Ryan Day reflects on leadership, culture, and Ohio State’s foundation as the Buckeyes prepare to face Miami in the Cotton Bowl in Arlington.

ARLINGTON, Texas – When Ryan Day talks about leadership, he starts with people. I spoke to Ohio State’s head coach at Cotton Bowl Media Day, and it was one of the richest conversations I’ve ever had as I listened like a student. 

Day reflected on the lessons that have shaped Ohio State from last December to now, framing the Buckeyes’ postseason run as the product of the right people, a strong foundation, and an elite culture. 

“It always comes down to people,” Day said. “When you go through adversity, that’s when you really find out about people — how tight your group is, how connected you really are.”

MUST LISTEN: Ryan Day spoke about the importance of people in life and around the program as well as a leadership lesson.

This will be the best two minutes of your day and is more evidence the Buckeyes are in the right hands. pic.twitter.com/ldaFFyH9I9

— Blake T. Biscardi (@BlakeBiscardi) December 29, 2025

“These guys know what they represent, and it’s Ohio State. It’s the state of Ohio. It’s being a Buckeye. They take a lot of pride in that.”

That belief has anchored Ohio State as it prepares to face Miami on Wednesday with a chance to keep its championship pursuit alive. Day emphasized that winning at this level isn’t about shortcuts or surviving on talent alone. It’s about assembling the right group — players, coaches, staff, families, and fans — who understand that the team must always come before the individual.

“In today’s day and age, that’s not easy,” Day acknowledged. “But these guys are highly competitive. They want to be the best in the world at what they do.”

That competitiveness, Day said, has been paired with maturity. He pointed to how players carry themselves throughout the season, mentioning how they speak, prepare, and represent Ohio State on and off the field. For Day, culture shows up in the small moments long before it shows up on Saturdays. My mentor, Tim Kight, always taught me that culture isn’t a poster value; it’s a heart value you must live out, not just speak. 

“This is a group that’s chasing history,” he said. “But they’re also a very impressive group of young men.”

Day made it clear that Ohio State’s culture extends far beyond the locker room. He spoke passionately about the role Buckeye Nation plays in the program’s identity, noting that players feel the energy whether fans pack the stadium or gather back home across the state of Ohio.

“They see the videos of people watching the game at restaurants, bars, or at home with their families,” Day said. “All that stuff matters.”

To Coach Day, representing Ohio State means representing something bigger than football. It means carrying the pride of the university, the program, and the state, which is a responsibility players are taught to embrace from the moment they arrive in Columbus.

“You have to think big when you come to Ohio State,” Day said. “It’s different for a lot of reasons.”

That expectation, Day believes, is what creates stability in a college football landscape dominated by constant change. Recruiting the right people, players and coaches alike, starts with making sure they understand the weight of that standard on the front end.

As the conversation shifted to routine and foundation, Day circled back to the details that often decide games at this point in the season. With elite talent and elite coaching on both sidelines, he said the edge comes from what has already been built.

“When you get to this point, it’s going to come down to your fundamentals,” Day said. “Your daily decisions. The walkthroughs. The meetings. The practices. All of it adds up.”

Day described Ohio State’s “brick” tradition — a symbolic reminder of the body of work accumulated after each practice. Each brick represents a day of investment, stacked together as a visual reminder of preparation and accountability.

“That allows us to play with confidence,” he said, “knowing we put that work in every single day.”

Physical, competitive practices remain a non-negotiable for Day, rooted in the belief that teams inevitably sink to the level of their training. As the Buckeyes prepare for Miami, that foundation is being put to the test.

“This is why you come to Ohio State,” Day said. “To play in these games. To win championships.”

Now, with the Cotton Bowl stage set in Arlington, Day’s message to his team is: “Be at your best when it matters most.”

“That’s the ask of everybody in the program,” Day said. “Be at your best right now.”

Ohio State will try to answer that call Wednesday night against Miami, carrying its culture, preparation, and the Buckeye standard with it into the Cotton Bowl.