Ryan Day is the ultimate class act. He is the exact leader any college football program should want in their head coach. The way he carries himself, especially as the head coach of THE Ohio State Buckeyes, is extremely admirable.
CBS sideline reporter Jenny Dell detailed the letter Day wrote to the children at Children’s Hospital right next to Kinnick Stadium, encouraging them to keep fighting and to approach their fight with courage. What an incredible gesture.
Even in the heat of competition, Day
knows it’s bigger than football. That’s a leader who gets it, not just on a football level, but on a level of life.
Day understands the big picture. He understands some things are bigger than football. You could see on the CBS broadcast how emotionally invested he was in “The Wave” in between the first and second quarters.
For him to be able to flip the switch from coaching in a high-stakes game to be completely present in something bigger than football, as the visiting head coach of a team with a massive target on their backs, is what makes Day the ultimate class act in college football.
Day understands the expectations that come with being the head coach of Ohio State, and he also knows some things are bigger than football, even during the game itself.
Ohio State’s offense looks more dynamic. This offense’s ceiling looks much higher than it was last year. There are a lot of reasons for this, and they were on display at Iowa, a game the Buckeyes won 31-14.
First off, the Ohio State run game is progressing. I don’t even think it’s reached its full potential. Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson are both running the ball well right now. Both can get those hard-earned yards, and both have been close to breaking loose for long runs.
Last year, the Buckeyes’ running game took a long time to get going and develop an identity. The running back room had a lot of new faces. This year, there’s continuity at the position and along the offensive line. That matters, especially in the running game.
Having two good running backs also helps. It worked in 2024 with the dual-threat of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. It’s working now with Jackson and Jackson.
Bo Jackson looks like a running back who can get those hard-earned yards. I think there was a perception that he had to be the home-run threat at the position coming into the season, but Ja’Kobi’s emergence as a guy who can burst through the hole has changed that perception.
Both running backs appear to be settling into their roles, and it’s paying off for the Buckeyes’ offense.
Arthur Smith knows what he is doing when it comes to running the football. That’s why Day brought him in: a veteran NFL coach who coached future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry. We’re seeing Smith’s running-game experience emerge as Big Ten play has gotten underway.
The Buckeyes had 10 possessions against Iowa. They only punted twice, and they had four drives with 10+ plays. That includes their last two drives, where they ran 10 and 16 plays, respectively.
Even when the Buckeyes weren’t scoring, which they did on five of their drives, they were still controlling the game on offense. In the second quarter, with 10:32 remaining, they got the ball on their own two-yard line. It wasn’t great field position. However, they moved 43 yards in 11 plays to burn 4:52 off the clock. That completely flipped the field.
When you think about it, three of Ohio State’s drives ended in a missed field goal, a turnover on downs, and one ran out the final 9:30 of the game. That final possession is controlling the game.
Ohio State controlled the game for the full 60 minutes, a testament to their growth and a huge win against a very good Iowa team.
