Football at Ohio State: Did Ryan Day deliver a message in 2020?
Talk about a coach or team delivering a message usually refers to something spoken or a dominant performance during a game.
Occasionally, the message is not completely obvious.
A question came to me when I was recalling Ohio State’s season.
In 2020, did Ryan Day subtly convey a message?
Day demonstrated a level of competence that few instructors can match.
Although it is a greatly underappreciated feature, its benefits to software are incalculable.
In a message, Ryan Day assured everyone that his team would always remain appropriately focused.
Ryan Day’s team will be concentrated on the work at hand regardless of the circumstances, such as an off-the-field scenario like COVID, playing a significantly weaker opponent, or encountering difficulty throughout a game.
The true test from last year was the COVID incident.
There were inquiries about which players would be unavailable and whether the game would even be played almost every week.
Day always had his squad prepared to play each week.
The backup took over and played so brilliantly that you didn’t notice a drop-off when the starter was out.
The finest illustration of Day’s ability to keep his squad focused under any circumstance is seen in the Michigan State game.
It might have been a disastrous game.
In addition to losing their head coach, the Buckeyes were missing 23 players, including three starters on the offensive line.
Day was forced to watch from home as experienced defensive line coach Larry Johnson took over for him when he tested positive for COVID-19.
Additionally, OSU was facing a far weaker opponent away from home.
Many Ohio State football supporters had flashbacks of the Purdue fiasco in the back of their minds.
We ought to have been more aware.
The Spartans were easily defeated 52–12 by the Buckeyes, who got an early advantage and throttled them.
Watch those highlights right here.
Day had shown indications of this kind of behavior several years prior.
Do you recall that Saturday night matchup between TCU and Dallas? Day was playing in his third game as Urban Meyer’s substitute.
The Buckeyes were behind in the third quarter after losing their finest player in college football, Nick Bosa, to an injury.
Day made changes, kept the team cohesive, and guided them to a victory of twelve points.
I was so impressed with Day’s handling of the scenario that he was the first person that immediately came to me when rumors started to circulate about who might replace Meyer.
I believe Day has informed the league that there won’t be any more games like the humiliating defeat to Purdue and that his squad will be focused and mentally ready every week.
A group of players mirrors their coach. Day clearly does not take any opponent lightly. For supporters of Ohio State football, that is wonderful news.
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