Sometimes, Lou Holtz can not lend a hand himself. The 86-year-old former Notre Dame trainer and well-known TV yapper hasn’t ever met a microphone he did not like. So it was once no marvel Friday on ESPN when Holtz was once most often gushing over the Fighting Irish profitable Saturday’s top-10 matchup with Ohio State. It’s simply that, in squawking his approach via some other look, Holtz made it private.
“He has lost to Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Michigan twice — and everybody who beats them does so because they’re more physical than Ohio State,” Holtz mentioned of the Buckeyes and trainer Ryan Day. “I think Notre Dame will take that same approach.”
Holtz’s newest bluster most definitely would have evaporated into skinny air love it generally does had the Buckeyes now not (a) overwhelmed the Irish (b) with one 2nd to move (c) after riding 65 yards (d) with the entire physicality one may want.
Then, Day making it private in his personal approach. Following his staff’s 17-14 win, Ohio State’s trainer wanted no creation to the microphones himself. First, it was once at the box with NBC. Then, it was once on OSU’s flagship radio station and after all to the media within the postgame interview room.
Ol’ Lou had struck a nerve. His feedback unleashed a Ryan Day now we have by no means noticed sooner than.
“I’d like to know where Lou Holtz is right now,” Day advised NBC moments after the win. “What he said about our team, I cannot believe. This is a tough team right here. We’re proud to be from Ohio. It’s always been Ohio against the world, and it’ll continue to be Ohio against the world.”
Cooling off had no impact. Day did not cool off this evening, now not till each ultimate bit of bile have been spit out.
“I don’t know where [Holtz] gets off saying those type of things,” Day endured. “I have some other things I’d like to say, too, but I’m not going to say [them] because I’m more respectful than he is.”
And you idea Coach Prime took disrespect to a brand new degree?
It was once all reasonably refreshing to look Day vent. As the sport’s winningest trainer (49-6, .891), he is carried out himself as the anti-Woody Hayes low key, a gentleman.
Which was once, of direction, just right … till after all, he could not lend a hand himself.
As a success as Day has been, the trainer and his staff have been outlined in recent times through the ones consecutive blowout losses to Michigan.
Add to {that a} irritating College Football Playoff loss to Georgia through which the Buckeyes led through two touchdowns coming into the fourth quarter.
Day has come to appreciate that Michigan defines so much at Ohio State, however to actually be referred to as “soft” through an growing older TV speaking head? The accusation adopted Day the entire method to South Bend, Indiana. Just ask the trainer.
“I’m really upset and disrespected about what Lou Holtz said about our team and Ohio State and Buckeye Nation. We’re not going to stand for that,” Day mentioned. “We had one bad half a couple of years ago up in Ann Arbor. We did, the second half. Every game we play, we’re physical. I don’t know where that narrative comes from, but that ends tonight.”
Actually, it was once two consecutive unhealthy 2nd halves in opposition to Michigan. The Buckeyes have been outscored through a blended 56-17 within the ultimate half-hour in the ones video games that made up our minds the Big Ten name. They nonetheless stand as Day’s most effective two Big Ten losses.
“In life, when people start talking and say things about you, at some point you’ve got to put a foot in the ground,” Day mentioned. “Our team did that. It was a life lesson. We always say, ‘Ignore the noise.’ Every once in a while, you’ve got to stand up for what you believe in.”
On Saturday evening, it was once evident that unfavourable narrative was once embedded someplace deep in Day’s psyche. Ohio in opposition to the sector? Athens, Ohio’s personal Joe Burrow took the Bengals to the Super Bowl. Native son LeBron James reworked a town and a state with his NBA excellence. Columbus is one of the most productive puts to are living within the United States. The Buckeyes rule … generally.
Ohio State in opposition to Notre Dame was once sufficient. OSU’s game-winning force was once a Week 4 commentary that may ultimate the entire method to January.
Ohio State have been bodily in ultimate 12 months’s 21-10 Notre Dame win in Columbus.
“Put the film on,” Day mentioned to any doubters.
The Buckeyes have been bodily Saturday with their highest participant, huge receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., restricted to a few catches for 32 yards on seven goals.
Nobody — excluding Uncle Lou — ever truly advised the Buckeyes were not habitually difficult below Day, however they have been additionally about this shut to shedding what amounted to a bodily, grinding rock battle Saturday evening.
Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman led a dominating 96-yard force that ended with the Fighting Irish taking their first lead of the evening, 14-10, with 8:22 left.
Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, in most effective his 5th profession get started, was once then requested to reply. But desiring a backyard on fourth down from the Notre Dame 11, Day referred to as for a jet sweep to WR Emeka Egbuka. He was once filled with 4:12 closing.
That would had been it and Holtz would had been gloating neatly into subsequent season … till a forestall through the protection gave Ohio State the ball by itself 35 with 86 seconds left. McCord handed 14 consecutive instances, reputedly ruining the force after being referred to as for intentional grounding within a minute to move.
But on third-and-19 from Notre Dame’s 22, McCord discovered Egbuka, who was once stood up a backyard brief of the top zone. A spike and incompletion set up a do-or-die resolution with 3 seconds closing.
This time, with Irish defenders stacked up in opposition to the fitting facet of the Buckeyes’ line, working again Chip Trayanum — a transformed linebacker — dove simply to the left of the middle for the game-winning landing.
It was once Day’s resolution. It was once Day’s commentary to any person who wondered the Buckeyes’ physicality.
“A thousand percent,” he mentioned in a while. “I think it’s going to go down as one of the big wins in Ohio State history.”
Forget historical past, the season is not outlined. Not but. McCord has but to totally mature as C.J. Stroud’s substitute. Penn State and Michigan are nonetheless out there. It’s attending to the purpose the place it is championship-or-bust for Day, who has but to win one.
But the anti-Woody could not lend a hand himself yet another time overdue Saturday.
“I’m not afraid to say it,” Day mentioned. “Some of the arrogance, I think that’s unbelievably disrespectful. It’s always been Ohio against the world.”
On Saturday evening, the World According to Lou blinked.