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Ohio State HC Day wants potential spring season to start early in January

Ralph Freso / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Big Ten may have canceled its fall season Tuesday, but Ryan Day won't give up on playing football just yet.

The Ohio State head coach believes the conference must finalize a plan for a potential spring campaign and have it begin as soon as possible.

"I'm sure there will be a lot of back-and-forth here, but ... starting the first week of January would be the best week to go, an eight-week season," Day told reporters, according to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. "That way there is some separation between that season and the next season. We get some midyear guys to come in and possibly play a two-for-one, they'd get two seasons in (during) one calendar year, which I think the recruits would be really excited about."

He continued: "If you play a full schedule starting in the spring, like when you get into March, now you're asking for trouble. But if you play an eight- or nine-game season, push it back to January, then that's real. It's important - the number of games and also the start date."

Day immediately expressed his disappointment following the Big Ten's decision. The coach said he spoke to athletic director Gene Smith earlier Wednesday regarding the possibilities of playing in the fall, though Smith previously said the Buckeyes wouldn't pursue playing in another conference.

Day went 13-1 in his first campaign taking over for Urban Meyer, losing in the College Football Playoff semifinals to Clemson. His plan to schedule games in January would allow NFL prospects to play out the collegiate season.

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