Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Wednesday he was 鈥渋n shock鈥� after losing to rival Michigan for the fourth straight year and looks to the College Football Playoff as a chance to redeem himself and his team.
The calls to fire Day have been growing louder since Saturday's 13-10 loss to underdog Michigan, a team that just became bowl eligible the previous week.
What may be saving Day's job immediately is that Ohio State is No. 6 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings and will have a national playoff game, possibly at home, on Dec. 21 or 22. If the Buckeyes win a national championship, all will be forgiven.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no way to defend losing four years in a row," Day said during his signing day news conference. 鈥淏ut I know this: We鈥檙e going to play really hard in this game. We鈥檙e going to swing as hard as we possibly can."
Day acknowledged what everyone who watched Saturday's game saw: The Buckeyes stayed with running plays that weren't working, pass protection was lousy, they faltered in the red zone and had special-teams problems, including two missed field goals by Jaden Fielding.
鈥淚 was in shock after the game, I really was,鈥� Day said.
鈥淭here were some things that happened in the game that, you know, I鈥檓 responsible for that can never happen again. I don鈥檛 know how else to say it,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd then other things that, you know, it鈥檚 still a game of football. Certain things that are going to happen in the game affect the outcome. That鈥檚 just how it goes.鈥�
To make matters worse, a postgame brawl started when jubilant Michigan players tried to plant their flag in the middle of the block O at midfield, raising the ire of Buckeyes players. Police had to use pepper spray to get the teams apart. The Big Ten Conference subsequently fined each school $100,000.
The optics were bad for everyone concerned.
Despite all the outside noise, Day said everybody at the university has been behind him. Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork expressed his "full support鈥� for the coach.
鈥淲e got an opportunity to go win the national championship and, you know, everybody, around here has been very supportive on that, focusing on that,鈥� Day said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 really what it is. And I know what the job is. I know where the focus needs to be. And there hasn't been a ton of communication other than that."