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The college football season has a period. At the end of the sentence, it's over. Back to back national titles for the Big Ten. Wonder what SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is thinking, because it used to be the SEC was the powerhouse. But once everybody got an opportunity to pay players and transfer portal, all of a sudden nil that changed things dramatically. Notre Dame, that was a good year.
If I would have said back in that weekend when they lost in Northern Illinois, they're going to play for national championship, you probably would have thought not this year, Ohio State beating Michigan. And if I would have said after that game, hey, don't worry, they're going to win the national title. After they lost to Michigan, they're going to win the national title. You have these moments. The question is how do you react after those moments? After
those games. Notre Dame reacted and won and continue to win. And Marcus Freeman IS's star in the sport Ryan Day, the embattled Ryan Day. You lose to Michigan again, if you don't have a twelve team playoff, you may not have Ryan Day winning a national championship this year. In fact, you probably don't, but this is college football.
Now.
Who knows what it's going to be like next year or in five years from now. But give credit to Ohio State because they were the better team last night. When it was thirty one seven, I kept thinking, all right, Ohio State, just maybe another field goal so I can go to bed, and then all of a sudden, here comes Notre Day, and then here comes Notre Day, and then all of a sudden, I'm going, what's the point spread?
Eight and a half? Oh my goodness. Now I'm watching, and I thought, if they don't get that third and nine when they throw it to Jeremiah Smith, Now all of a sudden, you got some people going, all right, there's a lot of money the cover of the year. When you think about it, you one to seven and you're going, I'm good. I all these Ohio State fans, they laid the eight and a half. They're like, if this is going to be a blowout, halftime high five in each other, Yeah, hey, I got your beers. Marcus
Freeman comes out second half, Notre name head coach. He looked like he had just been in the washing machine, and was like what just happened? And then they got a couple of plays made it interesting, and Ohio State did what they needed to do with a crucial you know, I mean going forward third and nine. Here was Ryan Day with that call on the completion to Jeremiah Smith.
We felt like we had an advantage with Jeremiah on that shot, and you know, we've talked about it all week, really hadn't thrown one all game, and it was like, you know what game in a line, you know, let's go. Let's just be aggressive. And I just thought to myself, you know, you only even won national championship, you only get one opportunity, you know, a year to do this. Let's just lay it on the line and put it out there and be aggressive. And that's what we did.
Yeah, third and long, and they were aggressive. Notre Dame would have gotten the ball back, they'd have had about two minutes to go. Maybe maybe we could have had a dramatic finish. Stat of the Day brought to you by Panini America. The official trading cards of The Dan
Patrick Show. First hour of the program brought to you by Rapid Radios, the official walkie talkie for The Dan Patrick Show instant pushed to talk, offering national LTE coverage, no subscriptions ever, perfect for instant contact with your friends. And you can go to Rapid Radios dot com sixty percent off and free shipping. All right, see poll question for hour one is going to.
Be okay, Well, we've got one from here from Marvin. We've got a bunch from toime. All has checked in. Where would you like to start?
Dan?
I'm going to go Marvin because it's rare when Marvin offers up something. Poll question wise.
If you're an Ohio State fan, you'd rather lose to Michigan but win a national title or beat Michigan and lose in the college football playoffs.
I think this is crazy that there are fans it's so important to beat Michigan. That has been your identity. And yeah, we won a national title, but you need to beat Michigan. If you said to Ohio State fans, you're gonna lose again to Michigan next year, but you're going to play for the national championship. You have to play for a national championship.
You would think you would, you would think.
But you know, fan bases, the old school fan base, how important it was, because it used to be if you lost that game, you weren't playing for a national championship. That was the importance of it. Now with the twelve team playoff, fourteen team playoffs, sixteen team playoff, Okay, you lose bragging rights there, but man, that national title that'll cure everything. That's the great elixir, a national title. Yes, Paul, I have an idea.
