Under Ryan Day, Ohio State has gone 22-4 over the last two seasons. That’s pretty damn good, except for the fact two of those losses have come against Michigan.
Back-to-back double-digit defeats against the Wolverines have made Day’s seat get a little bit warm, even after he made the College Football Playoff again in 2022.
Day himself admitted on the “More Than Coachspeak” podcast that he needs to change his approach against Michigan, starting this season.
“I think back on this year and our rivalry game,” Day said, via Eleven Warriors. “You want the game so bad that the focus can just be on winning the game, but what does winning the game actually mean? You can’t just win the game. You have to win each play. You have to win each situation. I think the mistake I’ve probably made is, ‘We’re going to win this game. Let’s get after them. Let’s get physical. Let’s beat them up.’ When you’re playing a team or a player that’s equal to you, you have to focus on winning every single possession, every single play. And how do you do that? Great technique, great focus. Eventually, you will win the game.”
We won’t know if that alteration has its desired effect for almost six months, but for now, some OSU fans are encouraged by Day’s words.
“Whatever it is, whatever you wanna call it you definitely saw a new attitude in the Peach Bowl… And if they is able to reproduce that and carried into the following season and beyond, I’m very optimistic about his future in the future of the program,” one fan said on Twitter.
Whatever it is, whatever you wanna call it you definitely saw a new attitude in the peach bowl… And if they is able to reproduce that and carried into the following season and beyond, I’m very optimistic about his future in the future of the program https://t.co/qpvEo1tGWn
— Devin M. Radcliff (@Coach_Radcliff) June 1, 2023
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“A changed man,” another fan added.
A changed man. https://t.co/auDKeNqBx9
— Buckeye Frank (Buckeye Productions) (@FrankD_419) June 1, 2023
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“Add this to things you like to see,” a third Buckeye fan said.
Add this to things you like to see https://t.co/O7dAw6wPT6
— Buckeye Burner (@BurnerBuckeye14) June 1, 2023
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“The guy is learning, key is learning from your mistakes. I have full trust in Day,” a fourth fan chimed in.
The guy is learning, key is learning from your mistakes. I have full trust in Day. https://t.co/Tzy4Fm4m6f
— FFBuck ⭕️🙌🏻🙏🏻⭕️ (@buckeyeCLE) June 1, 2023
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“We want silent assassin, no mercy Ryan Day back. The one that we had when we beat Clemson,” a fifth fan stated.
We want silent assassin, no mercy Ryan Day back. The one that we had when we beat Clemson https://t.co/s4gZAL2Glh
— Austin (@AStheGOAT24) June 1, 2023
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Ohio State and Michigan will renew their storied rivalry in Ann Arbor on Nov. 25 at noon ET.
More than likely, the winner of “The Game” will again move on to the Big Ten Championship Game and have an inside track to the College Football Playoff.