After three consecutive defeats against Michigan, Ohio State coach Ryan Day is under scrutiny

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day sounds confident and composed when he talks about this year’s football team.

Ignore the three Michigan banners hanging above his head and slightly behind the podium where he’s speaking at the first of three Big Ten media days in Indianapolis – or the fact that they’re not-so-subtly reminding him of what’s at stake when he heads home.

Yes, even though the 45-year-old coach has won 39 league games since taking over one of college football’s most prestigious programs in 2018, he still has to answer questions about the three losses that have ravaged the program – all against arch-rival Michigan.

” Our boys know what is expected. “You’ve heard what some of them say about their goals,” Day said Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium. “We want to win the rivalry game, be here in this stadium and win the Big Ten championship and the national championship.”

The day is held here every year and reminds everyone what’s on the list and in what order. In Columbus, Ohio, the win over Michigan trumps everything else.

So three straight losses, each of which put Michigan in a Big Ten title game, still irk fans. And although the Wolverines capitalized on their opportunity from last year by winning the conference title for the third year in a row and their first national title since sharing the title with Nebraska in 1997, many Buckeyes fans claimed the victory was marred by the Wolverines’ signal-stealing strategy.

Still, this hasn’t made it any easier for fans or Day’s job security to accept.

Despite having an 11-2 record in each of the last three seasons, despite making three playoff appearances and playing for a national title, despite reaching New Year’s Six Bowls in all five seasons as coach, he is clearly on the hot seat this fall.

Day understands why this is so, and so do his players.

“After we lost to those guys a couple of times, a lot of nonsense came out that he didn’t care, which couldn’t be more wrong,” All-Conference defensive end Jack Sawyer said. “He gets criticized unfairly sometimes, but he knows what he committed to and we all committed to doing the same thing and we didn’t get it done either. If anything, that doesn’t reflect on him, it reflects on us as players.”

This is one of the main reasons why a dozen players, including Sawyer, chose to return to campus rather than join the NFL early – to correct a perceived mistake.

And this could be the year of the Buckeyes.

Ohio State heads into the fall considered by many to be the preseason conference favorite. Media area selected four of the 12 Buckeyes returning players are the best at their respective positions this season. Day also assigned former college and NFL head coach Chip Kelly to call plays and signed quarterback Will Howard, who threw 24 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions at Kansas State last season.

Day believes Howard’s mobility and Kelly’s innovative attacking style could change everything in Columbus, Ohio.

“It starts with the quarterback and then it’s about the offensive line, the running backs, the receivers and how that all fits together,” Day said. “I think he (Kelly) would tell you he’s very excited about what he has in terms of the talent level on the perimeter, up front, the running backs, the quarterback options and the tight ends.”

The Buckeyes look even stronger defensively, having allowed the second fewest points per game in the nation last season at 11.23, with only Michigan allowing more points.

Nine starters from that group return, starting with Sawyer and cornerback Denzel Burke. Sawyer played high school football in suburban Columbus and dreamed of the day he would help Ohio State beat Michigan. Burke still dreams of it.

“You can’t really leave without gold pants,” said Burke, referring to the coveted trophy that Ohio State awards for defeating the Wolverines.

Michigan won’t play in Indy until Thursday and will be mostly in reload mode.

The defending champions are returning only a few regular players and a new coach, Sherrone Moore, after Jim Harbaugh returned to the NFL.

For Day, that just means there’s more at stake.

If you beat Michigan, all is well. But if you lose again, it’s conceivable that Day won’t be around to see another banner added to the Lucas Oil Stadium collection.

“I’d be lying if I told you it doesn’t light a fire inside us,” Sawyer said. “It’s definitely something we think about. We know what’s at stake when we play these guys. All of our goals and hopes for the season hinge on that one game in November. They hate us, we hate them. That’s the way it has to be.”

___

Get poll alerts and AP Top 25 updates throughout the season. Sign up Here. AP College Football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll And https://apnews.com/hub/college-football