I would present it to you specifically because you know Ohio State and history. Today is the day to start de emphasizing the Michigan game going forward. Step you are the national title holders. You're on full scholarship. Now going forward, you've got the big payroll. Start using the word Michigan when you talk about them. Don't say the team up north. Start saying Michigan like you would say Ohio State, like you'd say Purdue or Iowa Wisconsin. Treat them all the same.
But why can't you have both? Why can't this still mean so much? But the national title is more important than that.
Because, like we've been saying, it's meaning a little too much the past decade. Start de emphasizing it and making another game.
Beat them.
You're gonna beat them or not either way, but start saying Michigan, Iowa, Purdue step.
One, Yeah, won't happen.
Not the team up.
North, not gonna happen. Just not not. Don't fight it, I know, just saying, Hey, I'm not one of those that would go, boy, I'd rather beat Michigan and then win a national title. That's silly.
I want to follow up on that. Okay, there's no one who really believes that. That's more of a perception of the national media about Ohio State fans.
Maybe maybe because I can't.
Imagine an Ohio State fan today going, you know what, if I could have a do over this year, I would wax Michigan and take it on the chin and Notre Dame.
Yes, right, But like Michigan fans are somehow taking a little bit of a victory lap too, being like, yeah, but we beat the national chair, so I guess we really are, like, which is absurd. That's I get, how tongue in cheek that is too. But these two fan bases are that crazy that somehow they find a way to take losses and make them wins depending on those circuits.
Oh, if I'm Michigan, I'm taking a victory lap. Oh heck yass. You know, you had a bad season, couldn't find a quarterback first year without Jim Harball, and you beat Ohio State at Ohio State. And this was brought up to me by a former Ohio State player last night, and he said, you know what changed when Michigan tried to plant the flag? He said, that changed this football team. All of a sudden, they in their minds became us
against the world, and they were underdogs somehow. And I said, okay, I mean, I'll factor that in that all of a sudden, Jack Sawyer's grabbing the Michigan flag and throwing it away, and now, all of a sudden, there's a different purpose with Ohio State. Sure, okay, I mean if you feel that that was a seismic shift with his team, they became a little bit more I don't know together, but there's so much talent there. That's why, you know, when we look at Ohio State, it's hard to say that
they were an underdog. I mean, they're incredible. You know, you poached guys from around the country, you spent over twenty million. I mean, you should be great. The fact that you couldn't come up with an offense against Michigan. That was what was mind boggling here. I know you lose to Oregon, but that was close game at Oregon. This was a great team, yes, Marvin, So last night Ohio State was David not in order Dain? Yeah, okay, no,
just making sure. Yeah, well, David got knocked down, David didn't have a slingshot, and then all of a sudden, David had a shotgun. And then you're like, here comes David, and David's going to put some heat on Ohio State. But Ohio State was a better team. Can't imagine that somebody's going, yeah, but we better beat Michigan next year. I don't know if there's pressure on Ryan Day. And once again, I grew up in this environment. I grew up in Ohio. I understand that feeling when Michigan would
beat Ohio State and ruin your college football season. But I can't imagine somebody like, next year, if Ohio State doesn't beat Michigan, that Ryan Day is all of a sudden going to be.
On the hot seat again.
Are we reheating Ryan Day? Yes?
Yeah, how in the world can that even be a conversation today?
I trust me, we get to next season and if that happens, then we will be discussing that. People will discuss that about Ryan Deack. Rick new Heiseel a little bit later on, and I got a couple of questions for him, And I have great respect for Rick. One of the smartest college football guys. I know I'm watching Jeremiah Smith and he's a freshman. If I said, let's say the Patriots, you can have Travis Hunter or Jeremiah Smith, who would you take with that second pick overall? Is
that what it is? Who would you take because you got a two way star? Or you have this guy who's great. So we'll talk to new Heiseel. Also, who is more likely to go to the NFL first, Ryan Day or Marcus Freeman. How about that Patriots have the fourth pick here, But so we'll talk to Rick new Heisl little bit later on.
