Jan 26, 2025 3:49 PM EST
Ryan
Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrated
their 34-23 national championship win against Notre Dame on
Sunday at Ohio Stadium.
While giving his speech, Day shouted out an assistant coach
after a remarkable season. Day praised safeties coach Matt Guerrieri, calling
the assistant one of the "brightest minds" in college football.
"One of the
brightest minds in college football, and I'm telling you, a star in the
making," Day said. "Our safeties coach, Matt Guerrieri."
Guerrieri worked with defensive backs like Caleb Downs, Lathan Ransom and Denzel Burke. Downs was a Consensus All-American, Ransom was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, and Burke was Third-Team All-Big Ten.
Downs
accounted for 82 total tackles, eight TFLs and two interceptions in 2024.
Ransom had 76 total tackles, nine TFLs, one sack and one interception, while
Burke had 48 total tackles, three TFLs and two interceptions this season.
Guerrieri has had multiple assistant coaching roles in his
career, including stints with Indiana (2023) and Duke (2012-21).
Guerrieri was a defensive senior analyst for Ohio
State in 2022.
Ohio State Buckeyes safeties coach Matt Guerrieri.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn
Images
Ohio State's secondary was one of the
best in the country this season. The Buckeyes allowed the third-fewest
passing yards per game (167). The only programs that ranked higher than Ohio
State in that metric were Washington (116.5) and Iowa State (165.6).
That secondary is one of the reasons the Buckeyes entered the
final week of the regular season ranked No. 2 in the country. But Ohio State
lost to archrival Michigan for the fourth season in a row, falling 13-10 to the
Wolverines. Ohio State then got hot at the right time for the College Football
Playoff.
The Buckeyes beat Tennessee (42-17), Oregon (41-21) and Texas
(28-14) to reach the national title game.
Unfortunately for Guerrieri, he will lose some top talent in the
Ohio State secondary. Ransom and Burke have
declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, and
Downs has not announced his plans for next season yet.