Shades of Lou Holtz Ryan Day and the Ohio State coach are at odds before of the CFP title game.
The apparent enmity between former Fighting Irish head coach Lou Holtz and current Buckeyes coach Ryan Day is one of the subplots of Ohio State vs. Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff national championship on Monday.
It looks as though Holtz will be present in Atlanta.
On social media, he replied to a video of The Pat McAfee Show debating whether or not he would go, saying: “We want to keep Ryan Day’s job if Notre Dame loses. Originally, I was only planning to attend the game in spirit, but now I’ll also be bringing my body with me.”
When Day criticized Holtz for doubting Ohio State’s toughness following the Buckeyes’ victory over Notre Dame previous season, it caused a stir:
Day gave a somewhat startling postgame interview, and his remark that “I’d like to know where Lou Holtz is right now” served as the basis for a number of internet memes and jokes.
It was so noteworthy, in fact, that Day was questioned about Holtz before Monday’s match. In response to a question about whether he had been in touch with the former Notre Dame coach since his postgame interview, he only replied, “No.”
The Buckeyes would be better off if Day didn’t get sidetracked by the outside commotion of the Holtz situation or attempt to demonstrate his team’s resilience with the play-calling just because the 88-year-old was present.
After losing to rival Michigan and missing out on the Big Ten Championship Game, his team is now just one victory away from winning the national championship and earning a second chance at redemption.
With players like Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins, among others, flying around and making plays, Ohio State has looked unstoppable at times in the CFP. Their offense has also looked far more inventive than the one that spent long stretches of time in a phone booth against the Wolverines.
The Buckeyes will have a strong opportunity to win their eighth national championship in program history if they can avoid being forced into a clumsy, slow-paced, physical game like that.
Day might then be able to return to Holtz with additional postgame remarks.
