Ohio State head coach Ryan Day finds himself under immense pressure after the Buckeyes’ shocking loss against rival Michigan.
Fair or not, Day has been under fire for a while now in Columbus. However, what happened on Saturday has ratcheted the heat up to an unprecedented level.
The unacceptable 13-10 loss to the Wolverines was the most mind-blowing result in the storied history of The Game.
“Everybody wants to win this game in the worst way, and nobody wants to win it more than we do. It’s our No. 1 goal every year,” Day said in a sad tone following the horrific defeat.
“When you don’t do that, there’s disappointment and frustration. And so, I don’t blame anybody for being upset. I’m upset more than anybody. And those players are too, and the coaches and everybody that goes at it. We know what we’re getting ourselves into here.”
Ohio State struggled mightily throughout the contest, with quarterback Will Howard throwing two costly interceptions and the team missing a pair of field goals.
The Buckeyes’ usually potent offense looked out of sync, and their inability to capitalize on opportunities left fans questioning how they could lose to one of the worst Michigan teams in recent memory.
While calls for Day’s firing grow louder, Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork stood firmly behind his embattled head coach in a statement to the Columbus Dispatch.
“Our full focus right now is on the College Football Playoff and making a strong run,” Bjork said. “We have a ton to play for. We have a great team made up of talented players and great young men. Coach Day does a great job leading our program. He’s our coach.”
What makes the current situation so unique is the fact that Ohio State will still (most likely) be making the CFB Playoff.
In other words, the ultimate goal is still very much achievable for Day and company.
Lost for some in the madness of the weekend is the fact that the Buckeyes are still one of the best – if not THE best – teams in the entire country.
It might sound crazy to read that sentence today, but it’s still true – at least on-paper.
Perhaps Day and the Buckeyes will use the nightmare loss as extra fuel to go on a title run and shut the doubters up once and for all.
Having said that, even if Ohio State wins the national championship, Michigan will have a last laugh of sorts knowing that they were able to pull off the shocking upset against the eventual champions.
While Buckeye fans will brush that notion off publicly, they know Saturday’s loss has created a permanent hole that not even a national title can fully fix.
Regardless, should Ohio State part ways with Day, the search for a successor would spark significant debate.
Dave Briggs of the Toledo Blade identified three potential candidates: Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, former Ohio State assistant Mike Vrabel, and Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman.
“Call me a Toledo sucker, but Campbell would be my top choice,” Briggs wrote. “The 45-year-old former Rockets boss is one of the best pure coaches in the country.
“Look at what he’s done in nine seasons at Iowa State, a traditional graveyard job from which just one coach since World War I has left with a winning record. That was Earle Bruce, who led the Cyclones from 1973-78 and went 36-32 – a record so impressive in Ames that it got him hired at Ohio State.
“Campbell, meanwhile, is 63-50 and has four top-10 wins. His latest Iowa State team is 10-2 and in the Big 12 championship game.
“It’s fair to question how he would handle the pressure in Columbus – Campbell is 2-6 against rival Iowa while Toledo fans will recall his November struggles – but the Massillon native’s upside is tremendous.
“He’s won in Ames with two and three-star recruits, which tells us he can motivate and scheme with the best of them. Imagine what he could do with the talent he’d have at Ohio State.
Of course, you knew Mike Vrabel’s name was going to be thrown out. Not only is he an Ohio State legend, but he’s proven to be an excellent football coach as well.
“If OSU wants a blow-it-up culture change, the glass-eating former Ohio State defensive lineman would be the guy,” Briggs continued.
“But would he want the job? … Vrabel, 49, had a taste of success in the NFL – he led the Titans to the playoffs three times in six years – and will have his pick of pro jobs this offseason. He’s also expressed disinterest in the modern college game.
“Worth the call – heck, give Oregon’s Dan Lanning a ring, too – but probably not happening.
Speaking of familiar names, Briggs also suggested that former Buckeyes player and current Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman could be in the mix as well.
“The former Buckeyes linebacker is 30-9 in three seasons at Notre Dame and has the Irish rolling into the playoffs,” Briggs added.
“Could Freeman, 38, make the jump from very good to great at his alma mater?”
“Other possibilities: Urban The Sequel (not happening!), Curt Cignetti, Rhett Lashlee, and Kenny Dillingham.
“Now, are any of these coaches a clear upgrade? No … “Would some of them prove a major downgrade? Yes,” Briggs concluded.
As despised as Day is in Columbus right now, he’s still in control of his own future to a degree.
What I mean by that is if Day leads the Buckeyes to a national championship victory, there’s absolutely no way Ohio State would fire him.
However, anything less than that and all bets are off.
What are your thoughts on the rumored replacements for Day?
While Ohio State is more than capable of winning the national title, let’s say they don’t … What exactly should Ohio State do at that point???
