Ryan Day stated Wednesday that he expects to be Ohio State’s coach for the foreseeable future.
After Saturday’s 13-10 loss to Michigan — the Buckeyes fourth in a row within the rivalry — there have been many questions on whether or not Day is able to taking Ohio State to the heights it expects to succeed in and whether or not he even desires to be the pinnacle coach going ahead as a result of all of the stress he’s underneath. He put a lot of the latter to relaxation on Wednesday at a recruiting early signing interval information convention.
Requested if he expects to be at Ohio State subsequent yr, he merely stated, “Sure.”
Day is 66-10 as Ohio State’s head coach, however he has obtained arguably as a lot criticism as any coach of the nation due to his 1-4 report in opposition to Michigan. Ohio State hasn’t gained a Large Ten championship since 2020 and hasn’t been previous the School Soccer Playoff semifinal spherical since dropping to Alabama 52-24 within the nationwide title sport that very same yr. Every of the earlier three Michigan groups to beat Ohio State gained Large Ten championships, however this yr’s Wolverines are 7-5 and entered Saturday’s sport in Columbus as 21-point underdogs.
Day stated he understands the frustration the fan base has however that his focus is on getting Ohio State a nationwide championship this season. The Athletic’s projections mannequin nonetheless provides Ohio State the third-best nationwide title odds behind Oregon and Texas.
“Now we have to go ahead,” stated Day, whose 2025 recruiting class ranked No. 5 in the 247Sports Composite as of Wednesday afternoon. “The mindset is to go win the entire thing now. You’ll be able to’t return and second guess issues at this level. Now we have to maneuver ahead.”
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The most recent School Soccer Playoff rankings got here out Tuesday evening and Ohio State (10-2) is No. 6 within the High 25 and the No. 8 seed within the bracket. That places it in place to host a first-round sport, with an opportunity to rise to as excessive because the No. 6 seed relying on this weekend’s convention championship sport outcomes. The ultimate bracket will probably be revealed on Sunday afternoon.
Day takes blame for efficiency vs. Michigan
There’s no sugarcoating how unhealthy Ohio State’s outing in opposition to Michigan was Saturday.
The Buckeyes scored simply 10 factors, the bottom output in opposition to an unranked opponent because the 10-7 loss to Michigan State in 2011. They went scoreless within the second half and have been criticized for his or her sport plan, which included working the ball between the guards, proper at Michigan’s stout defensive position, an excessive amount of. Ohio State rushed for simply 77 yards.
“The share was too excessive working it inside, that’s clear,” Day stated.
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Although Ohio State threw the ball 33 instances, its second-most move makes an attempt this season, Day stated the Buckeyes ought to’ve discovered methods to get the ball on the perimeter extra. Standout freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith, who had 5 catches for 35 yards and a landing, was not focused within the fourth quarter. Emeka Egbuka, who had 4 catches for 51 yards, was focused simply as soon as, whereas Carnell Tate, who led the group with 58 yards, was focused as soon as within the second half, as nicely.
Ohio State’s power is its playmakers on the surface, not a patchwork offensive line that has had harm issues. Prior to now, Ohio State has discovered methods to get the ball to its receivers in much less conventional methods, like bubble screens, reverses or backfield handoffs. Day considers these performs an extension of the working sport, however Ohio State confirmed none of it on Saturday.
“I feel while you look again on it, there’s methods we might’ve received the ball to the perimeter,” Day stated. “It’s the coaches’ job to place the fellows in the most effective positions to achieve success, and that didn’t occur on Saturday.”
The loss hasn’t been straightforward on Day, who has been open about how laborious it has been dropping to Michigan. Saturday’s loss was the worst of all of them.
However Day stated he has no plans to depart this system and has by no means had that thought.
“It is a fantastic place,” he stated. “I’ve among the finest jobs in America. I’m disillusioned greater than anyone. We’ll proceed to maneuver and work out what it’s and overcome this impediment.”
The query stays: Is Day the precise individual to guide Ohio State to the nationwide championship — and previous Michigan subsequent season?
Whereas he didn’t need to give a gross sales pitch for himself, he stated the Buckeyes are going to take their greatest crack on the Playoff as attainable, very similar to they did within the 2022 Peach Bowl in opposition to Georgia, after they got here up simply wanting a nationwide title sport spot regardless of dropping to Michigan.
“There’s no approach to defend dropping 4 years in a row, however I can inform you this, we’re going to play actually laborious on this sport,” Day stated. “We’re going to swing as laborious as we presumably can. … I get the frustration, I do know what comes with this job, however we’ve gained plenty of video games round right here too, we’ve misplaced some key ones, however we’re proper there. When you’re actually shut and really feel pissed off, it’s important to push by means of.”
What’s happening with the offensive line?
Ohio State has struggled to run the ball since beginning heart Seth McLaughlin tore his Achilles earlier than the Nov. 23 Indiana sport. Ohio State averaged lower than one yard earlier than contact in opposition to Michigan and Indiana, per TruMedia, and Day stated the group is evaluating each possibility up entrance.
The offensive line appears to be the one place that may maintain Ohio State again within the postseason, and it wouldn’t be a shock if the Buckeyes take the sphere within the Playoff with a brand new lookup entrance.
Ohio State has been beginning left guard Donovan Jackson at left sort out since Josh Simmons went down in opposition to Oregon, and Carson Hinzman, who stepped in at left guard, moved again to heart when McLaughlin went down. The thought of getting them play alongside one another once more, placing Jackson again at guard and even bringing in new faces similar to Luke Montgomery and Joshua Padilla are all on the desk, Day stated.
“We’re considering some rolling on the very least,” Day stated. “We thought-about that within the sport, it was a giant sport, and we didn’t assume it was the precise factor to do on the time, however trying again we should always’ve tried one thing.”
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(Photograph: Jason Mowry / Getty Photos)
