Well before Ryan Day ‘02 led Ohio State to the College Football Playoff National Championship, he was grinding through early-morning workouts and late-night study sessions as a University of New Hampshire student-athlete.
“I used to sleep well at night because I woke up early in the morning and put in a hard day's work,” Day recalls from his time at UNH.
That hard work paid off on the field, where Day was a standout quarterback for UNH football from 1999-2001, setting nine program records and ranking among the all-time leaders in passing yards and touchdowns.
Though he mastered the X’s and O’s on the field, his time in the classroom as a Business Administration student gave him another crucial playbook—one that taught him how to manage people, allocate resources, and think strategically, skills that now define his coaching career.
Since taking over as head coach in 2019, Day has led the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff four times, leading them to the National Championship in 2024.
Ryan Day discusses his decision to major in business administration at UNH.
Deciding to Major in Business Administration
My family was in hospitality. My grandfather worked with Omni Hotels, grew up in the Dunphy Hotels, and worked at Town and Campus when it opened here in the 1940s. He continued in the hospitality area, and then my uncle got into hospitality, so I thought I was going to do that part of it. But I wanted a broader stroke. So, I went with business and figured that somewhere along the line, I would find my path.
What it Means to be Part of the UNH Football Family
Coach (Bill) Bowes took a chance on me, and I’ll never forget that, and Coach (Sean) McDonnell and Coach (Chip) Kelly had huge impacts on my recruiting. Coach Kelly, particularly because he’s from my hometown, and he challenged me to become a Wildcat.
Once I got here, I realized there was so much pride in the program from the coaches and players and being from New Hampshire really mattered to me and motivated me a little more.
Best Football Memory: The 31-3 Comeback Against #2 Delaware in 2000
I just remember at the end of the game, just the sense of joy. It was almost like bewilderment, like, how did that just happen? I would say that was one of the times where I kind of felt like I was in the zone because it was kind of a blur.
I don’t really remember playing in that early fourth quarter and the first couple overtimes, I remember kind of snapshots, but just found the flow.
Ryan Day discusses the importance of UNH football.
Day will coach across the field from the Wildcats when UNH football visits Ohio State in September 2027!
(Editor’s Note: Day did this interview in May 2024 prior to giving the commencement address for the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. Click here to watch Day’s commencement address.)
