As the head coach of the Ohio State football team, Ryan Day is held to a higher standard than most other coaches. The Buckeyes' 2022 season, which resulted in an 11-win season and a loss in the College Football Playoff to the eventual national champion Georgia Bulldogs, is a perfect example of that.
Day didn't beat Ohio State's hated rival, Michigan football, which meant that he had failed in the eyes of the team's fans. And, in a particularly eye-opening comment, Day revealed in a recent interview with Heather Dinich of ESPN that when you lose to Michigan at Ohio State, “there's damage control.”
It's the nature of the beast for Day, who has now lost two straight games to Michigan- unacceptable to Buckeyes fans- and has overseen an Ohio State football team that hasn't won a national title since Urban Meyer paced the sidelines.
When looking at Day's record, 45-6 since 2018, one would think that he is held in high regard by the fanbase.
Nothing could be further from the truth. After each Ohio State football loss in 2022, especially the defeat to Michigan, there were calls for Day's job.
Fair or not, fans have labeled his Buckeyes tenure a bust simply because he hasn't been able to win the big one against Michigan.
As for damage control? There's no better example than the last two seasons.
After a 42-27 drubbing at the hands of Michigan and an embarrassing loss in the title game to Alabama in 2021, Day fired defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs.
After this year's defeat to Michigan, Day talked about giving up the play-calling duties.
It's clear that there's no “going back to the drawing board” for Ohio State football after they lose to Michigan.
There must be damage control from Day.
Or else.
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