During his eventful coaching career Nick Saban He rarely turns away from the opportunity to share his thoughts on hot topics centered around college football.
Saban and the rest of ESPN's “College GameDay” crew were in Indiana ahead of the 12-team College Football Playoff opener between Our Lady And the Hoosiers. While the high-stakes game was the main topic during the pregame show, embattled Ohio State coach Ryan Day was also discussed.
Saban came to Day's defense and directed his anger at him Buckeyes fansWhich suggests they bear at least some of the blame for the cloud of negativity surrounding the program.
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Nick Saban sits down on ESPN's “College GameDay” before the game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 2, 2024. (Adam Kearns/The Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Saban said the hype surrounding the program is a distraction for coaches and players and also made it clear he respects Day and his program.
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“I think every coach has to decide how they want to do it, and I have great respect for Ryan Day and how he tried to do it.” Shaaban said. “For me, I always wanted to make every player in the organization reach their full potential. It wasn't so much about the result, but what you had to do to make everyone better.
Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes and head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide before the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on January 11, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
“But a big part of that was isolating players from external factors – cash and the internet. I used to say to players all the time, 'Why do you care what some guy puts on the internet when he's a fat guy in his underwear who lives in his mom's basement? Why do you care? Why does it mean anything?' For you, why does it affect you in any way? We should focus on what we can control and what we can do.
“It's the same thing for the fans. I would tell the fans the same thing. If Ohio State wants to beat Michigan, they have to be positive about their coach and their players. There's no one who wants to beat them worse than the players and the coaches are No. 1. No. 2, They have a chance to win the national championship and everyone should be rooting for them so they have the best chance to do that and stop all this negative bull-shit.”
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day before the game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. (Joseph Maiorana/USA Today Sports)
While Day compiled a 66-10 record at Ohio State, his Buckeyes lost four straight to Michigan Wolverines.
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Day's disappointing results against Michigan drew criticism and raised concerns about the coach's job security. Today's focus is on the Buckeyes' next game v. Tennessee In a college football playoff game. The Buckeyes host the Volunteers on Saturday.
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