He’s one of college football’s winningest coaches — yet his own team’s fans aren’t sold on him
Ryan Day is one of college football’s winningest coaches, but he's feeling pressure from Ohio State fans for a 1-4 record vs. Michigan.
For as long as there have been coaches, there has been consternation over their performance.
Yet even in that generations-old tradition, the case of Ohio State’s Ryan Day is unique. Few coaches have produced as much ostensible success — and angst.
In his six seasons in Columbus, Day’s Ohio State teams have made four playoff appearances and won two Big Ten conference titles — making him the first coach since the program began in 1890 to start his career with consecutive conference titles. Under Day, the Buckeyes are 39-3 at home, 46-5 against conference opponents and 21-9 against ranked teams.
When the Buckeyes arrive at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, for Wednesday’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded Oregon, Day will boast a record of 67-10 and a winning percentage of .870, which, if it qualified (he hasn’t yet coached 10 seasons), would rank second on college football’s all-time coaching leader board.
A start like that might lead some coaches to be lionized or to earn enough goodwill to ensure decades of job security. Not in Columbus, where over the past month local coverage has described the “Day dilemma” and national outlets have pondered “How hot is Ryan Day’s Seat at Ohio State?”
Rating: 5