'They're coming together for a common purpose': Ryan Day talks Ohio State on Jim Tressel podcast
Ryan Day thinks Ohio State is building something elite in 2024.
In a conversation with former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel on Tressel's “It’s All About the Team” podcast, Day said that to “chase championships,” teams need to embrace a team mentality that is building off the strengths and weaknesses of everyone in the program.
And Day said he sees that in Ohio State heading into the 2024 season.
“To have guys who decided to forgo the NFL draft to come back, and then a few other guys come into the program, you can feel that right now where when they wake up in the morning, they’re not just waking up because they have to be there at 7:15. They’re waking up because they want to beat the Team Up North and win a national championship,” Day said. “And everyone on the team can tell you that. They’re coming together for a common purpose. And that’s what we hope in the end is what allows us to raise the trophy.”
Day has led Ohio State to 56 wins in 64 games coached. However, the Buckeyes have not beaten rival Michigan since 2019. The Buckeyes have also won two of six bowl games under Day, who last led Ohio State to a bowl win in 2021.
But Day also recognized the stage of Ohio State is not for everyone. He said while it’s the position coaches’ job to identify talent through recruiting and in the transfer portal, it’s his job to see if that particular player fits Ohio State.
“There’s a lot that comes with Ohio State,” Day said. “Ohio State’s different than other schools. And, you know, it’s not for everybody. And I think now, more than ever, you have to open up your doors and say, ‘This is who we are. Here are the challenges, here are the things that are great about Ohio State,’ and allow them to take that step toward you. And tell them all the reasons why we think it’s great. Show them all the great things that come with being a Buckeye. But if they do that, when things go bad or they have a bad day or something, they hit adversity, they’re going to hang onto it. They’re not just going to jump into the portal.”
Day said this “transparent” approach to recruiting is part of his job as a head coach: to look to the horizon of what’s next, and make sure the team as a whole has one vision of what’s ahead, one of the things he said he’s learned in his five seasons as the Buckeyes’ head coach.
“This job isn’t for the faint of heart,” Day said. “You've got to make hard decisions. And when you care a lot about relationships and you care a lot about people, but you also know what’s at stake. And you have to have the courage to make a change sometimes when it’s not easy."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jim Tressel podcast: Ryan Day reflects on Ohio State football
