Ryan Day and Ohio State fall again. (Photo by Ohio State Athletics)
Ryan Day’s Leadership Falters Again
After a third straight loss to that team up north, Ryan Day has proved two things. The first is that for all of his lip service, he doesn’t get this rivalry. You can’t just talk like Urban Meyer and hope that’s enough, you have to live it. The second is that the 2019 victory over that team up north is more Urban’s eighth win than Day’s one. Finding ways to lose is proof of that. Whether it’s 42-27, 45-23, or 30-24, it’s unacceptable.
The Defense
The Ohio State defense hadn’t given up more than 17 points all year. No team had given up fewer touchdowns this season heading into this game. The Bucks had allowed only 10 touchdowns all year (Seven passing, three rushing). They gave up three touchdowns today and 30 points. (The 2014 Championship defense gave up 43 touchdowns in their 14-1 season)
Jim Knowles claims of adjusting the defense but he just got beat by an offensive line coach and ran roughshod over incompetent offenses all season to build up your paper tiger. So, pardon me if I don’t really believe him.
The Offense
Despite the defense once again faltering down the stretch they kept it close enough to win. It was awful quarterback play, terrible clock management, and cowardly play-calling when guts were required that ruined the Buckeyes.
Their decisions to punt on two fourth-and-short situations in the first half hurt. The mismanagement by Ryan Day on their last possession before halftime led them to attempt a 50-yard field goal with a special teams unit that has struggled all season. They missed and that wounded them. Then on their final touchdown drive to pull within three points, they had no urgency to save clock so they got it back with less than a minute to go and a young, turnover-prone quarterback ended the game by being too urgent when with a few more ticks of the clock and he may be calm enough not to make the fatal throw at the end.
“Just a football game.”
There is no chance you’d ever have heard the quarterback of an Urban Meyer or Jim Tressel-coached Ohio State team say that. Ever. They knew the importance of this game in their hearts and souls. They knew it because Meyer and Tressel knew it, felt it, breathed it, and bled it. I’m not sure Ryan Day does. He seems to think if he talks and tries to walk like he saw Meyer that that will be enough. Clearly, it isn’t.
Whose Fame Will Ever Stand
I said they’d need three things to win this game.
Marvin Harrison Jr. and TreVeyon Henderson came close to delivering. Kyle McCord and the defense missed. Big time.
Some amazing Buckeye players will now likely be like some of the famous players to the north that are remembered for their 0-3 or 0-4 records in this game. They join the ranks of Mario Manningham, Jake Long, Chad Henne, and Mike Hart (well maybe not as bad as Hart).
This is why I say if given the choice I’d rather go 1-11 with a win in The Game than 11-1 with a loss in it. This is why Buckeye fans who want that team up north to be good when we play them are wrong (If you want a quality opponent to strengthen the season there are 12 soon-to-be 16 other teams in this conference that can fill that role). Seven and eight-game winning streaks are never enough!
Win The Game Or Know the Reason Why
Where do you go from here? That’s a question that this program in its current state, does not have an answer for. Nothing is beyond question when trying to fix this problem. No answer, no measure is off the table. The questions that need to be answered are tough. They don’t get any tougher in this sport.
The Bucks Stop Here
Ryan Day is now 20-2 in true road games. Needless to say, who those two losses are to. Coach Day’s record of 56-7 sounds really nice. I mean how can you criticize a coach with that good of a record? He is 20-2 in true road games, and 31-2 at home. His record in the most important games (The Game and the playoffs) is 2-6. He beats up on the Rutgers and Marylands of the world and folds like The Flash on laundry day against anyone within even a country mile of his team in talent.
If Day couldn’t do it after everything they’ve been put through for the past three seasons I’m convinced he never will. Ohio State won’t with the way things are. The cheating, the blaming us for the cheating to the point of family members getting death threats, the jabs to reporters, the flag planting; if that doesn’t take Ohio State to the level of this rivalry being a way of life, what will?
