"Ryan Day, Ohio State's Title-Bearing Coach, Reflects on Their Journey in the Spotlight of a Championship Win"
ATLANTA -- On only a few hours of rest since his Buckeyes were declared national champions on Monday night, Ohio State coach Ryan Day is aware that next year is approaching quickly.
This is not just because the Buckeyes will begin their 2025 regular season against the Texas Longhorns in a highly-anticipated home opener on August 30, which is already being analyzed in Columbus.
\"Let's see how it goes if we lose the first game at Ohio State. We'll have to wait and see,\" Day stated in Atlanta on Tuesday, his first day as a victorious head coach.
\"We have a talented group returning, so we'll have to go back and figure things out. I'm not sure if spring practice will look the same as it usually does. I'm not sure if it's possible with the number of games these players have already played. But for the younger players, we need to get them started, get them accustomed to the program, and then we'll ramp up soon.\"
Transfer quarterback Will Howard put off sleeping after the game to take the short flight back to Ohio, where a dramatic scene awaited them seven weeks after a loss to defending champion and rival Michigan in a shocking upset, 13-10. The national conversation after that defeat was somewhere between bleak and hopeless. Fans were not shy about pointing fingers at Day and some even called for Urban Meyer to return and save the program.
Day reminded his players that the season was not over on November 30th when Michigan attempted to claim victory at Ohio Stadium. After dominating the first 12-team College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes (14-2) now have a deeper appreciation for the journey they took to reach the top of the mountain in Georgia on January 20th with a 34-23 win over Notre Dame.
Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon tried to put the entire experience into words on Tuesday.
\"The humility and resilience of not only the seniors, but everyone on our team. People chose to come back for another year when they could have made a lot of money in the NFL and been first-round picks. They came back for the love of their teammates and the appreciation for the culture,\" he said. \"I think this story is about determination, resilience, humility, gratitude, faithfulness, and all the good things that come from a team game and a team sport. I believe our team has shown that this year.\"
Day said he reminded his victorious locker room of the life lessons that can be learned from the season that began 10 months ago with spring practice.
\"Just waking up this morning, I am grateful that we had the opportunity to be with this team and I can say that everything that came with this season and all the hard work was worth it. It was worth it,\" Day said. \"I am proud of these guys. They will go down in history and cement themselves as champions.
\"We will take some time to celebrate and enjoy it, because these guys deserve it.\"