Yes, I was thinking about nil and Jeremiah Smith as a freshman. What is his retention fee to stay at Ohio State?
But if you're Georgia oh like you, you at least have to You won a national title at Ohio State, so they can't be that mad. If you say, you know what, I got to do something for my family now I'm a freshman. If you say that, I would, I mean, I'd at least kicked the tires on it. Just say how much am I worth? How much my worth?
I don't know.
I mean, is he worth what a quarterback's worth. I'd say yes. My surprise is in the previous But my surprise is against Texas. I think he had three targets. I mean that to me is criminal. I'd get him the ball no matter what. Like there's certain players where you go, I'm going to devise things to get you the ball. You have Chip Kelly devise something. And that's what amazed me. Ill will use him as a decoy. N Let's just use him as the best player on the field. They went to him last night, I still
would have gone to him more. Notre Dame plays man coverage. I would have gone to him, and I would have kept going to him until they put two guys on him, and then I'd take advantage elsewhere.
Yeah, Paul, I know all is well in Ohio state Land today. But let's say Jeremiah Smith doesn't catch that ball, or they target someone else, Notredame gets the ball back and sends us to overtime. I know it's unlikely, but the math was there that Notre Dame could win. That Jeremi Smith had one second half target.
I don't get that.
I was sitting there thinking about the downside, and I was like, if Ohio State loses this game, it's going to be catastrophic if their star player had one or fewer targets in the second half.
I don't.
I don't understand it. You know, I'm sure there's a lot of smarter people than me that could tell me. But I have to get him the ball, have to like remarkable though. I mean, when they did go to him, he made the great catch and you know this band coverage all right? Yes, Marvin, Sorry, one more thing.
Yes, is it too early to play the career salary game with Jeremi Smith? He should changed he and put a dollar sign.
Yeah, what's he worth? Ten million dollars? Is that fairy.
Quarterbacks get six seven million dollars? There's nobody like him in the country. I don't. I'm sure Ohio State fans hate hearing about what if you're Michigan. What if you're Michigan and you go, hey, how much we got in the collective?
Hey?
Can you call Larry Ellison again, you know, one of the five richest people in the world and a booster there notre name or his wife went to Michigan. Hey, Larry, we need ten million dollars? Which four? Jeremiah Smith? Oh yeah, okay, yes, Pully.
I have on three dot com their NIL valuations and they're very spot on. Arch Manning is number one, Carson Beck number two, Jeremi Smith, the wide receiver is number three. His NIL valuation is four to five million dollars. He's the only non quarterback in the top twelve. Yeah, well what's he worth?
Now? All right?
Eight seven seven three DP show. We'll get to other possible pull questions. Yes, Tom, what would be a.
Reasonable number to leave one school for your arch rivals where you can feel comfortable with that and not get destroyed if you care about your social following, what people think of you.
I would not go to Michigan. I'd go south. And he's from Florida. I'd go South Michigan.
Be like three four million dollars more? Is that enough? And you're not getting that money anywhere else for whatever reason.
I'd think you somebody's gonna match the offer, But I would be I'd be curious, what is it costing Ohio State to keep him? And does anybody reach out to him or one of his middleman or agents or whatever.
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He is a former All Conference tight end in high school, former Milwaukee Brewer great and now a Hall of Famer. C. C. Sabathia, Congratulations, thank you, thank you. What kind of tight end were you like? You know what?
What?
Who did you pattern your game after? In high school?
I was not a blocking tight end. I was more of a need I need at least three balls throwing my way a half before I can, you know, start blocking.
My model was no rock, no block, no rock, no block.
Did you think about playing in college?
I did.
I really wanted to. I really wanted to play football. That was that was my first love. I really enjoyed playing football. But I but I know, like my body type, since I would have got to college, they would have turned me into office attackle right away. So I mean hopefully it hopefully it would have paid off. But yeah, I mean I would have loved to be out of been able to have a chance to go to college to play football.
