Buckeyes Fans Left Frustrated as Ryan Day Shrugs Off Ohio State’s Struggles Against Nebraska

Ohio State narrowly escapes Nebraska with a 21-17 win, but fans question Ryan Day’s play-calling and lack of offensive adjustments. Read more on the coach’s response to the Buckeyes’ struggles in the Big Ten matchup.

Ohio State escaped with a 21-17 win over Nebraska, but if you tuned in to Ryan Day’s postgame press conference, you’d think the Buckeyes had just put on a clinic. As an Ohio State fan, it’s hard to swallow Day’s attempts to spin what felt like an underwhelming and, frankly, concerning performance. His responses raised more questions than answers, and his remarks left fans wondering whether he sees the glaring issues holding this team back.

When asked if the team played with the anger and urgency he’d talked about all week, Day emphasized the importance of winning in the fourth quarter. Sure, the Buckeyes pulled through in crunch time, but should Ohio State really need last-minute heroics to beat a struggling Nebraska squad? Day even acknowledged, “We should not be in games like this, quite honestly.” Yet he deflected, attributing Nebraska’s resilience to Big Ten toughness. For a coach of a top-tier program, admitting that this game was tighter than it should have been, only to brush it off as “just part of the Big Ten,” feels dismissive.

Day also sidestepped accountability for Ohio State’s lackluster offensive line play. When asked if injuries impacted their performance, he was noncommittal, saying he’d “need to watch the film” but suggested both Nebraska’s defense and his team’s execution shared the blame. However, statistics don’t lie: going 1-for-10 on third downs and managing a paltry 64 rushing yards (24 of which came from quarterback Will Howard) is a red flag. Rather than offering solutions, Day opted for vague generalities, like “we’ve got to do better.” Fans know that already – what they need are answers.

Day’s comment on Ohio State’s field goal kicker Jayden Fielding, who missed a crucial attempt, was equally frustrating. When asked if he had confidence in Fielding, Day’s answer was a half-hearted “yes” and insisted Fielding has performed well in practice. But game-day confidence isn’t built on practice; it’s built in real situations. Fans have every right to wonder if this kicking game will hold up when it truly matters.

Then there was the question about offensive line depth after Zen Michalski’s injury. Day admitted that they knew Donovan Jackson would step in if needed but didn’t seem to have any concrete plan for the coming games. He shrugged off Michalski’s shaky performance by saying it was his “first start,” as if Buckeye fans are supposed to accept that as a valid excuse. Ohio State expects excellence at every position, and leaning on excuses like “first-game jitters” isn’t going to satisfy fans used to championship-level depth and preparation.

Perhaps the most tone-deaf moment came when Day was asked if the team had flushed the Oregon loss during the bye week. He praised the defense for its response but mentioned the offense still has issues to work through. “We’ve got to get back to the drawing board,” he said. But how many weeks will it take for the offense to stop feeling like a work in progress? A coach can only go back to the drawing board so many times before fans lose patience.

In the end, Day’s press conference felt more like damage control than a coach taking responsibility. Ohio State has the talent, and fans have seen glimpses of what this team can do. But if Day doesn’t start addressing these weaknesses with real solutions, Buckeye Nation is going to keep seeing these underwhelming performances – and the frustration will only grow.