OSU's Jack Sawyer: Ryan Day Told Players to Play CFB 25 Video Game to Learn Opponents
Jul 23, 2024
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 29: Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to running back TreVeyon Henderson (#32) during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Missouri Tigers on December 29, 2023 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
If it feels like every football fan in your life right now is playing the College Football 25 video game, well, they probably are.
That even includes members of the Ohio State football team themselves, at the behest of head coach Ryan Day:
Ohio State DE Jack Sawyer told me Ryan Day told his team to play the new CFB video game to help learn opponents. #BigTenpic.twitter.com/soDyblh6Bm
A video game can't replace the real thing, of course, but given that real players are represented in the return of the EA Sports' college football series—and the game does include extensive playbooks and schemes—it's not the worst way for players to gain a rudimentary understanding of their future opponents before the real film work commences.
Some coaches already load playbooks into games like College Football 25 or the Madden series to help their own players familiarize themselves with the scheme, so utilizing video games as a teaching tool is hardly a new phenomenon.
Ohio State's Caleb Downs Could Play Safety, RB After Transfer from Alabama
Jun 18, 2024
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Defensive back Caleb Downs #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide walks to the field before the CFP Semifinal Rose Bowl Game against the Michigan Wolverines at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 1, 2024 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day signaled Alabama transfer could be deployed on both sides of the ball during the 2024 season.
Day told reporters Tuesday that Downs, who's listed as a safety on the roster, has attended some running back meetings.
"I know that he has the capability to do it," the coach said. "I know he has the athleticism to do it. We'll see where it goes."
Two-way players in college football have grown increasingly rare. The physical demands are simply too high in the modern game, and stars with NFL aspirations have too much to lose by taking the risk.
After the success of Colorado's Travis Hunter, the idea could become more popular again. Hunter had 721 receiving yards and three interceptions in his first year with the Buffaloes.
Part of the reason Colorado leaned so heavily on Hunter, though, was through necessity. He was the team's best player, and its six-game slide to finish out the season laid bare its lack of depth across the roster.
That's not an issue for Ohio State, especially when it comes to running back.
TreVeyon Henderson is back after running for 926 yards and 11 touchdowns, and the Buckeyes signed Quinshon Judkins out of the transfer portal. Judkins had 2,725 yards and 31 scores on the ground in his two seasons at Ole Miss.
you never want to limit guys potential in fear of injury. not how the game should be played. in the same breath, you don’t take unnecessary risks & tempt fate either.
It's hard to see what Downs would bring to the table and whether whatever minor edge he provides is worth adding to his workload.
OSU's Ryan Day Will Give Up Play-Calling Duties in 2024 amid Bill O'Brien Rumors
Feb 7, 2024
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes walks on the field prior to the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 14, 2023 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day still intends to relinquish offensive play-calling duties despite newly hired offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien already linked with a move elsewhere.
"I know that has to happen," he told reporters Wednesday.
Ryan Day on giving up playcalling duties:
"Well, I haven't done it yet," Day said with a laugh.
He continued, “I know that has to happen. ... Do I want to? No, I love the football part of it. ... I know that my energy and time needs to be in other areas.”
Day didn't provide any updates regarding O'Brien, who has reportedly interviewed with Boston College as they search for a new head coach. The team has begun looking at potential replacements, though.
"It isn't just one of those situations where you take out one guy and put another guy in there and move on," he said. "It doesn't work that way. But yes, we talked to different people for that position and we have contingency plans in place. Hopefully, we don't have to go down that road, though."
Some Buckeyes fans were probably left underwhelmed by O'Brien's initial hire.
His seven years as head coach of the Houston Texans aren't remembered fondly despite him finishing with a winning record there and reaching the playoffs four times. The same can be said of his last three seasons as an offensive coordinator, two at Alabama and one with the New England Patriots.
But bringing in a coach with a wealth of experience in college and the NFL at least made sense considering Day is looking to be a little less involved with the offense.
Brian Hartline has assumed the title of co-offensive coordinator alongside O'Brien.
The 37-year-old has been great at developing Ohio State's wide receivers along with helping to land a number of high-profile recruits. Sooner or later he'll be running an offense on his own, whether it's at Ohio State or another major school.
Hartline hasn't been a full-time play-caller before, though. With so much on the line for Day in 2024, he isn't an ideal choice as the sole offensive coordinator.
At such a late point in the hiring cycle, there may not be another plausible solution.
The Ohio State Buckeyes won 11 games in 2023 but still had, by their standards, a disappointing campaign. A 30-24 loss to Michigan knocked the Buckeyes out of…
Caleb Downs Talks Nick Saban's Alabama Retirement, Transferring to OSU Over Georgia
Jan 30, 2024
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 01: Defensive back Caleb Downs #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide defends in coverage during the CFP Semifinal Rose Bowl Game against the Michigan Wolverines at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 1, 2024 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
It's safe to say Caleb Downs caught the attention of the college football world when he decided to leave Alabama and enter the transfer portal before ultimately landing at Ohio State.
The safety spoke to reporters for the first time since choosing the Buckeyes over Georgia and others, and he revealed he received 102 calls within the first seven or eight hours after entering the portal.
