After a few seasons of shaky special teams play, Ohio State is finally making a serious investment in a phase of the game that’s often overlooked-until it costs you. Head coach Ryan Day has made a move that Buckeye fans have been waiting for: he’s brought in Robby Discher as the program’s new special teams coordinator. And make no mistake-this is a big-time hire.
Discher arrives in Columbus after a strong run at Illinois, where he established himself as one of the premier special teams minds in the country. His resume speaks for itself: nine All-Big Ten selections under his watch, and the development of David Olano into one of the top kickers in college football. That’s not just solid production-it’s elite, and it's exactly what Ohio State has been missing.
Let’s be honest-special teams have been a sore spot for the Buckeyes in recent seasons. Since Ryan Day parted ways with former coordinator Parker Fleming ahead of the 2024 season, the unit has lacked stability and consistency.
Even before that, the results were far from inspiring. The kicking game, in particular, struggled in high-pressure moments.
Jayden Fielding had his chances but couldn’t deliver when it mattered most. Enter Connor Hawkins, a transfer portal addition who brings both talent and reliability to the kicker position.
That was a step in the right direction.
But adding a top-tier kicker only solves part of the problem. The larger issue has been the lack of dedicated leadership on special teams.
Day hadn’t filled the coordinator role on a full-time basis since Fleming’s departure-until now. With Discher, Ohio State isn’t just filling a vacancy; they’re upgrading in a major way.
Discher’s impact could be felt across the board-from improved coverage units to more consistent punting, and of course, a kicking game that can be trusted in clutch situations. Special teams may not always be the headline, but in close games, they often become the difference. If Ohio State wants to get over the hump in the College Football Playoff, these are the margins that matter.
And when you take a step back and look at the Buckeyes’ coaching staff as a whole, it’s hard not to be impressed. Day now has two former NFL head coaches running his offense and defense, and with Discher handling special teams, this might be the most complete staff in the country.
The pieces are in place. The talent is there.
The coaching is elite.
Now it's about execution. With this kind of infrastructure, Ohio State has every reason to believe a deeper Playoff run is not just possible-it’s expected.