense, the Buckeyes maintain continuity with Brian Hartline taking over play-calling duties from Chip Kelly, who moved on to the NFL. The addition of Tyler Bowen, a respected offensive line coach with coordinator experience, is expected to elevate the unit further.

On defense, Matt Patricia enters as the new defensive coordinator after Jim Knowles departed for Penn State. Day said they’ll keep much of the framework Knowles installed, but Patricia will gradually add his twist throughout the season.

Day shared that Ohio State has an offense and a defense. A simple sentence in Lehman’s terms, but he’s referring to scheme, philosophy, and the systematic approach in terms of infrastructure. There is a base Ohio State offense and defense. 

The early-season clash against Texas looms large for the Buckeyes. “It has your attention in July,” Day said. The Longhorns visit The Horseshoe in one of the most anticipated games of the 2025 season.

Ohio State’s coaching staff and players have tremendous respect for the Texas program. After meeting in the Cotton Bowl semifinal last season, both teams know what’s at stake and what it takes to win on that stage.

“We’ve done it before with Notre Dame, and now we’re preparing for Texas,” Day noted. The urgency and focus are already there for the Buckeyes, who feel like they have something to prove because they’re being counted out or doubted. It fuels their motivation. 

It’s clear the main theme from Las Vegas is that Ohio State is still in attack mode. The Buckeyes are chasing another title. However, Ohio State still has two more unfulfilled goals: Beat Michigan (2019) and win the Big Ten (2020). How many will Ryan Day’s team accomplish this season?