While he answered approximately 80 of them, his decision largely came down to the Buckeyes and Bulldogs, and Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and secondary coach Tim Walton seemed to make the difference.
"I just love the program here," Downs said. "I love Coach Walton and love what the people had to say around here. I believe in Coach Day, and I believe in this team."
He also said name, image and likeness opportunities were not the driving force in his decision.
"At the end of the day, I love playing football," Downs said. "And that's what I'm here to do. I'm not here to make money or do anything like that. I know there's a lot of opportunities here in terms of the city of Columbus, but at the end of the day, I'm here to help this team win football games and I'm here to do my best to try to develop."
While Day, Walton, safeties coach Matt Guerrieri and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles all made an in-home visit with Downs after he entered the portal, he likely wouldn't be at Ohio State if legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban didn't retire. After all, he chose the Crimson Tide over the Buckeyes as a high school prospect and clearly still appreciates Saban.
"It was a huge surprise walking into that meeting and him saying that," Downs said of the retirement. "My heart dropped, for sure. But at the end of the day, if that's what he felt was best for him, I love him for it and that's what he needed to do."
Alabama's loss is Ohio State's gain, and the Downs commitment was one of the highlights in what has turned into an excellent offseason for the Scarlet and Gray.
They also added Crimson Tide quarterback Julian Sayin and offensive lineman Seth McLaughlin in the portal. Throw in former Ole Miss star running back Quinshon Judkins and former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, and the Buckeyes made some critical transfer additions.
They also maintained a number of key members from last year's team, including running back TreVeyon Henderson, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, cornerback Denzel Burke, and safety Lathan Ransom.
The Downs and Ransom pairing at safety could be the best in the nation considering Pro Football Focus noted the latter allowed the lowest passer rating in coverage last season at 19.8 while the former was the SEC Freshman of the Year with 107 tackles, four passes defended, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
It is championship-or-bust for Ohio State entering the 2024 campaign, and the addition of Downs is a major reason for optimism among Buckeyes fans.
The Tennessee Titans threw themselves into the NFL coaching carousel Tuesday after they announced the firing Mike Vrabel after six seasons at the helm. With…
Ohio State President: Ryan Day Will Remain HC Despite 3rd Straight Loss to Michigan
Jan 8, 2024
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 29: Ohio State head coach Ryan Day calls a play during the 88th annual Cotton Bowl game between the Missouri Tigers and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday, December 29, 2023 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Most new college presidents likely wouldn't be asked about the status of the head football coach within the first few minutes of his or her introductory press conference, but that's life at Ohio State.
And new university president Walter "Ted" Carter was the latest to weigh in on Ryan Day's job security after the Buckeyes dropped their rivalry game against Michigan for the third straight year.
"I have a great respect for the biggest rivalries that exist in the country," Carter said, per Colin Gay of the Columbus Dispatch. "As somebody that ran the Naval Academy, the Army/Navy game is as big of a rivalry second to the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry. I think Ryan Day would also say that the goals are to win the Big Ten and win a national championship every year. We didn't meet that.
"But Ryan Day runs a fantastic program. He's our coach. I'm proud that he's our coach. And he will continue to be our coach."
It is a testament to the high standards at Ohio State that Day's job security is a major topic even though he has a 56-8 record and three College Football Playoff appearances in five full seasons as the head coach.
Yet the Buckeyes have three primary goals every season: beat Michigan, win the Big Ten and win the national title.
While winning a national title every year is an unrealistic standard for any program, Ohio State is 0-for-9 on those goals the past three seasons. Failing to accomplish any of the objectives for three straight years has dialed up the heat from both inside and outside the fanbase.
Day has also come agonizingly close to winning a national championship multiple times with a title game loss to Alabama in the 2020 season and CFP losses to Clemson and Georgia in the 2019 and 2022 campaigns that included controversial officiating decisions that went against him.
Had a play or two gone a different direction in those moments, the narrative around the head coach could be much different.
Alas, Ohio State is now in a situation where it has fallen behind its primary rival, which is competing for the national championship on Monday night. That is not where it wants to be, and how Day responds in 2024 and perhaps beyond will determine how his tenure is remembered.
Fortunately for Buckeyes fans, he seems to be responding well this offseason.
The Scarlet and Gray have already landed quarterback Will Howard and center Seth McLaughlin in the transfer portal. They have also been heavily connected to Ole Miss transfer running back Quinshon Judkins and brought in a top-five recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Throw in the returns of Tyleik Williams, Lathan Ransom and Jack Sawyer, and the potential returns of Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, Denzel Burke and JT Tuimoloau, and things are trending in the right direction for the Buckeyes this offseason.
But Day will have to parlay that offseason success into a win over Michigan and a Big Ten title if he wants to feel good about his job security.
Ryan Day on Ohio State's 2-Loss Season After Defeat to Missouri: 'Not Good Enough'
Dec 30, 2023
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on prior to a game against the Missouri Tigers during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
The Ohio State Buckeyes have posted yet another two-loss season following Friday's loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, and head coach Ryan Day knows his team's performance hasn't been good enough.
