Any concerns Coach Ryan Day....

 
Not really. He can recruit and his offenses are potent. But he's going to need a very reliable DC for the defense to keep up in terms of talent and performance.

I do have one issue: he seems to buy his own hype a little too much for my liking and will stubbornly stick to a gameplan that isn't working. We shouldn't be waiting till halfway through the 3rd quarter to see the needed adjustments, if he actually makes them at all.
 
A couple comparisons with offensive assistants who were handed the keys to a Cadillac program much like Day.

Larry Coker - Miami

2000 - 12-0
2001 - 12-1
2002 - 11-2
2003 - 9-3
2004 - 9-3
2005 - 7-6

Mark Helfrich - Oregon

2013 - 11-2
2014 - 13-2
2015 - 9-4
2016 - 4-8

Lincoln Riley - Oklahoma

2017 - 12-2
2018 - 12-2
2019 - 12-2
2020 - 9-2
2021 - 10-2

Ryan Day - Ohio State

2019 - 13-1
2020 - 7-1
2021 - 10-2

I think Riley and Day are very similar. Both great offensive minds, no doubt. However, they focus WAY too much on this which leads to gaps elsewhere. To Riley's credit, he has gone out and gotten some great QB's and played in a garbage conference. I've said this a million times over but offensive minded coaches see the game differently than defensive minded coaches. Great defensive HC's are complimented by talented OC's in that they can pull back the reigns a bit and demand a run play here and there and understand what a bruising run filled balanced drive does to a D. Offensive guys are always looking to score and abandon the run game far too early. They look dazzling against poor competition and very pedestrian against a stout D.

BTW - Riley got out in the nick of time. He knows what would happen to Oklahoma in the SEC. 8-5 most years. USC is a gold mine for obvious reasons (weaker conference, history, recruitment) and they are flat out paying him.
 
OSU's offense is always going to be top notch under Day. Unlike Coker, he's maintained a high level of recruiting. As long as he recognizes his shortcomings on defense and is able to get a new DC who knows what he's doing, the program will be fine. Coombs has to go, though. I'll be concerned if that doesn't happen
 
Crusaders said:
OSU's offense is always going to be top notch under Day. Unlike Coker, he's maintained a high level of recruiting. As long as he recognizes his shortcomings on defense and is able to get a new DC who knows what he's doing, the program will be fine. Coombs has to go, though. I'll be concerned if that doesn't happen
Click to expand...
Day can definitely recruit. It's the defense that he has to change this offseason. The right hire and scheme can make him look like a genius.
 
And I'm not buying that Oklahoma is going to be mediocre in the SEC. This is a great program with deep resources. They will be fine. They will be in the West. They are a better program than Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, Texas A&M and Texas, IMO. They are historically up there with Bama and the only reason they aren't now is because Saban has taken Bama to ridiculous heights, but when he's done...and it won't be too much longer...Bama goes back to being a normal blue blood program. When that happens I won't be surprised if it's Oklahoma winning the SEC West in most years.
 
cjb5656 said:
And I'm not buying that Oklahoma is going to be mediocre in the SEC. This is a great program with deep resources. They will be fine. They will be in the West. They are a better program than Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, Texas A&M and Texas, IMO. They are historically up there with Bama and the only reason they aren't now is because Saban has taken Bama to ridiculous heights, but when he's done...and it won't be too much longer...Bama goes back to being a normal blue blood program. When that happens I won't be surprised if it's Oklahoma winning the SEC West in most years.
Click to expand...

They're in the SEC now. Those boys need learn how to turn left.

UnsungFrequentAmethystsunbird-max-1mb.gif
 
cjb5656 said:
And I'm not buying that Oklahoma is going to be mediocre in the SEC. This is a great program with deep resources. They will be fine. They will be in the West. They are a better program than Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, Texas A&M and Texas, IMO. They are historically up there with Bama and the only reason they aren't now is because Saban has taken Bama to ridiculous heights, but when he's done...and it won't be too much longer...Bama goes back to being a normal blue blood program. When that happens I won't be surprised if it's Oklahoma winning the SEC West in most years.
Click to expand...
It is the physicality of the SEC and B10 that most fail to realize. Playing big/fast physical teams week after week in hostile environments is tough. It is hard to stay healthy and then keep an edge. You let your guard down vs. and unranked Miss. State or Purdue and they will get you.