How many pairs of pants do you have for your playing days? I love I'd love to get a pair of those those pants.
Man, You know what, I honestly, I probably have a couple of pairs. They put it, they put They put a few on my locker when I go back for spring training now, just for just for fun, I can get both legs and one and one and one leg now.
But what made you go to those large, you know, baggy pants.
You know what? It was just me wanting to like resent myself. You know.
It was the hat being tilted sideways. When I first came up, the pants had to be super tight like that. You know, everybody wore the uniform super small and super tight, and they had to elastic at the bottom. And once I got a little older and a little established in the league, I was like, I want to kind of represent how I want to look on the field. And it was the back with the big jerseys and everybody's
wearing the throwback. So I adopted the big pants. I tilted my hat to the side or where a big My jersey was always my sleeves are always a lot longer than everybody else's and it was just kind of my style. And uh, it's a funny story about that. One time Russell Bringion when I was in Cleveland, wore my pants in Kansas City and George Brett came down and like lit him up totally. We looked like a clown, all this stuff he wasent to making the big game look bad and all these different things.
It was. It was hilarious. But yeah, I have a few pairs I can send you something.
What about the hat though, when you wore the hat to the side, what kind of reaction did you get.
Early in my career, not a good reaction obviously, as you know how the big leagues are with the unwritten rules, and you know, just being a young guy I was. I was twenty years old in that clubhouse when I first came up, so I was the youngest guy. The next oldest guy on that team was, you know, twenty six, twenty seven, so it was even hard to you know, for guys to relate to me. So yeah, I mean
it was just my thing. It was, you know, me wearing my hat way to the side and going to grab the ball with my hand from the third basement after every out. Was just kind of what two of those things that I wanted to be mine and I was able to carry that for you know, through my career for nineteen years.
Okay, but just tilting your hat to the sign. Was that something that your boys did, like guys you hung around with, Well.
No, you know what So when I when I was in high school, my high school coach, he would get on me about the way I wore my hat because scouts would show up at the field so early, so they would watch. I would always have my hat on backwards or you know, propped up on my head and you know, just walk into the park. So he would always get on me about, you know, the way I looked, the way I you know, represented myself walking you know,
with scouts walking around. So after I got drafted and you know, I felt like I was established, I was like, I'm more on my hat, however I want to however I want to wear it.
What's like Ken Griffey Junior when he had his hat backwards. All the baseball purists like, you're disrespecting the game.
Yeah, no, I mean it's just a thing that you know, and you know, other guys started adopting. You know, Fernando Rodney came up. He was wearing his hat to the side. Don Trelle Willis came up. We're from that same you know area. We've been knowing each other forever. He was wearing his hat to the side. So it became a thing, and and uh, you know, I'm glad I stuck with it.
Honestly, he's CC Sabbathia, freshly minted Hall of Famer. Where were you when you got the call?
I was here. I was home. You know.
We we had a bunch of people over and Baseball Hall of Fame is you know, it's it's a tricky thing. You don't know if you're gonna get that call or that. So we had a big party last night. And it could have been, you know, a big party. It could have you know, made for good TV, or you know, it made for you know, a good celebration last night. But you know, I wanted everybody around whether I got the call or not last night. It's just special being
on the ballot. I know how hard it is to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame being you know, just a sports fan in general, and understanding sports.
So it was a special moment for us.
Did you cry?
I haven't yet, but you know, like I see different things and I get on the verge of crying and then somebody text me or somebody calls it. I've been so busy, you know, with with you know, planning and you know, we're driving up a Cooperstown in an hour and all these different things. I think I haven't had a chance to really sit down and process it yet.
Which it means though, to go in first ballance it.
Means, I mean, it means a lot.
I mean, and like we like I just said, you know, understanding you know, Baseball Hall and understanding just a Hall of Fame in general. I don't think ten years ago, I don't think I go in as a first ballot Hall of Famer.
You know, I think, you.
