Following three consecutive defeats to Michigan, Ohio State coach Ryan Day is now under intense scrutiny.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day exudes confidence and ease when discussing this year’s football team.
Despite the three Michigan banners prominently displayed above and slightly behind the podium at the first of three Big Ten media days in Indianapolis, serving as a stark reminder of the high stakes when he returns home, Day remains focused.
Since taking over the program in 2018, Day has secured 39 league wins. However, the 45-year-old coach still faces questions about the three pivotal losses to archrival Michigan that weigh heavily on the program.
“Our guys know what the expectation is. You’ve heard some of them state their goals,” Day said Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium. “We want to win the rivalry game, compete in this stadium for the Big Ten championship, and win a national championship.”
Every year, Day arrives to remind everyone of the priorities, and in Columbus, Ohio, beating Michigan tops the list.
Losing three consecutive games to Michigan, each sending the Wolverines to the Big Ten title game, still stings for the fans. Even though Michigan capitalized on last year’s opportunity by winning a third straight conference title and their first national championship since sharing it with Nebraska in 1997, many Buckeyes fans believe it was tainted by Michigan’s signal-stealing scheme.
Nevertheless, this hasn’t made it easier for fans to accept or for Day’s job security.
Despite a record of 11-2 for the past three seasons, three playoff appearances, a national title game, and New Year’s Six bowl bids in all five of Day’s full seasons as coach, he remains on the hot seat this fall.
Day and his players understand the situation.
“A bunch of junk came out after we lost to those guys a couple of times, about him not caring, which couldn’t be more wrong,” said all-conference defensive end Jack Sawyer. “He does get unfairly criticized at times, but he knows what he signed up to do and we all signed up to do the same thing and we’ve fallen short as well. If anything, it doesn’t come back on him; it comes back on us as players.”
This is a key reason why a dozen players, including Sawyer, chose to return to campus rather than leave early for the NFL—to correct a perceived wrong.
And this could be the Buckeyes’ year.
Ohio State enters the fall as the preseason conference favorite according to many. A media panel selected four of the 12 returning Buckeyes as the best in their respective positions for the upcoming season. Additionally, Day has delegated play-calling duties to former college and NFL head coach Chip Kelly and brought in quarterback Will Howard, who threw 24 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions last season at Kansas State.
Day believes Howard’s mobility and Kelly’s innovative offensive style could transform everything in Columbus.
“It starts with the quarterback and then it goes to the offensive line, the running backs, the receivers, and how that all gets put together,” Day said. “I think he (Kelly) would tell you he’s very excited about what he has in terms of the talent level on the perimeter, up front, the running backs, the quarterback options, the tight ends.”
Defensively, the Buckeyes appear even stronger after allowing the second-fewest points per game nationally last season, at 11.23, second only to Michigan.
Nine starters return from that group, including Sawyer and cornerback Denzel Burke.
Sawyer, who played high school football in suburban Columbus, dreamed of the day he’d help Ohio State defeat Michigan. Burke shares this aspiration.
“You can’t really leave without some gold pants,” Burke said, referring to the prized trophy Ohio State awards for beating the Wolverines.
Michigan isn’t scheduled to appear in Indy until Thursday and will largely be in reload mode.
The defending champs return few starters and have a new coach, Sherrone Moore, after Jim Harbaugh returned to the NFL.
For Day, this means the stakes are even higher.
