It has been a sprint for New Hampshire native Ryan Day. Those who knew him before he became the Ohio State Buckeyes’ head football coach say it was always a matter of when, not if, he’d score it big.
“I have only known him since he was maybe 9,” Patricia Smith said. “He was always the kind of kid who was so sweet.”
He was also a force on the field — first at Manchester Central High School, then at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, where he set all sorts of school records.
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“Really smart. A lot smarter than the head coach was,” said Sean McDonnell with a laugh.
McDonnell coached Day when Day played at UNH.
“Compassion, competitiveness, toughness, smarts, all those things,” said McDonnell.
It was while playing at UNH that Day met Chip Kelly, the school’s offensive coordinator at the time. The two had great success on the field together, which translated when Day followed Kelly into coaching. The two Manchester natives formed a bond, and Kelly is now Day’s offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
“People like Ryan and Chip, and what they have done here, they are exactly the standard we are looking for,” said Rick Santos, the current head coach at UNH. “It is really exciting for the program, for the state how far we have come.”
Santos says Day and Kelly now serve as inspiration and role models for current players.
“Ryan and Chip, they are huge, for me, who I want to be in my career,” Santos added.
Now, the two Manchester natives are going for the NCAA Championship Monday night against Notre Dame. Many people touched by Day and Kelly are heading to Atlanta to cheer them on, knowing that no matter the outcome, in a big way, they have already won.
“To see somebody that we know who has gone so far, in such a great way, it is great for everybody,” said Smith. “You know it is great, it really is great.”
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