The game of football has evolved throughout the years, and at times it takes a magnifying glass to realize you are watching the same game that your father grew up watching. But as they say, the more things change the more they stay the same. