Ben Jay reportedly stepping down as Hawaii AD. What it means for Ohio State

There could be some big changes coming on the islands soon. The Hawaii Star Advertiser is reporting that athletic director Ben Jay will resign from his position later today, and that embattled head coach Norm Chow will remain with the program for the 2015 season. The Columbus Dispatch confirmed those reports.  This is a time of turmoil for the Hawaii athletic program, as they let their basketball coach go just a few months ago, and there are rumors that the department is very financially strapped, potentially even to the point of dropping football altogether.

That's big news if you happen to be a fan of the Rainbow Warriors, but what does it mean for Ohio State? Potentially, quite a bit.

Any changes in the Hawaii football program are relevant to the Buckeyes in the short term, since they're scheduled to play in Columbus for the 2015 football season, along with Western Michigan and Northern Illinois. A major reason for that game is because Ben Jay was a former associate AD for Ohio State, and the program could sorely use a fat guarantee game. There is no reason to think that the game would be in jeopardy now that Jay is reportedly leaving, especially on such short notice, but it looks like the Buckeyes won't be facing a new coach in that matchup.

Football scheduling is very much a relationship driven business, and where Jay ends up next may be worth watching. If he decides to head back to the midwest, it wouldn't be a shock to see Ohio State add a future game with his next school, as Ohio State still needs to schedule games after 2016. It's probable that at least some of those future games will be against smaller, non-Power 5 schools.

Hopefully the new leadership at Hawaii can help improve their flagship programs and stabilize their financial situation. That big check from Ohio State might help.