Know, the the way the writers have looked at the game, and you know, the way the game has changed has allowed me to be a first ballot Hall of Famer, which is awesome to me. And you know, now I look at you know, myself and somebody like you know, justin Verlander, Max scherz Er, you know Greenky. You know, we're kind of starters you know, we're dying breed, you know, So you know, I feel like, you know, all those guys I just named the going first ballot.
Too, and Kershaw as well.
But you're Kershaw too.
I'm sorry, Yeah, but you're talking about that. You had thirty eight career complete games. Guys won't come close to that, and then pitching and have three thousand strikeouts and two hundred felt like it's almost like the running back where we got to the point where we devalued the running back. Now the running back came back, but the analytics has changed everything, and I don't know how analytics may have helped you be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Yeah, I think, I mean, I think there will be a lot more guys with you know, one hundred and fifty wins, three thousand strikeouts. You know, if you think, I think there'll be a lot more guys because if you look at it, the guys guys strake out two hundred and fifty two hundred and fifty guys a year now or you know, getting close to three hundred strikeouts a year just because you know, hitters don't care about
striking out. So I think we'll get guys with three thousand strikeouts, I think it'll be harder to get guys to two hundred wins. And as far as analytics for me, I mean yeah, I mean I think they helped in you know, I think they helped me get into the Hall of Fame obviously, like I said, because of you know,
the dying breeders starters. But while I was playing, you know, it was hard to you know, transition to you know, this this world of analytics and you know, trying to understand that it wants you to just throw your best pitch over and over and over again, where you know, I understand you need to set up you know, hitters to be able to you know, trick them with your best pitch. So you know, it was it was tough at the end of my career, you know, trying to
pitch with analytics. But you know, being outside out of the game and understanding analytics, I understand, you know there's a need.
For it in the game.
How did you do against each hei Roll?
Well, I mean, you know what, I honestly don't know.
I bet you each ye old has a good career batting batting average against me. Somebody told me last night that he was my thousand strikeout though, so that's pretty cool. But I got a cool story. I mean, two thousand and six, I was struggling trying to figure out I needed a putout pitch. So we're trying to figure out. I was trying to, you know, how to learn how to throw a cutter. Carl Willis and I went down to the bullpen in Oakland and he showed me a
grip of how he threw his cutter. And I came out of that bullpen with like an eighty two eighty three mile an hour slider that I started throwing, and I was like, Oh, this thing is nasty. I can't wait till my next start. We go from Oakland and Seattle. Next time I get into a game, I take it out there, and the first time I throw it in the game, each roll hit it off the window.
In my mind, I'm like, oh, no, it's just easy.
Like it's good because I'm getting out with it, I'm getting stikes with and I'm like, no, it's good.
He comes up the next time he hits it out of you.
Who is the guy though? That you could never figure out?
Uh man, it was a bunch, But I think Evan Longoria was a guy that I'll be staying on them out be like, man, I'm just I can't.
I got nothing for you but him.
Manny Ramirez, you know, uh, Miguel Cabrera, you know, just those quiet, right handed hitters that you know, see the strikes on the well.
Who's going to help you with your speech?
I think everybody's gonna help me with my speech, you know, I mean anybody that knows me. You know, I hate standing up in front of people and you know, kind of public speaking. So I'm gonna pull inspiration from everybody. But I want to I want to make sure I get it right. I want to make sure, you know, I get I named the right people and and uh, you know, get people their just due because it wasn't just me. You know the reason why. You know, I'm going to Cooper.
Shown as a Yankee, hopefully as a Yankee, yes, as a Yanks.
Should the ballot be made public, the writers one one person didn't vote for each roll.
Uh you know what, I don't think, So, I mean, I don't I don't like, you know, worrying about who didn't vote for who. I mean, it's you know, he's in the Hall of fame. Now, So what difference does it make? You know, we spend so much time, you know, worried about the negative and you know why he didn't vote for each row. But let's talk about the three hundred and ninety five votes he did get and you know, him going to Cooperstown because he's well deserved of it.
