COLUMBUS, Ohio-- With coach Urban Meyer announcing his retirement this afternoon, co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ryan Day is stepping up as Ohio State football's 25th head coach effective Jan 2, 2019.

Meyer places great confidence in Day, hand-picking the New Hampshire alum to replace him.

"You have to have genuine love and care for that student-athlete. And I underline genuine. It can't be No. 78. It can't be that guy," Meyer said. "Once those players know that you have that genuine love and care for them they'll move mountains for you. And I saw that with Ryan Day."

There's more than Meyer's praises that point to Day as the right man for the job at Ohio State, though.

Day's coaching resume lacks experience at the helm of a collegiate program, outside the three games he served as interim head coach at the start of Ohio State's 2018 season. He went 3-0 in that time with a win against then-No. 15 TCU.

What's not lacking in Day's track record is an ability to recruit and develop talent. Running down the list of players he's produced you'll find:

- Boston College receiver Alex Amidon, career leader with the Eagles in receiving yards (2,800) and receptions (191). Amidon also holds the Boston College single-season mark in both categories, each of the top two seasons in terms of receptions.- Boston College receiver Rich Gunnel, second all-time in career receiving yards with the Eagles (2,459), third in receptions (181) and fourth in touchdowns (18).- Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins, a Heisman finalist and single-season Ohio State record holder in completion percentage, passing yards and touchdowns.- Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig, who threw for 1,995 yards and 17 touchdowns with 8 interceptions in 2013.

As an offensive coordinator, he improved Boston College's offense by six points and 18 yards per game in his first year calling plays. It increased another .4 points and 16 yards the following year.

His one year coordinating at Ohio State resulted in the nation's No. 2 total offense and No. 8 scoring offense.

Then there's always the benefit of hiring from within, one that goes for any organization. Day is familiar with the program already, which helps both for transitional periods and on the recruiting trail.

"Our program does not need disruption. It does not need to blow up and have people come in and try and adapt to our standards of operation," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said.

Meyer's vote of confidence and Day's track record aren't the only thing placing trust in Ohio State's next head coach. Smith also took the podium Tuesday, voicing his support for the new head of state.

"He had an opportunity to audition in a different way," Smith said. "Not relative to winning on the field, but how he mastered leading, not just the football staff, but everyone else around it."

Even then, a number of questions still arise impacting Day's future success with the program. The public already saw his calm and eloquent demeanor dealing with the media, and that's all well and good, but decisions behind the scenes? Many have to be made, and choices there will make impacts on team performance as soon as next season.

No doubt plenty of pressure weighs on a man when running a program of this magnitude. Meyer said there's "no chance" he'd be able to take over the Buckeye program at Day's age, 39.

Day is sticking to his guns and already knows what counts at this university.

"To Buckeye nation, you have my word that I'm gonna give everything I have to continue the tradition of excellence and winning that this program has enjoyed during its storied career," Day said. "It didn't take long for me to figure out what the expectations were of Ohio State football. Number one, win the rivalry game. Number two, win every game after that."

Recruits seem to like him to, which is always a plus in this business.

"I talked to a couple recruits that I'm very close with and I said this might happen. I wanted to gauge their reaction," Meyer said. "It was over the top because of the respect they have for Ryan and the program and Ohio State."

Ohio State has its guy, and if the word of Meyer, Smith and the man himself mean anything, there's reason to be confident a winning tradition will continue for the Buckeyes in both the short and long term.

Stick with BuckeyeGrove for coverage as this story develops further.