Ohio State Football: Ryan Day is already the Big Ten’s best coach
The Ohio State football team is in good hands with Ryan Day. In one season that is yet to be complete, Ryan Day has gone out and proved that he is already the Big Ten conference’s best football coach.
Ryan Day was given the keys to the kingdom. Being the hand-picked successor to Urban Meyer, Day received an already highly established college football factory. In one short season coach Day has made Ohio State football program even better.
It’s easy to see why Urban and Athletic Director Gene Smith picked Day to take the reins. Not only has he out-coached every opponent he’s gone up against this season, he’s also out recruited them as well. As Urban Meyer often said, the lifeblood to this program is recruiting. You have to be relentless and purposeful on the recruiting trail.
Day proved to Meyer over his two years as offensive coordinator be an elite recruiter. He also proved to be an excellent coach.
Two years in a row now, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Don Brown thought they had the answers for Ryan Day’s offensive attack, even saying this year that the Buckeyes “better be careful.” Ryan Day got the last laugh however by being one step ahead of Brown at every turn, hanging an unbelievable 118 points on Michigan in the last two rivalry games.
When things get tight Day does not panic, and his calm demeanor is shown through his players. During a tight Penn State game, he did what he thought was the right thing to do in order to win.
After fumbling issues, coach Day called a rather conservative game to protect the lead and bleed the clock. His players followed suit and got the victory.
During a tight first quarter in Michigan, after some defensive lapses, Day did not waver. He did not pout, scream, kick or whine to the officials. He kept calm and pressed on, knowing his game plan would fully work through out the entirety of the game.
A great game plan developed around J.K. Dobbins and the running game mixed in with a heap of deep passes to keep Michigan’s secondary on edge, Day led the offense to a 56 point effort.
Native Ohioan or not, Day get’s this rivalry. It was pounded into his brain the importance of this game.
The one thing Urban Meyer deserves credit for is imbedding the importance of this rivalry into the fabric of this program, so that any coach or player who walks through the halls of The Woody understands what this game means to the state. Following the victory Saturday coach Day had this to say, as reported by Lettermen Row:.
"“Ever since I took the job, this game has been on my mind,” Day said. “I know what this game means to the people of Ohio and Buckeye Nation. And coming on the heels of one of the greatest coaches in the history of college football after he went 7-0 here, those are big shoes to fill."
And now through Ryan Day this programs’ dominance will continue. His ability to take advice, such as leaning on Urban to hire Greg Mattison is a great trait for any young coach to have. Meyer knew Mattison’s expertise and coaching experience would be invaluable to Day as he started his head coaching career. And to his credit he listened.
Coach Day is also his own man however who will do what he believes is right, such as hiring Jeff Hafley, a coach who has not been in college football since 2011. Day knew Hafley would make this defense shine and boy was he correct.
Coach Hafley has been able to get the secondary back to its rightful place as “DBU.” Ryan Day also knew that Jeff Hafley would be an elite recruiter in which he’s already proving to be.
Looking at all the head coaches in the Big Ten, nobody stacks up to the combination of football IQ, game planning and ability to relate to his players that coach Day displays’ on each and every Saturday.
Jim Tressel kicked this century off in fashion by beating Michigan and winning a national title not long after. Twenty years later not much has changed.
Next. Wilson did what Buckeye legends do – burn UM. dark
Big Ten Championships, Heisman trophy candidates, first round draft picks and another national title has followed. Given the early success of coach Ryan Day, the Big Ten may be waiting another 20 years for another school to start consistently competing with Ohio State.