Buckeyes rally around oft-criticized coach Ryan Day and ride momentum to CFP semifinal vs. Texas

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — When Ohio State lost to archrival Michigan for the fourth straight year, calls came from seemingly everywhere for Buckeyes coach Ryan Day to be fired.

Fast forward five weeks and Day has Ohio State on the cusp of a national championship game appearance and is garnering praise from Buckeye fans thanks to dominating wins against Tennessee and Oregon in the College Football Playoff.

“(There are the) same guys in the room as was there a month ago,” Day said after the win over the Ducks. “Nothing that’s happened in the past or the noise around the building has anything to do with our preparation and our focus and our process, and that’s what we’ve been diving into.”

Day knows dwelling on the past could hinder the team’s ability in the future, so he’s emphasized pushing forward: “Nothing that’s happened previously is going to have any effect on what’s going on other than learning from our experiences.”

A month ago, Day admitted he was “in shock” after losing at home to the Wolverines. A week later, athletic director Ross Bjork backed his sixth-year coach, who has a 66-10 record and consistently has the Buckeyes in the mix for Big Ten and national titles. Still, a 12-8 mark against top 10 teams and a 1-3 record in the CFP — and the skid against Michigan — have lingered over what is otherwise an incredible coaching resume so far.

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The two playoff wins so far have muted the critics. Hammering Tennessee 42-17 and handling unbeaten Oregon 41-21 have made the Buckeyes the betting favorite to win their national championship since 2014 on Jan. 20 against either Notre Dame or Penn State.

First comes Friday night’s Cotton Bowl semifinal showdown with Texas. Day’s players say they never lost faith in their coach.

“Coach Day is the best coach in the nation,” wide receiver Brandon Innis said. “We come in here and we see the work he puts in. He’s here all day every day. To have a guy like that, you want to play for him.”

Day’s role in 2024 has changed from his first five seasons at the helm of the Buckeyes. He handed play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, allowing him to focus on the week-to-week game plan.

Jim Knowles has led the defense since arriving in 2022, but this season Day has focused on that side of the ball. Defensive tackle Tyleik Williams said Day’s influence can be seen in the Buckeyes’ dominance, which included eight sacks against the Ducks.

“He teaches a lot of technique,” Williams said.

Day’s pregame Rose Bowl speech, which went viral on social media, showed the fire he instilled in his team as he implored them, “We’ve been working our whole lives for this moment, right here! Bring it! From the first snap all the way to the end!”

“When he’s like that, he makes me want to go out there and do great for him, for the guys around us,” Williams said.

After outscoring Tennessee and Oregon 83-38, Inniss said the team’s belief in Day goes beyond football and he hopes it leads them to a national championship.

“We’re a brotherhood, we’re a family and we are going to stand by him no matter what,” Inniss said.

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