Kirk Herbstreit doesn’t want to hear Ohio State hate.
“College GameDay” mainstay and former Buckeyes quarterback put critics of Ohio State coach Ryan Day on blast Saturday after the team’s 42-17 dismantling of Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff — just weeks after fans called for Day’s firing after a loss on Nov. 30 to unranked rival Michigan.
“I can’t speak for the crazy edge. I’m not sure how they work,” said Herbstreit, who provided color commentary for the game on ABC. “Ohio State’s crazy edge is as powerful as anywhere in the country. … I don’t know, I’m sure they’ll be happy tonight and excited about what the Ohio State team did. But god forbid they lose to Oregon . They might want to fire him again.”
Play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler also chimed in, saying fans don’t have the power to call for Day’s firing.
“But that’s not the reality,” Fowler told Herbstreit. “When you hear pundits on this network or elsewhere talk about that for sure, it’s nonsense, frankly. The public doesn’t pull the trigger and get rid of a coach. The administrators do, and they stand behind him (Day) .
That’s when Herbstreit caught the attention of his ESPN colleagues.
“‘First Take’ tried to fire him. They thought he was done, so I’ll be excited to see what they talk about on Monday after this show,” Herbstreit said. “They had him out and were trying to find a replacement, but here is he He’s still wearing his hat and he’s still working out.
Herbstreit’s comments followed Stephen A Smith’s scathing comments about Day on Friday’s edition of “First Take”.
“Are you kidding me? With a $20 million roster spot, you got to 2024 talking national championships… The mandate is to beat Michigan and put yourself in a position to win a national championship… If this man gets bounced from here this weekend, he must go,” Smith Smith exclaimed.
Although Day’s coaching record improved to 67-10 after Saturday’s impressive win over Tennessee, Michigan fans have continued to mock the coach as the Wolverines entered the game as double-digit underdogs.
Michigan alum and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has shelled out “Extend Ryan Day” swag, while a flat banner with the same message seen before kick-off last Saturday.
Day is 1-4 against Michigan in his career, with all but this year’s game against now Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh.
Ohio State will face top seed Oregon in the second round of the CFP.
