The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk

Episode: Inside Ohio State Special Teams: Who's in Charge, and Should the Buckeyes Spend More Money on It?
Date: October 1, 2025
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises & Bill Landis (Blue Wire)

Overview

In this episode, Doug and Bill dive deep into the current state of Ohio State's special teams—who leads it, how responsibilities are divided, and whether the Buckeyes should invest more in coaching this phase. They dissect ongoing questions around staff structure, compare approaches across top programs, critique Ohio State’s field position game, and debate whether special teams are keeping up with the Buckeyes’ championship aspirations.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Who’s Actually in Charge of Special Teams?

• Timestamps: 01:01 – 10:01
• After asking Head Coach Ryan Day for clarity, Doug & Bill sort out the present structure:
  • Rob Keys holds the official title of "Special Teams Coach," running the 7 a.m. Tuesday meetings (07:04).
  • Other key staff (linebackers, safeties, quality control) have defined roles in distinct special teams areas.
• Quote:

  "So, Rob Keys...his title is special teams coach and Ryan Day said he runs the 7am meeting as the special teams coach. Rob Keys is the former head coach at The University of Findlay...that, that to me is like a very comprehensive guy."
  — Doug, 07:04

The Current Breakdown (27:31):

• Kickoff Coverage: James Laurinaitis (LB coach)
• Kickoff Return: Nate Ebner (Quality Control, Special Teams)
• Punt Coverage: Matt Guerrieri (Safeties coach)
• Punt Return: Rob Keys (Special Teams coach)
• Field Goal: Tyler Bowen (OL coach)
• Field Goal Block: Sam McGrath (Assistant LB coach)
• Specialist Help: Gunner Daniel (kickers/long snappers)

2. Shift Away from a Dedicated, Full-Time Special Teams Spot

• Background:
  • Former coach Parker Fleming held a full, recruiting-eligible assistant spot now used for James Laurinaitis (LBs).
  • Ohio State’s structure allows for quality specialists—who can’t recruit off-campus but can be paid flexibly outside the 10 full assistants.
• Bill’s Skepticism:

  "There's nothing stopping Ohio State from having the best special teams coordinator in college football...I think Ohio State could probably do better than that."
  — Bill, 08:57

• They compare this to Iowa’s high-salaried LeVar Woods ($700k) and ponder if OSU should take a similar approach (13:17).

3. Money, Value, and Ambition

• Timestamps: 13:17 – 26:57
• Breaking down salaries: Rob Keys makes about $72,000 while some power-program coordinators make up to $1M.
• Bill and Doug debate whether OSU should match Iowa’s spending, with Bill advocating more investment.
  • Doug: "If it's just money...it's Ohio State, they have plenty, might do whatever they want." (26:13)
  • Bill: "I still think Ohio State can probably stand to spend more than $75,000 on the special teams coordinator." (26:25)

4. Is the By-Committee Approach the Best?

• Structure:
  • OSU has multiple coaches leading each special teams unit for buy-in and developmental reasons.
• Pros
  • Positional coaches (LB, safeties) lead the units they know best; facilitates player buy-in.
• Cons
  • Could dilute focus—should one expert orchestrate the whole thing like in Iowa?
  • Bill: “You can have a special teams coordinator and then underneath him have various position coaches heading up the specific units of special teams. I think that's fine.” (20:52)
• Debate:
  Would a top-level “special teams CEO” (e.g., LeVar Woods) help, or is it unnecessary for OSU’s needs?

5. Field Position and Performance Concerns

• Timestamps: 34:53 – 40:25
• Doug and Bill review OSU’s poor net field position ranking: 100th in the country (34:53).
• Defensive dominance and new kickoff rules affect kickoff return opportunities/results; poor punt return execution is highlighted.
  • Only one of OSU's eight own punts pinned an opponent inside the 20, whereas seven opponent punts pinned OSU (37:52).
• Quote:

  “Ohio State doesn't believe it should be and is not willing to accept being a hundredth in the nation in anything.”
  — Doug, 34:53

6. Precision, Mistakes, and Risks

• Real Examples:
  • Missed opportunities on punt returns, critical fumble at Washington, kickoff returns allowed to advance beyond the 25.
  • Ryan Day dissatisfied: “He [kicker Jaden Fielding] ‘sort of slowly got run over. But he did make the tackle and Ryan Day said he's made…two tackles of the six kickoffs this year, which he does not like that ratio. That means something else is going wrong." (41:23)
• Fewer possessions (due to slower tempo & strong defense) mean special teams errors matter more in close games.

7. Comparisons and Consequences

• Resource Allocation:
  • OSU spends heavily on talent and top coordinators, but perhaps neglects special teams expertise.
  • Programs like Iowa “live” on special teams dominance.
• Doug's Summary:

  "It is not the thing that is waiting to ruin Ohio State's national championship opportunities, but I think it's the thing they probably could improve on the most between now and the national championship game." (47:52)

Memorable Quotes

• "Are we sure that's the standard on special teams now, Ryan?"
  — Doug, 11:59

• "They're not lost. I just think they can be like a little better. Like in the search for enhancing everything in the program, which Ryan Day is always on, on a mission to do. Like that is something that probably can be enhanced a little bit."
  — Bill, 48:42

• "That's Sam McGrath at work right there."
  — Doug, explaining why fan awareness of the special teams inner workings matters, 50:03

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• 01:01 — Doug asks Ryan Day directly: Who’s in charge of special teams?
• 07:04 — Rob Keys’ background and rationale for his role
• 13:17 — Iowa’s LeVar Woods and debate over investment in special teams
• 17:33 — Salary breakdown: OSU vs. other programs
• 27:31 — List and explanation of who runs each special teams unit
• 34:53 — Ohio State is 100th nationally in net field position; discussion of why this stands out
• 41:23 — Details of a key kickoff return given up against Washington
• 46:12 — As pace slows and possessions shrink, special teams matter more
• 47:52 — Doug and Bill agree: Special teams isn’t fatal, but is OSU’s weakest link
• 50:03 — How fans can now recognize specialized coaches’ contributions

Conclusion & Takeaways

Doug and Bill ultimately agree that while special teams is not about to derail Ohio State’s title hopes, it's the area most susceptible to improvement. They challenge the program’s current structure and spending, noting that the Buckeyes have the means and motivation to pursue the same elite standard here as in every other facet of the program.

For Ohio State fans:

• Special teams may not be the sexiest topic, but for a team with razor-thin margins at the highest level, it could be the hidden edge—or danger—in a title run.
• The debate on whether to spend big on a single special teams maestro, or continue the committee approach, is far from settled.
• Stay alert to those little moments in games—they just might be the difference.

Listen for:

• Deep staff breakdown and “who’s doing what” (27:31)
• Insightful debates on value, investment, and philosophy (13:17, 20:52, 26:25, 34:53)
• Practical field position analysis and its ripple effects (34:53–40:25)
• The clear sense of where OSU strives—and sometimes falls short—of being the nation's best.