Ryan Day is the best coach in college football. That's my opinion and I think there's an objective argument that could be made that anybody could acknowledge.

There has also been a lot of talk about his winning percentage, the quality of the program he runs, the emphasis he has on raising good men and focusing hard on mental health and off-field parts of football. But there are some things that are either unconfirmed or pure assumptions that point to even more about Ryan Day that makes him one of a kind and truly exceptional.

I started thinking about this due to Saturday's major upset of UCLA over Penn State, and the vaunted Jim Knowles defense getting shredded by a truly poor team. Last season we have heard a lot of assumptions, but again unconfirmed, about the defense after the Oregon loss. We had gotten torched by a talented offense that put our defense, and mostly one guy, on skates all night. After that game things seemed to change quickly and for the better. By the end of the season the defense was fluid, quick, and impactful at all levels and prevented all opponents from being effective on offense. The stories we heard all pointed to Ryan Day getting very involved with the defense and the philosophy and coaching shift significantly. And it worked. And then we heard more stories after the championship game that our players were confused about the play calls during Notre Dame's second half comeback. And then we had Knowles leave...unceremoniously.

But this isn't about Knowles. This is about Day. All signs seem to point to this guy, an offensive-minded head coach who fully embraced the CEO role last year, getting involved in his defensive scheme and game planning...and it becoming far more successful than what it was under the sole leadership of a well regarded, at the time, defensive coordinator.

Ryan Day has shown throughout his tenure as Head Coach that he is one of the best decision makers at his level in the sport. He replaces coaches that deserve replacement, approaches game strategy and player wear and tear in a way that keeps his team sharp throughout the season, and he acknowledges his and his teams' faults and does everything he can to fix them. He is humble, realistic, and has left his ego at the door almost every step of the way.

We don't see or know everything that goes on in the Woody or on the sidelines. We never will. But there is a hidden side to things that we get peeks at through stories, interviews, and simple observation. That hidden side of Day is what makes this program exceptional. His dedication to his players and raising everyone up together, and making the tough decisions when required, is what sets him apart.

Kudos to Ryan Day. He represents the university as well as anybody could. Treats everyone from his players to the media with respect and patience. He cares so much about everything going on with the people he works with and coaches.

I wasn't sure where to put this, if it should just be a comment or its own topic. But I felt it needed to be said.