There are plenty of memorable plays from Ohio State’s 49-10 victory over Rutgers on Saturday.
Fortunately, the scene beyond was not only limited to angry words and mild shoves. Mirco and Jesse, instead of being decked out, ran out of bounds when they were in Ohio State’s fourth-quarter punt game, which should have been forgettable but sparked a 39-point performance.
The enduring image from Saturday will be the calm restored before each coach, with Greg Schiano of the Scarlet Knights and Ryan Day of the Buckeyes, pointing fingers and yelling at each other.
Ohio State vs Rutgers: Joey Kaufman’s Scarlet & Gray Mind.
Schiano and Day spoke at midfield when the game ended. They warmly patted each other on the shoulders. Both coaches professed mutual admiration and respect, and there were no hard feelings, as they expressed in their postgame comments.
However, once again, there exists history, context, and circumstance.
Kevin Wilson, the former coach of Indiana, was hired to invigorate the Buckeye offense along with Day. In the 2017-18 season, Wilson and Day were on the staff of Urban Meyer at OSU.
Ohio State stays unbeaten: 5 things we discovered from the Rutgers match.
Prior to a doomed transition to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Schiano served as the defensive coordinator and Meyer’s close friend who had excellently constructed Rutgers’ struggling program as the head coach.
Day was never a head coach before and only 39 years old. It was a surprise when Gene Smith, the athletic director, chose Day instead of Wilson or Schiano to act as the coach. In the saga of Zach Smith, Day was suspended for the first three games of the season and training camp for Ohio State in 2018.
Schiano was disheartened, but he did not display it during interviews for the team throughout camp. Nobody from Ohio State made an impression on him again. Then, Day returned the praise that Schiano heaped on him before the final game against TCU, in which Ohio State defeated them.
“What Schiano has accomplished for me in the past month is an experience I will always remember, Greg,” Day expressed. “The manner in which he has conducted himself, guiding and advising me on a daily basis – he is the most refined individual I have ever encountered in the coaching field.”
In the TCU matchup, standout defensive lineman Nick Bosa sustained an injury following a significant decline in Ohio State’s defensive performance. Upon Meyer’s decision to resign, his replacement Day was appointed, however, Schiano was not kept on by him.
When Schiano returned as Rutgers’ coach in 2020, he took over a program that was at its lowest point, with a record of 3-21 in the last two years, under the guidance of former OSU defensive coordinator, Chris Ash.
In the meantime, Schiano has been trying to find a way to compete against teams such as Ohio State, if the rebuilding process is successful, it will take time.
Schiano employed a variety of strategies, such as three onside kicks, to challenge the Buckeyes two years ago. He also incorporated numerous unconventional plays and emphasized the importance of perseverance and resilience through his efforts.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have never been in the lead against the Scarlet Knights. However, Rutgers took advantage of an Ohio State turnover to score the first touchdown and go ahead 7-0. They attempted to do the same again on the following Saturday.
Melton, a teammate of Bo, scored a touchdown when he ran 58 yards across the field after throwing a punt return across the field. This happened in the fourth quarter of the 2020 Rutgers game, where they were trailing 14-42. It’s not the outcome of the game that is decided, but rather the use of trickery is one thing when it is used.
Schiano caused controversy when he ordered a blitz on the final play of the New York Giants’ 41-34 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, resulting in Eli Manning, the Giants’ quarterback, attempting a kneel-down. That was in 2012, during Schiano’s coaching time with the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay.
Schiano was not sorry.
Schiano informed the NFL Network, “If we still have an opportunity to be victorious, we are striving for victory. And there’s an unspoken guideline that I am aware of: We must emerge victorious.”
Rutgers had no chance Saturday trailing 49-10 with under 10 minutes left. Ohio State had pulled its starters and was playing conservatively.
Rutgers had only two players on the line, while OSU had five players on the left side, creating an overloaded scrimmage. However, eight players from Rutgers were put on the line for the punt.
Instead of running away, he took him. Close to the Rutgers players, he started the motion before the punt and rolled out to his right, like a rugby-style kicker, Mirco. Successfully jamming the blockers, he attempted to block the punt.
Mirco sprinted for a 22-yard gain, stepping out of bounds on the sidelines of OSU, before being tackled by Rutgers’ players Aron Cruickshank and minor.
Seeing his player surrounded on the Buckeye sideline, Day tried to protect him from Schiano’s overran attempt. Angry words were then exchanged between them.
Mirco, an Australian who is probably unaware of the unwritten rules of football, would have a talk with him. He confirmed in his postgame press conference that it was not designed as a fake punt.
The Ohio State-Rutgers matchups can definitely add some excitement to a game. No serious offense there, he opts not to adhere to some of them, but Schiano is cognizant of them.
However, it can have repercussions. All individuals involved should be grateful that the altercation did not deteriorate into something more severe.