So you know, it's you know, it's just a you know, something that you know in baseball we all all worry about. In the other sports, it doesn't matter, right, it doesn't matter what present of the vote you get.
Once you go in, you're in. So you know, it kind of is what it is.
Best player you played with in your career was who ay Rod? Wow, that was quick?
Oh yeah? Why give Robbie a Lamar a close second?
Really?
Yeah?
So what was it about a ra that you'd take him over everybody else?
I mean, obviously, just is the talent that you know, I mean, you know, six ' three, you know, third basement shortstop at the time. You know when I when I was coming up the third basement of the time and I played with him, but his baseball IQ, his IQ was off the charge, the way he watches the game, the way you're sitting next to him on the bench, and you know, he'd be like, Oh, we need to hit and run here, or oh we need to double steal,
or oh this team is going to do this. He watches the game at a different level than we all watch the game, and you know, having a chance to play with him and have him at third base, there'd be times when you know, a guy be coming up and he'd be like, Hey, you know, throw a change up right here. This guy swinging first pitch, or you know this guy you know he may be taking right here. So he would be you know, just watching the game and the IQ and obviously putting the talent with that.
You know, he was the best player that I that I've ever got a chance to be up close to.
Did you ever get to socialize with Jeter?
Oh? Yeah, I'm really close with Jeter. He was actually just calling me right now.
I mean, oh, yeah, he's upset that you said a Rod over Jeter. But did you go out in New York? Like, what what was it like when Jeter was out?
Uh?
I mean it was It's always a lot of fun to go out with Jet and hang out with Jet because he takes all the attention so like I can just kind of like hang out and slide in and nobody's going actually autographs or pictures or anything, and he just kind of ride his coattail. So uh yeah, I
mean he was he was always really cool. I mean as soon as I got here to New York, uh that first bring training, me and him, Posada, you know, all the guys, we got really close, and I think that was the reason why we were able to wear right away.
But you didn't sit there and go, who's uh Jeter dating now, like, who's who's that? Who's a like his lineup card at Yankee Stadium.
Oh no, I had nothing to do with me.
But as an innocent bystander, you have to be like, oh, that looks like, oh that is that's a favorite famous act. Jeter is definitely gonna be calling you now. He congratulations and uh, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to a mote, you know, you cry, We're right there with you.
I appreciate it.
Thank you all right at cc Sabathia.
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He's Ryan Day, head coach at Ohio State, National champs coach. Congratulations. How much of this was joy and how much of this was relief?
And it was a combination of the two. Yeah, it was it was both. And I think the whole run that we went on throughout the playoffs was that way. I really haven't had as much fun coaching a team like that in a long time. It was just a bunch of guys together. There really was no class because class was out, and we just spent a bunch of time together and had a bunch of fun, bunch of
fun playing. But in the end ends, as we headed in that last game, we just knew that, you know, it would just be another story that kind of comes and goes. But now the fact that we won, we're able to cement that story in the history of college football and obviously at Ohio State.
But take me back to Michigan, and I had a former player say this to me that when Michigan tried to plant the flag, that maybe brought your team together or more together. Whether that's true or not, you would know that better. But it's almost like it galvanized this team. Nothing's going to be easy us against the world. They embarrassed us. Now let's go out and prove that we're still the best team. Anything I'm saying that wasn't true.
I think it's certainly part of the story of the year, there's no question about that. And I felt like this team was close anyways. I thought we were galvanized. But when you go through something like that, you know, you have to regroup and figure out, most importantly what happened and how do we get these things fixed. So, you know, there's a lot of ways to look at this, and some more dramatic than others, but the truth is we
had to get things fixed. There was things that were just not right coming out of that game that, you know, all three phases we need to get addressed, and that was the bottom line. And then there was a lot of other things that came with it, as you know, And you know, once we got those things addressing, the players recognize that things needed to get fixed and knew
the plan going into the Tennessee game. There was just there was a collective, just like you said, a bunch of guys together saying all right, we're gonna make this run and we're gonna be dangerous. Once we get some momentum going again.
