Ryan Day: The Coach Who Does Less With More

(Fan Sided)

Is Ryan Day truly the coaching genius he's made out to be?

Alright, let's dive into the world of Ohio State football and the enigmatic figure at its helm, Ryan Day. From offensive coordinator to head coach, Day's journey has been nothing short of riveting. Grab your popcorn as we unravel his coaching trajectory, the highs, the lows, and the burning question that hovers: Should Ryan Day be replaced?

Ryan Day kicked off his coaching gig at Ohio State, first as the offensive coordinator and then snagging the head coach spot in 2019. He burst onto the scene with a bang, steering the Buckeyes to a flawless run in the regular season. Yet, they stumbled against Clemson in the CFP semifinals in a nail-biter.

Fast forward to 2020, and Ohio State's rocking another perfect regular season. They're all pumped up for the CFP finals, but guess what? They got rolled by Devonta Smith and Crimson Tide.

Jump to 2021, and things get a bit shaky. Ohio State misses the CFP party after some rough losses to Oregon and Michigan. And then, just recently, they got outplayed by Michigan again and ended up biting the dust against Georgia in the CFP.

Now, for the average Joe watching, Ryan Day seems like the coaching champ. Three out of four years, he's got his team in the playoffs, and they're notching up those wins like nobody's business. But, hang on a sec, let's peel back the layers.

Taking a closer look, you'll notice that Ohio State's real challenges during the regular season are basically Penn State and Michigan. Penn State isn’t shabby, but they're not exactly CFP material. So, in theory, those games should be slam-dunk victories for Ohio State. Michigan, though, is the real wild card. It's a toss-up every time they clash. Funny thing is, even if Ohio State fumbles against Michigan, they've still got a shot at the CFP as long as they clean up their act in the following games. Now, winning out isn't a walk in the park, but for Ohio State, it's almost like a light jog.

Now, where Ryan Day's coaching starts showing its cracks is in these big games. You'd think with the roster they've got—star QBs like Justin Fields and CJ Stroud, plus top-tier WRs like Garret Wilson and Jackson Smith-Njigba—they'd have a National Championship trophy gathering dust by now. But, nope, all those shiny regular season records don't mean anything for a team of this caliber. The culprit? Coaching.

Whenever Ohio State's up against the ropes and trailing, Ryan Day's playbook seems to go MIA. He simply does not adjust tactics, and that lets the other teams run away with the lead. Tack on some haphazard planning and a lack of team discipline, and you've got Day sitting with a 1-2 scorecard against Michigan. On paper, Ohio State's got the upper hand in nearly every position, yet they keep coming up short against Michigan.

In my book, if Ohio State wants to win some championships anytime soon, it might be time to think about swapping out the coach. Sure, Day's got them some regular season glory, but his track record in those make-or-break matches and his struggles with game strategy and prep point to the need for a fresh coaching approach.

Ryan Day walked into a team packed with NFL-level talent across the board. He didn't need to go hunting for recruits or build from scratch. Nope, he basically got the keys to a top-notch ride and, well, he hasn't taken it for a spin like we expected. Yeah, sure, Ohio State has breezed through regular seasons without a scratch. But honestly, who cares? Except for Michigan, the Big 10 isn't exactly a heavyweight conference, and a powerhouse like Ohio State should be cleaning up without breaking a sweat.

Now, here's the deal. Unless Ohio State wins a championship this year, it might be time to start thinking about waving goodbye to Ryan Day. Sometimes you need a fresh face to steer the ship, and if the Buckeyes want to live up to their potential, they might need someone else at the wheel.