Ohio State’s football team suffered its second humiliating defeat in two weeks, drawing sharp criticism from fans and former players alike who are demanding immediate coaching changes. The Buckeyes were outplayed again despite a roster laden with talent, raising questions about the leadership of head coach Ryan Day and his staff.
The team’s offensive struggles were glaring during the latest loss at home, where they conceded 41 points to an Oregon side missing both its starting quarterback and running back. Oregon had fired its offensive coordinator just two weeks earlier, and yet the Buckeyes were unable to mount a credible challenge. Social media erupted with frustration, with one user writing, “Ohio State gives up 41 points at home to a team that fired its offensive coordinator two weeks ago and was missing both its starting quarterback and running back, with the season on the line. There are no excuses for this. Absolutely unbelievable.”
The Buckeyes entered the game without their Heisman finalist quarterback, but the absence did little to excuse their lack of preparedness. A key moment that crystallized fan anger was the near three quarters of game time where wide receiver Jeremiah Smith went completely ignored, failing to see a single target. One commentator called it “criminal.” Another added, “Jeremiah Smith’s emotion on the field is completely warranted. Him barely getting targeted in a game like this is abysmal.”
Ryan Day’s reputation, which was bolstered by leading Ohio State to the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship, took a hit as fans and media questioned how a team with such talent could look so lost. The Buckeyes have now dropped to 6-5 in their last 11 games, a record that sparked the comment, “No one is doing LESS with MORE than Ryan Day right now.”
Criticism extended to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, with some fans and former players calling for his removal. One tweet read, “This should be Arthur Smith’s last night in Columbus,” while another sarcastically said, “Arthur Smith decided not to drive the Ferrari tonight,” referencing the team’s failure to utilise Jeremiah Smith. The comparison to Oregon’s coaching staff was unflattering, with one user stating, “Arthur Smith and Matt Patricia are being out-coached by Chris Hampton (first year as Oregon’s full-time defensive coordinator) and Jay Johnson (second week calling plays after Drew Mehringer, who was in his first year as Oregon’s offensive coordinator, got fired).”
Former Buckeye Tommy Schutt broke a social media silence of over six years to call for a “CLEAN HOUSE,” describing the situation as “embarrassing.” Another ex-player, Curtis Samuel, expressed his disappointment, saying, “Can’t allow a team to come in the shoe and be the bully that’s unacceptable and for sure not the culture.”
The feeling among the fan base is that the team is “broken” and that “something has to change immediately.” Some urged Ryan Day to consider benching the current starting quarterback in favor of a freshman, drawing parallels to Nick Saban’s decision to bench his star QB during the national championship game. One fan wrote, “Nick Saban benched his star QB in the NC game. Ryan Day won’t even bench a Freshman QB in a blowout loss.”
The backlash comes after a bye week that should have offered the Buckeyes time to regroup, but instead they were bullied on the road and then at home. The sense of frustration is widespread, with one fan summarizing the mood: “Maybe the Lunatic Fringe was right all along about Ohio State coaches. The ‘lunatic fringe’ are just people who use their eyes.”
Coverage of the team’s struggles continues on social platforms such as @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, where fans and insiders share ongoing updates and opinions. The Buckeyes face pressure to address the coaching situation as well as the glaring issues on the field, with no clear resolution at this stage.
According to Yahoo Sports.
