INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State head coach Ryan Day nimbly skirted the elephant in the room for most of his opening statement at Big Ten Media Days inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Tuesday. He heaped praise on commissioner Tony Petitti for shepherding the league through the sport's ever-changing landscape. He offered a formal welcome to the Buckeyes' new athletic director, Ross Bjork. He expressed excitement for his son's sophomore season at St. Francis DeSales High School.
com Preseason Big Ten Poll, which was released ahead of Big Ten Media Days earlier this week, Day and general manager Mark Pantoni oversaw what amounted to the perfect modern offseason: a stunning coalescence of talent retention, talent procurement and the kind of deep financial backing from boosters that has been legalized in the NIL era.