Ryan Day Gets Reflective on Quest for Ohio State Perfection at Big Ten Media Day

The Buckeyes coach was brutally honest about maintaining Ohio State's excellence in the postseason as a first-class program.

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day looks on during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CHICAGO — Ohio State coach Ryan Day was part of a packed slate Wednesday as a headliner during Day 2 of Big Ten Media Days from the Hilton Chicago, alongside representatives (players and coaches) from Michigan State, Oregon, UCLA, Minnesota and Purdue.

Alongside Day were three of his top stars, including safety Jaylen McClain, quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. But Day was in rare form, one where the passion in his voice and the fire in his eyes were one of an intense, pissed off "Ohio Against the World" mentality.

Some may consider it an old-school Ohio State, one that is a sheer reminder of its 2024 counterpart that won the national title against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Buckeyes bulldozed through the Tennessee Volunteers in the opening round and the Oregon Ducks (Rose Bowl) and Texas Longhorns (Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic) en route to capping their best season in a decade (and earning Day much-needed validation as one of the sport's best coaches).

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Transitioning to the present, Ohio State is inching back toward a national title. With immense talent to sustain success, Day took the podium with swagger, making winning at all costs was the only clear-cut priority.

"This year, based on the way our schedule looks and the way it's laid out, we're going to get some early feedback in these games," Day told reporters. "We're going to have to play well down the stretch in the fourth quarter. But when you have guys like Julian [Sayin] and the offensive line, Jaylen McClain, guys that have now been through that before, Jeremiah [Smith] is a big part of that, Brandon Inniss, Bennett Christian. Kenyatta Jackson, another guy who has been around our program for a long time. Payton Pierce is going to have to step up in a big way. They were all part of that. They saw the championship run. They saw us coming up short last year. All that will play into this season."

Day echoed a similar cadence during his local media scrum in the afternoon in front of a small group. While he isn't ignoring the Cleveland.com preseason media poll rankings, which list the Buckeyes atop the Big Ten ahead of their season-opener against Ball State, a critical phrase Day used is the jumping-off point that could define this year's team.

Thr Buckeyes' "quest for perfection," as Day put it, is the rallying cry behind their success. They want to leave no doubt that they've done their job well, while also maintaining the balancing act of Sayin and Smith potentially doing enough to recognize glory come December as Heisman finalists (with a possible winner residing in Columbus).

For now, the hype is over. fall camp is vastly approaching, as are impending results. Soon enough, it will be time for football before long.