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Though Ohio State may have just advanced in the College Football Playoffs, there is still a segment of the Ohio State fanbase who is simply over his regime, with a small but scary subdivision of that group turning to threats worthy of requiring armed security outside of his house.
In the opinion of Kirk Herbstreit, who knows a thing or two about holding a high-leverage position at OSU, this really frustrates him, as he explained in an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
“It really frustrates me that he has to deal with putting an armed guard outside of his house 24/7 for his own fan base, like that hurts my heart, that that’s a reality for the Ohio State coach because he lost to Michigan four times,” Herbstreit said. “I get very passionate about that subject because I know a lot more than the average person knows, and I go to bat for him, I support him, I support his family. So when I hear that he deals with that, or the players like Will Howard what he deals with because he let the clock run down and he hears from, again a very small passionate fraction of the fan base, or he throws two picks against Michigan and what he hears from the fan base.”
Discussing the matter further, Herbstreit noted that every fanbase has some bad apple, but it's a shame they ruin it for everyone, especially the family members who have nothing to do with the situation.
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“Anytime you hear me talk about the lunatic fringe, I get frustrated with that group, every fan base has them,” Herbstreit said. “I just think the Ohio State fan base, because they’re so passionate, I think that very vocal minority of 15 or 20% is as strong in Ohio State as it is anywhere because they care so much but I just get frustrated because I hear the real deal story from his wife, and from his family, and I have since he’s been the head coach.”
Is there a fine line between fanaticism and the lunatic fringe? Yes, for one reason or another, college football just seems to bring out a level of passion that can turn to obsession and, occasionally, even something worse if it isn't kept in check. While the day should hopefully, eventually, come when coaches like Day and especially players like Howard aren't in fear of any physical violence because they lost a game to Michigan, with the gamification of the sport made all the more firey by NIL and the transfer portal, it seems like thing could go the other way instead before they swing back to any sense of normalcy.
