Ryan Day thought the heat couldn’t get any hotter. Ohio State was supposed to have its redemption arc in 2024, right? After getting manhandled by Michigan in Week 14, it wasn’t just the L that hurt. Nah, the fallout was pure madness. Buckeye fans didn’t just throw shade; they straight-up went nuclear. Death threats, harassment, and some straight-up vile stuff aimed not just at Day but his family. Yeah, the internet trolls took it way too far. Death threats on Ryan Day got Kirk Herbstreit speaking out on OSU fans, even with his own struggles in the mix.

Kirk Herbstreit, former Ohio State QB and college football analyst, has finally stepped into the mess with something to say. On the March 18 episode of the Built 4 More podcast with Denny Thompson and Pastor Joby Martin, he let it all out. It wasn’t just your typical take from Kirk, either. This man called it, for good reason. “What’s happened is Ryan Day, as the head coach, Ohio State fans are just so trained that that game is like a game by itself,” Herbstreit explained. “No matter what happens before, no matter what happens after, that game—you know, with Woody Hayes and all the legacy stuff and the history of it—and that fan base has been indoctrinated into thinking you better win that game.”

The Buckeyes’ 13-10 loss to Michigan in 2024 was the fourth straight L against their biggest rival, and the aftermath was ugly. Like, real ugly. Social media? A war-zone. The man’s wife, Nina, got her number leaked and hit with nonstop harassment. Their teenage son, RJ? Targeted with death threats. And, oh yeah, they had to hire private security to keep the madness in check. That’s not fandom. That’s insanity.

Herbstreit himself didn’t hold back on calling out the fanbase, mentioning that it’s been a long time coming. “There was a large vocal minority that, if they could say ‘fire him right now,’ the guys on the internet, they would have fired him. It’s like they’re going to the playoff, and now, ‘I don’t care, fire him.’ Yeah, that was where they were. And I’m not exaggerating,” he said.

You gotta understand, Herbstreit’s always tried to keep it a buck. Sure, he played for Ohio State and reps the Buckeyes when he can, but he’s not out here just being a cheerleader. And he’s more than aware of how crazy things have gotten. “I know Ohio State’s fan base is probably as loud as any fan base in the country on social media, and a lot of that fraction are not fans of mine. Because I am fair. Because I am, you know, objective,” Herbstreit admitted.

But despite all the chaos, Ryan Day flipped the script on the haters. After that loss to Michigan, he went full savage mode—ditched the conservative play-calling and got his squad ready to run through a brick wall. The Buckeyes bulldozed their way through the College Football Playoff, smacking down Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas before dusting Notre Dame in the championship game. That final score? 34-23. And just like that, all the Ryan Day doubters had to zip up real quick.

Herbstreit summed it up best, saying, “Talking to Ryan Day on the field, you know, during that game and then after, I think the turning point for them was when they realized that a big percentage of their own fan base had turned on them.” The man’s seen it all. He’s heard it all. And the fact that it took Ryan Day going nuclear to get his own fanbase to respect him again? It says a lot. Herbstreit’s calling it like it is, and he’s not about to apologize for it.

Kirk Herbstreit vs. Ohio State Fans

Now, Kirk Herbstreit’s name has been ringing in these streets too. See, Kirk’s a former Buckeye QB turned big-shot ESPN analyst. And while the die-hard OSU fans liked that he showed a little favoritism toward his alma mater, they also respected that he wasn’t out here acting like a shameless shill like Desmond Howard does for Michigan. But that changed real quick.

This past year or two, Herbstreit made it clear he wasn’t about to pander to the fanbase just ‘cause he once wore the scarlet and gray. He called out the fan base directly, referring to them as a “lunatic fringe” for calling for Ryan Day’s job after that fourth-straight loss to Michigan. Herbstreit’s been around long enough to know how toxic things can get. He’s had his own beef with Ohio State’s wildest fans, the ones who can’t stand that he calls games fairly and doesn’t gush over the Buckeyes like a paid cheerleader. “I know Ohio State’s fan base is probably as loud as any fan base in the country on social media, and a lot of that fraction are not fans of mine. Because I am fair. Because I am, you know, objective.”

Despite all the hate, Kirk’s still out here keeping it real. He’s made it clear he’s not anti-Ohio State—he just calls it like he sees it. And to be honest, he’s not wrong. The fanbase can be straight-up unreasonable sometimes. And that’s coming from a guy who literally played for the team.

End of the day, Ryan Day proved himself. That playoff run was one for the books. But let’s not act like the craziness surrounding Ohio State is gonna stop. As long as there’s social media and crazy fans with keyboards, the drama will never die. And Kirk Herbstreit? He’ll be right there in the middle of it, speaking his mind whether people like it or not.