Ohio State head coach Ryan Day finds himself in a tough spot | News, Sports, Jobs

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day speaks during an NCAA college football press conference during Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State coach Ryan Day sounds confident and at ease when he talks about this year’s football team.

It doesn’t matter that there are three Michigan banners hanging above his head and something behind the podium where he’s speaking at the first of three Big Ten media days in Indianapolis. It’s also not a subtle reminder of the looming situation as he heads home.

Yes, despite winning 39 regular-season games since taking charge of one of college football’s most storied programs in 2018, the 45-year-old coach is still fielding questions about the three losses that gripped the program — all to arch-rival Michigan.

“Our guys know what the expectation is. You’ve heard some of them say what their goals are,” Day said this Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium. “We want to win the rivalry game, be here in this stadium and win this Big Ten championship and win a national championship.”

Day comes here every year and reminds everyone what’s on the list and in the right order. In Columbus, Ohio, beating Michigan is the most important thing.

So three straight losses, with Michigan winning each Big Ten title game, still rankles the fan base. And while the Wolverines capitalized on their opportunity last year by winning a third straight conference title and their first national championship since sharing the crown with Nebraska in 1997, many Buckeyes fans claimed it was tainted by the Wolverines’ signal-stealing scheme.

Still, it hasn’t become any easier for fans to accept, nor has it been any easier for Day’s job security.

Despite going 11-2 over the past three seasons, making three playoff appearances and playing for a national title, and despite reaching the New Year’s Six Bowl in all five of Day’s seasons as coach, he’s in dire straits this fall.

Day understands why it is this way and so do his players.

“There was a lot of nonsense that came out after we lost to those guys a couple of times about how he didn’t care, which couldn’t be more wrong,” said All-Conference defenseman Jack Sawyer. “He sometimes gets unfair criticism, but he knows what he signed up for and we all signed up to do the same and we fell short. If there is one thing, it is not on him, but on us as players.”

It’s a big reason why a dozen players, including Sawyer, opted to return to campus rather than leave early for the NFL: to right a perceived wrong.

And this just might be the year of the Buckeyes.

Ohio State enters the fall as the favorite for the preseason conference. A media panel selected four of the 12 Buckeyes returnees as the best at their respective positions this season. Additionally, Day has handed over play-calling duties to former college and NFL head coach Chip Kelly and added quarterback Will Howard, who threw 24 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions at Kansas State last season.

Day believes Howard’s mobility and Kelly’s innovative offensive style can change everything in Columbus, Ohio.

“It starts with the quarterback and then it goes to the offensive line, the running backs, the receivers, and how it all ties together,” said Day. “I think he (Kelly) would tell you he’s very excited about what he brings to the table in terms of the talent level on the perimeter, up front, the running backs, the quarterback options, the tight ends.”

Defensively, the Buckeyes look even stronger, having allowed the nation’s second-fewest points per game last season at 11.23, bettered only by Michigan.

Nine starters return from that group, starting with Sawyer and cornerback Denzel Burke. Sawyer played high school football in suburban Columbus and dreamed of the day he would help Ohio State beat Michigan. Burke still dreams of it.

“You can’t really leave without a pair of gold pants,” Burke said this, referring to the coveted trophy Ohio State awards for beating the Wolverines.

Michigan won’t be in Indy until Thursday and will be primarily in a reloading phase then.

The defending champions have some starters and a new coach, Sherrone Moore, back after Jim Harbaugh returned to the NFL.

For Day, this only means the stakes are even higher.

Beat Michigan and all will be well. Lose again and it’s conceivable that Day won’t be around to add another banner to the Lucas Oil Stadium collection.

“I’d be lying if I told you it didn’t light a fire in us,” said Sawyer. “It’s definitely something we’re thinking about. We know what’s at stake when we play those guys. All our goals and aspirations for the season hinge on that one game in November. They hate us, we hate them. That’s the way it has to be.”