Heavy is the head that wears the crown. For Ryan Day, being the custodian of bluebloods in Ohio State, he will never go beyond scrutiny or the pressure to deliver. The National Championship changed the climax of this season into a “happily ever after.” But what could have happened had they lost against Notre Dame? Day didn’t even want to think about that ahead of the national championship game. “I say to my wife all the time, we signed up for it,” Day had said back then. “It’s the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This game will take you to your knees and give you some of the greatest experiences in the world…you have to manage the tough times and enjoy the good ones.”

Day probably wants to flush this out of his collective memories now. But before the glory and hardware, coach Day’s self-proclaimed “worst thing that’s ever happened” took a familiar maize and blue form. For the 4th consecutive year, he had to live out the transcendent horror of losing The Game to Michigan. This time, though, the reaction to this loss was much worse than previously. Not just externally but also internally from his own “fans.”

Ryan Day was chastised in the aftermath, and his family was caught in the whirlwind. He received harassment and threats of physical harm from unhinged fans — also some death threats, his players said — and his wife and children endured weeks of verbal abuse. There have been lots of good times. Day is 69-10 in the six-plus seasons since he took over for Urban Meyer, and this is the fourth time he’s got the Buckeyes to the CFP and the second time to the title game. But then a win against Michigan is of equal importance to that of a Natty, if not more.

Day’s wife, Nina, in an interview with Columbus television station WBNS said that she could see the toll the latest Michigan loss took on her husband. “The weeks between the ‘Team Up North’ game and the Tennessee game were brutal,” she said, referring to the Buckeyes’ first-round playoff opponent. “I was very upset about what was happening to some of our players and my children. It just wasn’t right. I think Buckeye Nation is an amazing fan base, I really do. And with every fan base, there’s that percentage that takes it too far.” 

Football is life out in Columbus, but this indeed was a step too far. Even for ‘Captain Buckeye’ Jack Sawyer, who grew up a fan in the town and was privileged to represent the scarlet and gray. As someone who went to war because a Michigan player tried planting a flag in the Shoe that day, Sawyer understands all the emotions. But in his NFL combine presser, he did not fall short in addressing what Day went through. “Coach Day is one of the toughest, most resilient guys I’ve ever been around. That’s the reason why we all love him. It’s the reason I love him so much.” He poured his heart out, mulling over the things Ryan Day has shielded him and his teammates from.

The emotions even got the better of him as he apologized for cussing at the podium. “No matter what’s going on. No matter all the unfair s**t that’s being said about him…You know he’s gonna stand in there and stand strong. Take it head on for us and take all the blame, even if it’s wrongfully deserved.” said Sawyer. He proceeded to address the egregious nature of how the threats permeated through to Day’s family.

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I moved from Detroit to Columbus in 1981; I proudly remain a Michigan/Detroit fan. Back then Columbus was still coined...more

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“Being able to see us have that happen. Hear all the things that we heard in Columbus and having his family go through the things that they went through. Then come out the back side of it and win the National Championship? Man. It just meant the world to me. Meant the world to us, him, and his family.” Jack Sawyer continued. If you can recall, even Nick Saban stood beside Day during this episode. Slamming the fans, Saban had hit out, “These Ohio State fans, you know, they’ve got a psychotic obsession with Michigan and they need to go get therapy or something to try to get it fixed.”

Jack is in Indy, going through a trial by fire. Through the most important week or so for the rest of his career. Yet Captain Jack Sawyer spared a thought for who got him to this juncture. He even called Ryan Day “the best coach in the world.” If you’re aware of Ryan Day’s childhood, you can sympathize with him going through all this. If not, you will after hearing this. Fair warning for the morbid theme.

Jack Sawyer’s words bring back memories of Ryan Day’s unprecedented trauma

National CFB insider Bruce Feldman previously reminisced about speaking to Ryan Day’s son RJ after the Michigan game and ensuing death threats. Which Feldman confirmed was a real thing. RJ is a sophomore in high school who plays QB. Appearing as a guest on The Rich Eisen Show, Feldman said, “Talking to [RJ], he was like, you know, school was really rough. He didn’t go out much till after the Tennessee game. You gotta remember, that’s like three weeks [later].” In addition to this, Bruce Feldman also spoke about Coach Day’s daughters’ experience, Ourania and Grace, as well as his wife, Nina.

Even though the two daughters are younger than high schooler RJ, Feldman acknowledged that “they knew what’s going on.” “I think that’s mind-blowing,” he said, in the negative sense, of course. While these two revelations were horrifying, what Feldman said about Nina Day and the conversation they had after the Natty goes to show the absolute worst side of this ordeal. Feldman, with a sombreness to his voice, recalled, “She pointed out to me a symmetry. The day of the National Title Game was Monday, January 20. It was also the anniversary of when Ryan Day was a little boy, and he lost his father by s*****e. I mean, the gravity of all that is just remarkable,” he said.

For Coach Day to now stand on top of the CFB pedestal is highly deserved. He’s shown his character, his coaching acumen, and his mettle. The beats of this story aren’t akin to a fairytale at all. But at least he got his happy ending. All while throwing egg on the faces of those few abhorrent “fans.” Some of this mental fortitude has definitely permeated through to Jack Sawyer over the years. He’ll hope his own intangibles shine through to front-office brass during his interviews at the Combine.