ATLANTA – Monday night was among the transfers, just as the Cotton Bowl was among the returners.
This particular Ohio State national championship had something for everyone. It was a heavy dose of redemption for a coach some in Columbus wanted to run out of town after a fourth straight loss to Michigan. It had a near-perfect first half from quarterback Will Howardwho joined the Buckeyes a little over a year ago from Kansas State because he wanted to compete for this title – and because he had ended up on the bench there a bit. Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins came on board a few days after Howard and announced his commitment to Ohio State last January, just minutes after rival Michigan won its national title in Houston. And then he scored three touchdowns in two quarters to help the Buckeyes to a trophy of their own.
But none of this was easy, not even the championship game. Notre Dame fought back again and again to get within one score late in the fourth quarter. But that’s as close as the Irish could get, considering they didn’t have Jeremiah Smith — and the Buckeyes did. One deep pass to the freshman sensation sealed the game and Ohio State won 34-23.
As the final seconds of the match passed and the realization that he was about to win his first national title began to sink in, head coach said Ryan Day thought to himself, God has made it difficult for a reason.
“This game can give you the highest highs and the lowest lows,” Day said later. “It can bring you to your knees.”
That’s certainly possible. He lived it. That also applied to many players on that field Monday evening.
The veterans on this team hadn’t won much. Well, technically they had one lot of the games over the past four years, but they hadn’t won the big ones – the ones that earn you gold pants and diamond rings. Those Buckeyes had lost to the Wolverines time and time again. They had also lost to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals by missing a game-winning field goal as the clock struck 12 on New Year’s Eve. They had been very good, but they were never really great.
And so they came back. Defensive end Jack Sawyer was the first to announce his return, just as he was the first player to commit to Ryan. Day after Day was elevated to head coach after the 2018 season. Then came the cornerback Denzel Burkedefensive equipment Tyleik Williams and spoilsport JT Tuimoloau. Star receiver Emeka Egbuka also stayed. This also applied to running back TreVeyon Henderson.
The schedule is loaded. It became even more so when it added the safeties of Howard, Judkins and Alabama Caleb Downs. Expectations were as high as could be; it was a national championship-type season. Burke said this so many times last spring, placing the bullseye squarely on their backs. So did the $20 million price tag that came with the selection.
But it turned out they were just as good as we thought they would be. It only took a full regular season (and that embarrassing loss to Michigan) to unlock this team’s potential, which is a credit to Day and his coaching staff, as well as the players themselves. These Buckeyes were a runaway freight train throughout the College Football Playoff.
“I feel like we’ve been knocking on the door from the beginning of (my term),” Day said. “But you have to find a way to break through and get to where we are now. I think nowadays there’s so much to do with profit and loss and social media that people have to write articles and there’s a lot of things being said that, yeah, definitely have an effect on you and your family. .
“But when you sign up for this job, that’s what you sign up for. You have to be strong enough to withstand those storms, to come out after them.”
Day has said that without his family he could never have endured what he went through. He couldn’t have gotten through the weeks between the Michigan game and the CFP first-round game against Tennessee without his staff and the players he now considers members of his family. Guys like Sawyer, a kid who grew up just outside of Columbus and dreamed of bringing his Buckeyes glory. He’s the one who couldn’t bear to see Michigan players planting a flag in Ohio Stadium. He never beat That Team Up North. But his scoop and score against Texas propelled this team to the title game. And no one could pry that victory cigar out of his hand late Monday night.
“These guys learned a lot of life lessons, but they will go down in Ohio State history as one of the best teams to ever play at Ohio State,” Day said. “After all the things that have been said throughout the year, these guys will be cemented as one of the best stories in Ohio State history and one of the best football teams ever.
“There was a point where not many people had that vision, but these guys did. And they got through it.”
That included an offensive line that lost two starters to season-ending injuries and had to reimagine and reshape itself. It also included an offensive coordinator Chip Kelly who left a head coaching position to reunite with a former student. And a quarterback who may not have seemed like an upgrade from his predecessor at first, but became better and more confident as the season progressed. Howard set a new CFP and BCS championship game record with 13 consecutive completions to start the game Monday night.
Howard said Day changed his life. That also applies to this title. It will change the lives of everyone involved in this season and this program. Day himself is now only the third active head coach with a national title, putting him in a rarefied atmosphere alongside Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney.
And it wasn’t easy for him to get here. It wasn’t easy for Howard either. Or Sawyer. Or anyone who had to overcome really painful moments before the confetti could fall and the cigars could be lit.
“Ohio State may not be for everyone, but it is for these guys,” Day said. “And I’m really proud of them.”