Ryan Day’s Ohio State program has no margin for error entering the 2024 football season.
The Buckeyes have spent Day’s entire head coaching tenure as perennial title contenders, but he’s yet to lead them to a national championship. Perhaps more concerning to many fans, they have lost three straight times to Michigan.
Speaking at Tuesday’s Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis, Day acknowledged the lofty standards his team must meet.
“Any time you’re at Ohio State, we know you’re gonna have expectations, but there’s always going to be chatter,” Day said, via On3. “There’s always going to be noise. It’s our job to block all those things out and just focus on what really matters.”
Day spoke to reporters at Lucas Oil Stadium, where he hopes to return to play in the Big Ten Championship Game. His aspirations don’t end there, as he’s also clamoring for a national title.
The head coach won’t “shy away” from the pressure. He realizes a fourth consecutive 11-2 season isn’t good enough for the prestigious program.
“We know what the expectation is. Every time I’ve gone into a season at Ohio State … you expect to win every game. That just is what it is,” Day continued. “And if you don’t think that’s the case, try losing a game at Ohio State. I mean, you’re expected to win them all. So that’s not new. We embrace it in recruiting, and we want to make sure that those types of people are in our program.”
While Jim Harbaugh and many top players left Michigan, Ohio State loaded up through the transfer portal and added top recruits such as five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The upcoming season is shaping up to be a championship-or-bust campaign for Day and the Buckeyes.
Related: Paul Finebaum: Ohio State Should Fire Ryan Day If He Loses To Michigan