The third episode of The Ryan Day Podcast is now live.
In his new podcast with The 1870 Society, Day sits down with former Buckeye defensive lineman and 2014 national champion Michael Bennett to share insight on the Ohio State football program. The third episode of his namesake show was released on Wednesday to members of the collective.
While full episodes of The Ryan Day Podcast will remain exclusive to 1870 Society members, we’ll share some of Day’s most interesting comments with Eleven Warriors readers after each release.
In episode three, Day discussed several topics with Bennett, including a breakdown of his favorite Ohio State gameday traditions and how he handles pregame nerves as the Buckeyes' head football coach.
Day Shares His Favorite Gameday Traditions
While he wasn't born and raised in Ohio and officially became a Buckeye in 2017, Day has fallen in love with the tradition of the football program he now coaches.
After an intense week of practice from Sunday to Thursday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, Day said Ohio State winds down on Friday as a matchup with its opponent approaches on Saturday. In those two days, Day said the Buckeyes have many traditions that started long before his tenure. He shared a few of his favorites on the podcast.
"It depends on what time the game is," Day said. "But we call Fridays 'The Best Fridays in Football.' We create a relaxed atmosphere, but at the same time, when it's time to lock in, we lock in and have walkthroughs and meetings. We head over to the golf course for dinner – that's a tradition that has been going on for a long time. We have the pecan rolls, which are a lot better at home than on the road. We have a tradition where one of the freshmen will hand out toothpicks to everybody, a tradition that goes back to Woody Hayes. And then we head over to the Blackwell.
"It's great for us to stay at the Blackwell because we walk across the street to St. John Arena and then into the stadium. But back to Friday night, we have bed check. I do bed checks. It's something I like to do. It takes a while, but I do that. Then the coaches wake the players up. ... The players come down and run through the 'Juice Tunnel.' We have 'Championship Water,' which the strength coaches hand to each player. If someone has, let's say, a calf issue, then Coack Mick (Marotti) will pour water on the calf. And then we do a couple of things around the Blackwell."
Running into Gameday with JUICE pic.twitter.com/g4O8ejrYUf
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 16, 2023
In the hours leading up to the game, Day said Ohio State has a team meal four hours before kickoff. Then, the Buckeyes usually set aside time for players to move around, access the hot and cold tubs, relax and watch film. Then, some of his favorite traditions continue.
"My favorite tradition before the game is the Skull Session," Day said. "We go over there (and see all the fans), then we walk into the stadium. Once we get into the stadium, it's quick. You are moving around on the field, you stretch, you warm up and before you know it, we're kicking off."
Loud and proud in St. John Arena pic.twitter.com/pzIJSAGlc3
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 16, 2023
Day Breaks Down Pregrame Routine, How He Handles Nerves
Like all humans, Day is not immune to nerves and jitters before a big event. When Bennett asked how the Ohio State head coach handles them before kickoff, Day said he has a routine and a motto that helps keep him calm.
"One of the things that has helped me is a term called, 'Win the moment,'" Day said. "You can't do anything about the past because those games are over. You can't do anything about the future, either. If you are worried before a game about what-ifs, it's not doing any good. When you have so much on the line, there's so much there. You're talking about being on the biggest stage – millions of viewers and so much rides on each game. When you're not allowed to lose, that can create anxiety, but all you do is get back to work.
"My routine started a few years ago when I had the opportunity to be the (interim) head coach (for Urban Meyer). It continues now. ... You have to take care of yourself and take care of your mind, your body and get good rest. It's your job as a coach to make sure you put your players in a good situation where they see your poise, your leadership and your confidence. It's all part of the process."
Day said most of his nerves diminish once he delivers a pregame speech to his players in the locker room. For home games, any anxieties that remain leave his body once he runs out of the tunnel with his team and sees the 100,000-plus Ohio State fans erupt in the Horseshoe.
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 16, 2023
As for road games – well, that can be a different story.
"It's easy to look around and be like, 'Holy crap. This is what we're doing,' as I look at all the people who came to see us," Day said while he and Bennett laughed.
When Ohio State heads to South Bend on Saturday, he hopes to have a level-headed approach as he takes the field. When asked if he would take a moment to appreciate the atmosphere at his Tuesday press conference, Day offered a quick response.
"Probably not," Day said. "But that's the game. I've been there a few times when I was at Boston College. I have a lot of respect for the history of the program and what they've done. I grew up watching Notre Dame. (It's a) wonderful program (with) great tradition. ... These are great moments. This is the highest level of college football. All eyes will be on this game. That's how we love it."
Join The 1870 Society
The 1870 Society offers Buckeye Nation exclusive access to their favorite Ohio State teams while creating the earning potential and opportunities that the university's athletes deserve and have earned from countless hours of training and practice to be the best in their respective sports.
For as little as $1.99 per month, you can become a member of The 1870 Society and gain access to The Ryan Day Podcast. Each of The 1870 Society’s nine membership tiers, based on monthly contributions, comes with additional perks ranging from an authentic Buckeye Leaf sticker and a photo autographed by a player to tickets and pregame field access to an Ohio State football game and tickets to a “Heisman Lunch” featuring past Ohio State Heisman Trophy winners.
