Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day recently discussed winning the national championship this year and his feelings about giving up play-calling this season. While appearing on the popular “Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast,” Day explained to Klatt how the opportunity gave him a unique view of coaching, one that allowed him to build better relationships with his players.
Ryan Day’s Season Review
Play-calling duties were given to former Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly at the beginning of the college football season. However, Day and Ohio State will need to adjust next season after it was announced that Kelly would be moving to the NFL next season as the offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Day outlined how he was thrilled that the campaign concluded in a national championship for the iconic school.
“I enjoyed winning a national championship. There were really great moments,” Day outlined.
He then continued by highlighting how not calling the plays for the team allowed him to create a stronger bond with his players.
“Just connecting with the guys, good moments, bad moments, you know, all of the above. It’s like being part of a family. You know, being a brother, being a dad, being an uncle, being a colleague. You know, I think that allowed me to do that and bounce around.”
Ohio State Buckeyes Season Review
The Buckeyes enjoyed an up-and-down regular season this past year. However, they showed up when it mattered most. With regular-season losses against their rival Michigan Wolverines and Oregon Ducks, many believed the program would not do too much upon arriving at the expanded College Football Playoff.
Yet, despite qualifying as the No. 8 seed heading into the tournament, the Buckeyes won the whole playoff and this year’s national championship. In the process, they defeated the No. 9-seeded Tennessee Volunteers, the No. 1-seeded Oregon Ducks, the No. 5-seeded Texas Longhorns, and the No. 7-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
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As alluded to, the program lost Kelly to the NFL, something that Day and Co. need to address very soon.
As a result, while it remains to be seen whether Day resumes play-calling next year, it is evident that he enjoyed his time in a different coaching role this past year.
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