Head coach Ryan Day was speculated to be on the hot seat after the Ohio State Buckeyes’ fourth-straight loss to their archrival Michigan Wolverines this season, despite the Buckeyes holding a 10-1 record at the time. After three straight victories with a wide margin in the College Football Playoff, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly made it known that he always knew Day was built to be a sideline leader.
Chip Kelly Explains the Pressure on Ryan Day
During a press conference on Jan. 14, Kelly expressed his confidence in Day.
“I think the one thing about knowing him for so long, I’m not surprised, you know, I told him a long time ago, he was built for this. You know, he understands the gravity of what you have to do to be a head coach here, and I think he’s handled it tremendously.”
However, with just one more game left till Ohio State can potentially achieve its dream of winning the College Football Playoff National Championship, the pressure is mounting. Ohio State last won a title when it defeated No. 2-ranked Oregon 42-20 in 2014.
If the Buckeyes win it this year, it would be their ninth claimed title. With over a decade since the Buckeyes’ last championship win, Kelly believes that Day will continue to carry the weight of it all until the end.
“I do not sense a load off his shoulders right now,” Kelly said. “Ask me that question next Tuesday, but I do not sense any load off of his shoulders right now.”
Day talked about Ohio State’s (14-1) upcoming finale against Notre Dame (14-1) on Jan. 20th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and reflected on his team’s chances despite not winning the conference title.
“When things are going good, you’ve got to hug the guys you love the most, and when things aren’t, you’ve got to hug them even harder. You just hang in there, and you keep swinging. That’s life, and this team is resilient. When you surround yourself with great people with great character, you find yourself working through difficult times.”
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“At the end of the day, we wanted to win a national championship, and the way that we got here wasn’t what we expected. It wasn’t what we planned for.”
According to College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter, the Buckeyes are projected to win by 4.5 points, with a 63.1% chance of winning.
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