On Wednesday, Ohio State fans expressed their frustration on social media after the school celebrated the announcement that head coach Ryan Day was named a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year award. Ohio State’s official account tweeted, “That’s Our Coach!!”, a statement that quickly attracted backlash from fans who are disappointed in Day's continued inability to defeat Michigan.
Despite Day's solid coaching record, including his work in the 2024 season, the focus for many fans has been on his team’s repeated losses to their biggest rival, Michigan, for four consecutive seasons. The Ohio State faithful feel that Day's success is overshadowed by his inability to lead the Buckeyes to victory in the all-important “Game” against the Wolverines, a result that has left many Buckeye fans questioning whether the program is truly moving forward under his leadership.
Ohio State Fans Show Their Frustration
Within moments of Ohio State's tweet, fans took to social media to voice their disapproval, with many making it clear that they expect more from Day, especially in the rivalry game. Here are some of the responses:
- @Cornelius_MacG: “Yeah… we know. No need to rub it in.”
- @RobertD1017: “You say that like it’s a good thing.”
- @vgkcle_enjoyer: “No he’s not.”
- @udchuck: “Get real.”
Buckeye Fans Are Tired of the Excuses
The frustration is palpable. Many fans feel that celebrating Day’s coach of the year candidacy is tone-deaf, given the repeated failure to win the most important game of the season.
- @zach_martin10: “Hopefully not for long.”
- @RamHY23: “For one more Saturday hopefully.”
The fact that Ohio State fans are frustrated by what they perceive as a lack of progress in their rivalry with Michigan may be a sign that the road to restoring the program’s dominance is far from clear.
The Big Picture
Ohio State’s program has enjoyed success under Ryan Day, but the fans’ dissatisfaction over the team's continued struggles in the Michigan game shows just how important the rivalry is to their supporters. Until Day can lead the Buckeyes to victory over Michigan, these types of outcries from the fanbase will likely continue to be a recurring theme.
Given how much is riding on this rivalry for Ohio State, fans are sending a clear message: winning games and accolades throughout the season is great, but nothing compares to the importance of defeating Michigan.
