Nick Saban backs coach Ryan Day, instructs Ohio State fans to ‘stop all this negative bulls—‘

During his long coaching career, Nick Saban rarely missing an opportunity to share his thoughts on college football-centric hot topics.

Saban and the rest of ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew were in Indiana ahead of the 12-team College Football Playoff opener between Notre Dame and the Hoosiers. While the high-stakes game was the main topic during the pregame show, struggling Ohio State coach Ryan Day was also discussed.

Saban came to Day’s defense and directed his anger at Buckeyes fans, suggesting they shoulder at least some of the blame for the cloud of negativity circulating around the program.

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Nick Saban sits on the ESPN “College GameDay” set before a game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa., Nov. 2, 2024. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Saban said the noise surrounding the program is a distraction for the coaches and players and also made it clear he respects Day and his program.

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“I think every coach has to define how he wants to do it, and I have a lot of respect for Ryan Day and how he’s tried to do it,” Saban said. “For me, I always wanted to get every player in the organization to reach their full potential. It wasn’t so much about the result, it was what you had to do to make everyone better.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban before the College Football Playoff national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on January 11, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

“But a big part of it was isolating the players from outside factors – criticism, the Internet. I used to tell the players all the time, ‘Why do you care about what a guy puts on the Internet who’s a fat guy in his underwear, who lives in his mother’s basement Why does it matter to you in any way?

“It’s the same for the fans. I would tell the fans the same thing. If Ohio State wants to beat Michigan, they have to be positive about their coach and their players. Nobody wants to beat them worse than the players and the coaches. It is No. 1. No. 2, they have an opportunity to win the national championship. Everyone should support them so they have the best opportunity and stop all this negative bulls—.”

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day before a game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. (Joseph Maiorana/USA Today Sports)

While Day has compiled a 66-10 record at Ohio State, his Buckeyes have lost four straight to the Michigan Wolverines.

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Day’s underwhelming performance against Michigan has drawn criticism and raised concerns about the coach’s job security. Today’s focus is on the Buckeyes’ upcoming game against Tennessee in the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes host the Volunteers on Saturday.

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