The track record of B12/B8/SWC teams jumping to other leagues and either staying the same or doing better is not on their favor.

Arkansas
Nebraska
Texas A&M
Missouri
Colorado

All of those schools at one time were pretty powerful and today, with the exception of A&M, are shells of their former selves. Mizzou was pretty competitive under Pinkel in the B12. Colorado won a National title in 1990. Nebraska was DOMINANT through the 70's, 80's, 90's and even early 00's. Arkansas was very competitive in the old SWC before jumping.

Lincoln Riley knew EXACTLY what he was doing. Great move.

I like regional football. I think the B12 would have been great if they could have figured out a profit sharing dynamic and kept all of those aforementioned teams.
 
irish_buffalo said:
It is the physicality of the SEC and B10 that most fail to realize. Playing big/fast physical teams week after week in hostile environments is tough. It is hard to stay healthy and then keep an edge. You let your guard down vs. and unranked Miss. State or Purdue and they will get you.

The track record of B12/B8/SWC teams jumping to other leagues and either staying the same or doing better is not on their favor.

Arkansas
Nebraska
Texas A&M
Missouri
Colorado

All of those schools at one time were pretty powerful and today, with the exception of A&M, are shells of their former selves. Mizzou was pretty competitive under Pinkel in the B12. Colorado won a National title in 1990. Nebraska was DOMINANT through the 70's, 80's, 90's and even early 00's. Arkansas was very competitive in the old SWC before jumping.

Lincoln Riley knew EXACTLY what he was doing. Great move.

I like regional football. I think the B12 would have been great if they could have figured out a profit sharing dynamic and kept all of those aforementioned teams.
Click to expand...
We need a football czar to put the conferences back to something resembling the old days. AEW Champion is the man for the job.

In regards to your first point about the week to week grind of big-time football, I agree entirely. That’s what I keep telling these UC wonks and they act like it’s a foreign concept.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

The New Big 12 CAN’T CUT THE MUSTARD!
 
AEW Champion said:
We need a football czar to put the conferences back to something resembling the old days. AEW Champion is the man for the job.

In regards to your first point about the week to week grind of big-time football, I agree entirely. That’s what I keep telling these UC wonks and they act like it’s a foreign concept.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

The New Big 12 CAN’T CUT THE MUSTARD!
Click to expand...
Notice he pointed out the SEC and B1G. In recent years the AAC has been better top to bottom than the Pac 12 and/or the ACC. This isn't one of those years, as the AAC is down, but again your Irish aren't playing world beaters with their ACC and Pac 12 opponents.

The SEC and B1G are further ahead of the Big 12, Pac 12 and ACC, than those three conferences (Big 12, Pac 12 and ACC) are ahead of the Mountain West and AAC.
 
cjb5656 said:
No to both.
Click to expand...
An argument could be made that UC as a whole is better than Ohio State this year because Ohio State’s defense is softer than the stomach of that fat, bald, face-painter OSU fan who always manages to get himself on the camera every week.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

NOTRE DAME BELONGS IN THE PLAYOFF!
 
AEW Champion said:
An argument could be made that UC as a whole is better than Ohio State this year because Ohio State’s defense is softer than the stomach of that fat, bald, face-painter OSU fan who always manages to get himself on the camera every week.

It’s true, it’s true. Trust me …

NOTRE DAME BELONGS IN THE PLAYOFF!
Click to expand...
I agree, but a counter argument can be made that UC had a far easier path with a much more experienced team. I like what Fickell has built at UC, so I don’t expect a meltdown like UC vs Florida in the Sugar Bowl years ago, but I also am not sure he could have navigated the OSU schedule…which I don’t think was a merciless grind…unscathed. But using better team as an all encompassing term to measure this specific season? Yes, I guess I can buy it. UC was consistent all year, while OSU failed to play complete games in all phases too many times.

Next year, however, I expect UC to dip a bit while the Buckeyes soar with all the returnees.
 
I’m a little disappointed we won’t see Oklahoma State in the playoff, though. That Mike Gundy is a man! Just ask him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top