Taking everything into account, Ohio State’s inexplicable 13-10 loss to rival Michigan last Saturday was the most shocking result in the storied history of “The Game.”
Everyone in the state of Ohio has been searching for answers as to how in the world the Buckeyes could have possibly lost that game.
While Michigan certainly deserves a ton of credit, Wolverine fans would be the first to tell you that this 2024 team is the weakest they’ve had in several years.
The whole “Any Given Sunday Saturday” cliche is true, especially when it comes to rivalry games.
But there’s a theory bouncing around that would certainly help explain why Ohio State lost the way they did to Michigan and it has everything to do with head coach Ryan Day.
In particular, it was Day’s obsession with proving that his team is “tough” that single-handily doomed everything.
It’s no secret that ever since taking over for Urban Meyer, Day’s Buckeyes have been labeled “soft.”
Fair or not, this tag has driven Day absolutely crazy – especially since Michigan in those same years have built up a bully that prides itself on toughness.
FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd is one of many who subscribe to this theory…
“Ohio State, Michigan. I don’t care what anybody says, that’s the worst loss for Ohio State in the history of that matchup,” Cowherd said on The Herd. “They lost at home to a walk-on quarterback at Michigan, a team that can’t throw with the forward pass, that was missing two of their stars.
Cowherd highlighted Michigan’s ability to dictate the game’s tone with its physicality – a hallmark of their recent success in the rivalry.
“And so Michigan, for the last four seasons, this game has always been about physicality. Whichever team has the most rushing yards has won this game 23 straight years, and the last four it’s been Michigan. So, Ohio State spent almost four hours trying to prove they could win that way, which is not what they are.”
Ohio State, despite boasting elite wide receiver talent and a much more dynamic offense on paper, appeared intent on proving their toughness – a gamble Cowherd argued backfired.
“They’re pretty, they’re more finesse,” Cowherd continued. “They have unbelievable wide receivers. So, Ryan day is super sensitive to this narrative that Ohio State, under Ryan day, is finesse and they’re soft and they lack toughness, and he does not like that at all, but get over it.
“When you’re a head coach, it’s about winning. You have to be able to block out the media and the noise and not worry about the aesthetics.
“Sometimes a defensive coordinator, he’s looking to pat a resume. He wants sacks. Offensive coordinator wants to be clever. A head coach is there to say it’s about winning the game. It is about using our best players to win the game.”
The Buckeyes’ approach puzzled many, including Cowherd, who noted that Ohio State deviated from their strengths.
“Ohio State’s got good running backs,” Cowherd added. “They have unbelievable wide receivers and a more than capable head coach. They went into that game to prove a point. Michigan just played Michigan football. We can’t pass. We’re going to be the more physical team.
“Ohio State’s a better team, but this was Ryan Day, who has shown he’s very sensitive. He clapped back at Lou Holtz. Remember that when Lou Holtz questioned their toughness and he was more worried about looking a certain way than just playing the game he should have played? This was Ryan Day responding to Lou Holtz after they beat Notre Dame last year when Holtz called the Buckeyes soft.
“Remember that? Lou Holtz is like 90, who cares? He’s a commentator. Now, who cares? You can’t worry about that stuff.”
Cowherd also pointed to Day’s sensitivity to external criticism.
“I honestly watched that game and I’m like, ‘Oh, Ryan Day is trying to prove a point,’ and what happened to Ohio State? I still think they can get to the national championship. I think they would probably lose to Texas, but I think they can beat anybody, and maybe Texas.
“I’m not bailing on him. I’m not firing Ryan Day. Too good of a coach. They become Kentucky basketball. Kentucky basketball did everything right, except win in March, everything else. “
Cowherd continued to draw the interesting comparison between Ohio State football and Kentucky basketball…
“They were great at getting publicity, recruiting, the NIL, the transfer portal, developing players for the NBA. Kentucky did everything right under John Calipari, except win in March, and Ohio State does virtually everything right with Ryan Day, except beat Michigan and win bowl games.
“They do everything else well. NIL, their collective is huge. They use the transfer portal. They win a lot of games. Head coaches are not about proving points. Who cares what Lou Holtz says? I mean, it’s like, you know, it’d be one thing if you’re playing Lou Holtz the following week.
“But Michigan has limitations, by the way, this year. They won’t have them next year, they just signed the top quarterback out of high school football, and they’re loading up. This was the year to beat Michigan.”
What are your thoughts on Cowherd’s comments?
Did Ryan Day go out of his way to try and prove Ohio State’s toughness?
In the bigger picture, are we sure that Day is the right coach to lead the Buckeyes going forward???
