"we were justified in saying in what we said": Stephen A. Smith doubles down on Ryan Day criticism before the CFP national championship win

Stephen A. Smith did not hold back in criticizing Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes after they lost to the Michigan Wolverines, 10-13, on Dec. 1, 2024. The ESPN analyst had choice words for Day and his inability to get the best out of a star-studded roster, doubting whether he has the ability to lead the Buckeyes to college football glory.

The Buckeyes must have heard the criticism, and they responded in style. They did not lose another game all season and cruised to an impressive national championship game win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

After the game, Stephen A. Smith was asked about his previous criticism of Ryan Day and the Buckeyes.

The veteran broadcaster had this to say about Day,

"You're damn right," says Smith. "We said if he had lost to the Tennessee Volunteers, he should've been gone. It is great to see Ryan Day, a great coach, validating his greatness the way he did with this title run. But it does not change the circumstances he created by losing to the Michigan Wolverines so much... we were justified in saying what we said then... he finally answered the call for the first time in his coaching career. Period, no stuttering."

While his words might sound harsh, Stephen A. Smith had a point and gave Day his props at the end of his monologue.

How did Ryan Day capture his first national championship?

Ryan Day spent time as a quarterbacks coach with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers before he joined the Ohio State Buckeyes as their co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach ahead of the 2017 college football season. He rose through the ranks until he was appointed head coach ahead of the 2019 season.

Day led the Buckeyes to numerous impressive runs, but they seemed to fall short of the national championship. However, it all came full cycle in the 2024 college football season.

The Buckeyes enjoyed a stellar year, beating ranked teams like Penn State and Indiana to secure their spot in the expanded college football playoffs. It was during the playoffs that the Buckeyes truly surprised the college football world.

The Buckeyes dominated the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round, blew out the Oregon Ducks in the quarterfinals, and outlasted the Texas Longhorns in the semifinals. The final game against Notre Dame was the crowning moment for Ohio State, as they beat the Fighting Irish to secure a long-overdue national title.

Ryan Day was instrumental in the run and was helped by college football superstars Will Howard, Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and more. It'll be interesting to see whether Ray Day decides to run it back or return to the NFL amidst a serious search for elite offensive head coaches.