"I told them a lot of guys played hard in this game. You saw guys fighting here and there. We got put in a tough spot and didn't help [Lincoln Kienholz] at all, and that's why we lost the game. It hurts to finish the season like this—with two losses," Day told reporters after the loss. "That's not good enough at Ohio State and we all know that."
Ohio State was outplayed by Missouri from start to finish as the Tigers won 14-3.
The Buckeyes offense was particularly horrendous as Kienholz managed to complete just 6 of 17 passes for 86 yards. Devin Brown also took some snaps under center, completing four of six passes for 20 yards.
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka finished with six catches for 63 yards and running back TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 72 yards on 19 carries.
The Buckeyes have gone 11-2 in each of the last three seasons under Day and have posted back-to-back losses in their bowl games.
To be fair, Ohio State was without two of their best players in Friday's game, which didn't help matters.
Quarterback Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal and committed to the Syracuse Orange and star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. opted out of the game as one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft.
The Buckeyes now enter 2024 with questions at quarterback. Brown and Kienholz will be in the conversation and five-star prospect Air Noland will also arrive in Columbus next season looking to take over the starting job as a freshman.
If Henderson decides to declare for the NFL draft, Dallan Hayden is poised to take over as the team's starting running back. Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith also figure to step up at receiver.
With the Buckeyes having not made the College Football Playoff since 2022, the Buckeyes will be under significant pressure to do so in 2024 when the field expands to 12 teams.
Ohio State has walked off the gridiron for the final time in 2023, ending the campaign with a X-X win against/loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. In reality,…
Ryan Day, OSU Slammed by Fans for Abysmal Offense in Cotton Bowl Loss vs. Missouri
Dec 30, 2023
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on prior to a game against the Missouri Tigers during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
The No. 7 Ohio State football team failed to score a touchdown for the first time in seven years on Friday en route to a 14-3 loss to the No. 9 Missouri Tigers in the Cotton Bowl.
Quarterbacks Devin Brown (who left early due to an ankle injury) and Lincoln Kienholz completed just 10-of-23 passes for 106 yards. The running game posted only 2.9 yards per carry (33 yards, 97 attempts). Ohio State scored on just one its 11 drives, including eight straight in which it came up empty after a first quarter field goal.
During and after this game, fans and analysts pointed the finger at Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who has been the subject of a torrent of criticism over the years.
For starters, Day's Buckeyes have not fared well against the best in the nation.
OSU has lost three straight games to Michigan since 2021. The Buckeyes have entered each contest as the No. 2 team in the nation. Two of those defeats led to OSU being shut out of the College Football Playoff, including this season.
Under Day, postseason success has been hard to come by. The Buckeyes lost in the CFP semifinal in 2019 and 2022. They reached the final in 2020 but were crushed 52-24 to Alabama once there. The 2021 campaign did end with a Rose Bowl win over Utah, but now this year ended in about as ugly of an offensive fashion as possible.
Ohio State fans haven't seen something akin to this since 2016, when the Buckeyes fell 31-0 to Clemson in the CFP semifinals. Friday marked OSU's lowest scoring output since that game.
That Clemson team was elite and ended up winning the national championship though. Missouri is certainly impressive in its own right as the ninth-ranked team in the nation, but it also entered the Cotton Bowl allowing 22.3 points per game (40th in Division I FBS).
In fairness to Day, the Buckeyes entered this one shorthanded. Superstar wide receiver and Heisman finalist Marvin Harrison Jr. skipped the Cotton Bowl, presumably in advance of declaring for the 2024 NFL draft.
Starting quarterback Kyle McCord has left for Syracuse. Wideout Julian Fleming, who finished third among OSU wideouts in receptions and receiving yards, is in the transfer portal. Running back Chip Trayanum, the team's second-leading rusher, has already left for Kentucky.
However, there was still talent left over, and yet Ohio State could not muster any points in the final three quarters.
Folks had plenty to say about Day and the Buckeyes while viewing this performance.
Come on, Ryan Day. It's the Cotton Bowl. It's a meaningless exhibition game. You have a young QB in there you may really have to count on in a few years.
Ryan Day had three top 100 recruits as QBs in the room this season. If this is the best he can get out of the two with multiple years in the system — and Will Howard is the best backup plan he’s got — that QB whisperer moniker is gonna have an expiration date real fast.
I can't recall an offensive line being this bad in all my years. However, when Missouri is not even disguising pressure Ryan Day never adjusted. Straight numbers game when it comes to blocking.
I don't wanna hear about the transfer portal, leaving for the draft, injuries, or any other excuses, that was a pathetic performance by supposedly 1 of the Top 5 programs in the entire country. #RyanDay & @OhioStateFB should be embarrassed!
— Kenny "The Roadman" Roda🎙🎧📻🏈⚾️🏀🏒⚽️ (@TheKennyRoda) December 30, 2023
#OhioState under Ryan Day is officially a charmin soft program.
Embarrassing. There are a LOT of changes that better happen after this shit show embarrassment.
Now Ohio State moves onto 2024 with more questions than answers after a tough ending to the season. Next year kicks off on Aug. 31 with a home game against Akron.
