Ohio State’s stunning 2024 national championship run, led by head coach Ryan Day, was fueled by an intense, almost obsessive drive revealed in a new book excerpt. In “Buckeye Brotherhood” by Bill Rabinowitz, Ryan Day’s wife, Nina Day, details the extraordinary pressure the coach faced following a devastating 13-10 loss to Michigan.
The defeat triggered a near-maniacal work ethic from Day, with Nina describing him as constantly typing notes even in the middle of the night. This relentless drive stemmed, in part, from the death threats the family received in the wake of the loss, a chilling reminder of the intense fan reaction. The threats referenced Day’s father, who died by suicide when Day was just nine years old, adding a deeply personal and tragic layer to the situation.
Nina revealed this was the only other time she’d witnessed Day working with such focused intensity, occurring only during the preparation for the 2020 College Football Playoff semifinal against Clemson – a game the Buckeyes subsequently won. That loss, and the subsequent pressure, ignited a tenfold amplification of that drive during the 2024 playoff season.
“He was like that for that game, but he was like this for six straight weeks during this run. It was insane,” Nina recounted. “He was running on adrenaline and anger and a lot of things, I guess. I think what got him up every day was the work and making things right for the program, for the players, for his family.”
Despite acknowledging areas of weakness – struggles in the running game, missed field goals, and penalties like the 12-men-on-the-field infraction – Day remained singularly focused on the College Football Playoff, declaring, “We can’t let it beat us twice.” This unwavering determination propelled Ohio State to a historic season.
The Buckeyes steamrolled through the competition, defeating Tennessee 42-17, crushing Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl, and ultimately outlasting Texas 28-14 thanks to Jack Sawyer’s iconic scoop-and-score, before topping Notre Dame 34-23 to secure the national championship. Ohio State became the first team to beat five top-five opponents in a single season, transforming what could have been a disastrous end to his time in Columbus into a legendary and triumphant conclusion. Following the title game, Day, finally able to exhale after six weeks of barely sleeping and constantly typing notes at 3 a.m., sprinted down the sideline and chucked his headset into the crowd.