But how does this affect you personally? You lose to Michigan again, and you know that topic in Columbus in that state, and you know, you're I don't know if you're fighting for survival or what I tell me your emotions where you lose to Michigan again and you know the importance of what that means.
Yeah, I mean, sir, only you know, there was obviously disappointment amongst all the other emotions. But you know, once those things kind of come and go and you have a couple of days, you have to refocus yourself. And as difficult as that was, it was an opportunity to
write an unbelievable story. And then next month and I I felt like it was an opportunity for me as a dad, as a husband, and as a man to show my family that you know, when you get knocked down and you're backed up against the wall, that you know, it's about how you handle yourself and how you fight
yourself out of these types of situations. And then and then you know, for our team, you know, for the guys on the team and the seniors and even the young guys to watch, you know, you know, how you handle yourself and then have something to grab on to it for the rest of their life, and then serve as an example for all the Buckeye fans who you know, certainly you know had ups and downs this season, but we're able to, you know, see how you hand yourself
when when things get really really difficult, and I think that really defines people's character.
It was reported there were death threats. How do you talk to your kids about that or your wife about how do you process that?
I think every year for us, it's become easier to manage when you know, our family first was named you know, the head coach in twenty nineteen. My wife and the kids were smaller than we were all sitting on the bed together, and I've told the story before. She said, you know, started crying, said our family's never going to be the same again, and she was right. But that
didn't make it easy. You know, you're expected to win them all and when you don't, it's it's tough, but that's because of the passion, and nobody puts more pressure on themselves than myself and my family. Nobody wants to win more than my kids and my wife, So it isn't so much that because they're more disappointed than anybody could possibly be in Buckeye Nation. And so we share the same frustration because you know, my family and my kids want to win worse than even I do. I mean,
I just that's the way they're wired. And and they love the fans, and so you know, when when you do lose, you know, there's there's a feeling of disappointment, and you know you share in the frustration with with people because they love it so much. But that's that's also living. You know, you're relevant. I mean, that's that's what makes Ohio State so special, is because people care so much. Now with that comes from some craziness, but
that's okay. Uh, it also makes when you win that much more special.
What was it like when you saw your family after you won the title?
Yeah, that was Yeah, that was a special moment. You know, something that you know, always remember, just the fact that you could look at your your family and your wife and the eyes and say, hey, we we did this thing together, and they did. They were a big part of it. And we know where we were about a month and a half ago and where we are right now. And it was pure Joy, like you mentioned earlier.
Is Ryan Day, head coach of Ohio State national champs. Take me back to the third and eleven call. Who makes the call and was what was the other option in that situation?
Well, we were trying to run down the clock we had. There's a point in the game where we're up by multiple scores and you start doing the math on it, and you're like, man, if we can just run out a few minutes, you know, each time we have the ball and continue to get some first downs and we could just you can milk this thing and win. And when you're talking about being that close to a national championship, you know you're holding on real tight. Maybe held on
a little too tight. But on first and second down, we were gonna run the ball. We thought about throwing it on second down because we saw a man the man coverage on the outside, and you know, wanted to keep the clock running. And then they called the time out and on the headset, there's a lot of back
and forth there. Our whole offensive staff, I thought, did a great job throughout the whole run chips obviously right there and we said, you know, we run it one more time and chew up the clock, and some guys said, no, let's let's call third down play, And so we looked at the call sheet and we saw a play that is one of our bass plays that we put in
day one. We're literally it's a go ball on the outside of the outside receivers and a mill read by our h and a couple of checkdowns by the inside guys, and we say, if we're lucky enough to get one
on one on the outside. And then when we were launching that thing up away from the free safety, and we had worked hard on that route in particular because we knew we were getting a certain technique in the game, and so when we saw it, you know, our eyes lit up, so the will's and certainly had to be executed. But it was like in slow motion.
