Ohio State coach Ryan Day returns to football facility after coronavirus isolation

Ohio State football coach Ryan Day was back at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Monday after testing positive for the coronavirus two weeks ago, a school spokesman confirmed.

Day isolated for 10 days after testing positive for the virus on Nov. 27 in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said during his weekly radio show appearance last week that he had been resting comfortably and doing well since the COVID-19 diagnosis.

While the Buckeyes were without Day for their 52-12 win at Michigan State over the weekend, defensive line coach Larry Johnson stepped in as the acting head coach and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson handled play-calling duties for the offense.

His return comes at start of a week of preparations for Saturday’s scheduled rivalry game against Michigan, though there is uncertainty over the status of The Game.  

An outbreak of coronavirus cases at Michigan that prompted the cancellation of its game last week against Maryland leaves the clash between the Buckeyes and Wolverines tenuous.

Michigan was cleared to begin “limited workouts” on Monday after a pause in organized team activities.

While returning from their own coronavirus-related shutdown last week, the Buckeyes did not return to practice until Tuesday, before playing at Michigan State on Saturday. A total of 23 players were unavailable against the Spartans, though not all of them were due to a positive COVID-19 test, the school said.

jkaufman@dispatch.com

@joeyrkaufman