Ryan Day reveals how he wants his kids to use his pain-staking journey to the national championship in times of adversity

Ryan Day and his family faced a lot of criticism following Ohio State's loss to Michigan in November. It was the Buckeyes' fourth consecutive loss to their agelong rival, sparking outrage in the Columbus fanbase.

However, Day went on to turn things around in the College Football Playoff, claiming the national title. He went from a man under fire to a hero in Columbus in the space of six weeks. However, the period was really intense for him and his family.

In his appearance on “The Steam Room” on Monday, Ryan Day disclosed what he wants his kids to learn from the dire situation.

“I think there are a lot of lessons learned for my children,” Day said. (Timestamp 7:26) "Because I know there's going to be adversity that hits them in their life, and I hope that they use this as an opportunity to say, ‘I remember when Dad was down and they counted him out. He just kept fighting.'

“I think that's also a lesson for our players, and then hopefully there's people across Buckeye nation that can use this as motivation that when things aren't going well, you just have to hang in there and fight as hard as you possibly can.”

Ryan Day believes it’s an opportunity for his kids to learn to fight their way out

The period after the Michigan loss was so intense that Ryan Day and his family questioned their presence in Columbus. In an interview with Columbus Dispatch, the coach's wife Nina Day disclosed that she considered leaving the city with their children for a while.

However, it was a loud victory in the end for the family. Day noted in his appearance on “The Steam Room” that the harsh time is an example for his kids as well as his players to fight their way out.

“I look at it as an opportunity not just for the players on our team, the people across Buckeye nation, but for my family and my kids to see that when you have your back up against the wall, there's only one thing to do and that's fight your way out," Day said. (Timestamp 6:53)

“It had an opportunity to be a great story, that's the way I look at it. In life, when you don't have momentum, you have to go get your own, you have to go fight for your momentum, and once you get the momentum, you have to fight to keep it.”

Ohio State's run to the national championship turned out to be one of the greatest college football stories in recent years, and fans will be eager to see what Ryan Day brings to the table in 2025.