I'm just gonna say, what's it like when that ball's in the air.
Slow motion? Just like holding your breath, knowing that if we catch this thing, we're probably national champs. And there's an unbelievable picture. It's a still photo from the sideline from the other way. You can see our entire sideline as the balls in the air, and just the look of everybody's face on that sideline is amazing just because everyone can see, like we catch this ball, We're gonna be national champs.
It was quite a moment. How difficult is it to keep your roster together? There's a report that Jeremiah Smith offered four and a half million dollars. Like Ohio State doesn't usually lose players, but now in today's nil and transfer portal, everybody's fair game. So how do you go about having conversations or retaining some of your players?
I think the first thing you'd have to bring in great people and great families, but you also have to value them and try to do everything you can to get what they deserve and what's fair. But there's also something to be said for being around a program like ours, and you know, you think if it's all equal, you know we'll have a chance to get our share of guys. But it is different, There's no question. I think as coaches were all looking for a little bit more guidelines
on this. I mean, everything is so gray right now, and.
How does that work though? Coach that Let's say I wanted to talk to Jeremiah. Let's say I'm Georgia. I want to talk to him, Like, how does that go? About that you get in front of somebody or you know, you put a price tag, and is there tampering in college football?
I think one of the big issues that we have in across the board in college football right now is enforcement. I mean, you just you know, you know some of the stories of some of the things that have gone on just you know, within the last couple of years or even in the past, but enforcement is really strained
right now. And so until we start enforcing some of these rules, like you said, I mean, people can just call someone's agents or someone's parents and offer them a certain amount of money and then it goes from there. And that's just part of it. I mean, there's so many other things that come in place. So that's one of the things to me that I think we've got
to get addressed in college sports. In college football is enforcement, because right now there's virtually none, and it's it's gotten worse as time has gone on.
When's the last time but NFL team reached out to you, uh, you.
Know, they don't really reach out to me. They would reach out, I guess to my agent and that happened sometimes. But you know, we've not really engaged because I love Ohio State, and I want to be here as long as I can.
So that's not a goal.
No, that's not a goal. It's not a goal. And I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't consider that somewhere down the line. But my son is a sophomore in high school, my daughters are in middle school. They love it here, and you know, I want to be here, you know, through there, through there, you know, run through high school and then you know, see what the next phase brings. But but like I said, you know, once the confetti fell, that was it. It's on next year.
Do you get a vacation?
Yeah?
Yeah, yeah, we'll have We'll have some time. But but it's not like, you know, we're going away to Tahi for a week talking.
Were you on the phone to recruits after the national title?
It recruits and you know, are our current players and.
Yeah, that night, I mean, that's a great thing. Saban would do that. He'd win a national title, get on the phone and say to a recruit, Hey, you could be celebrating with us, Confetti probably in his hair. Did you do that?
No?
But you know what's interesting is the timetables changed. So the early signing day we had one hundred and forty five guys on our team this year, and over twenty of them were recruits that started classes on January sixth, so they were actually with the team for the last two games, so instead of the signing day which should be happening next Wednesday, they had signed and were enrolled
in classes. So like, the timetables changed a lot. But you know, we have obviously, you know, been recruiting the twenty sixth class, which is about another year away.
Where would you put Jeremiah Smith with the other receivers you've coached.
Well after the first year, it's hard to put him anywhere other than one. I think some of those guys had great freshman years, but not not like this.
We need to check his birth certificate, Like how old do you see, coach come on?
Nineteen years old?
Yeah?
Yeah, but he special and we knew he was special, and his maturity is beyond his years physically, mentally and emotionally. He's a special talent, as you know.
Congrats, enjoy it while you can, because we know what happens. So this season starts, then there's the Michigan game. Keep smiling never ends, does it? Thank you?
Coach? Ever?
Does respect.
It's Ryan Day, head coach of Ohio State