Ohio State moves on from special teams coordinator Robby Discher after nine games marked by missed kicks, penalties, and costly execution errors.

COLUMBUS — Ryan Day is making a change to his coaching staff, firing special teams coordinator Robby Discher after nine months in Columbus. The decision comes after the Buckeyes struggled to find consistency across nearly every area of special teams during the 2026 season, continuing a problem that Ryan Day specifically addressed when he hired Discher away from Illinois last February.

CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz first reported the news, and a source confirmed it to The Silver Bulletin.

Ohio State entered the season expecting a different standard from its special teams operation. Instead, the Buckeyes repeatedly surrendered field position, struggled to produce in the return game, missed important kicks, and committed preventable penalties.

Ryan Day has begun making changes to the Ohio State staff.

Robby Discher is out as special teams coordinator, sources tell @CBSSports. https://t.co/wKFwx78nmm

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 9, 2026

The most damaging moment came Saturday against Oregon when Dan Lanning caught Ohio State off guard with a fake punt on fourth-and-nine from the Ducks’ own 31-yard line. Oregon converted a 30-yard pass from Teitum Tuioti to Matayo Uiagalelei, setting up a touchdown that gave the Ducks a 17-14 halftime lead.

Ryan Day later called the play a turning point and described the conversion as extremely disappointing. It was another example of Discher’s special teams unit failing to meet the standard.

Baylor-transfer Connor Hawkins missed a 45-yard field goal against Texas in September that could have given Ohio State a two-score lead in a game the Buckeyes eventually lost by one point. He also missed a 40-yard attempt against Iowa.

Punt execution became another recurring concern. Joe McGuire struggled to consistently flip field position, including a 26-yard punt against Texas, a 32-yard punt against USC that was returned 44 yards, and a poor placement opportunity against Maryland that resulted in a touchback.

Day publicly acknowledged the shortcomings in October, saying he could not claim the unit had improved. The Buckeyes also struggled with penalties. Through nine games, Ohio State had accumulated 14 special teams penalties, already exceeding its entire 2025 total (10).

Discher spent three seasons at Illinois with nationally respected special teams units, All-Big Ten specialists and a successful return operation. Expectations were that he would bring those standards to Columbus, but he did not.

The change is a pivotal staff decision for Day as he continues to evaluate what went wrong during a disappointing back half of the season following Julian Sayin’s injury.

Ohio State is 6-3 (4-2) and ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll, the program’s lowest ranking since 2014, after its Week 2 home loss to Virginia Tech. Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff aspirations seem like a foregone conclusion for the Buckeyes as Day makes this staffing move, which will likely not be the last.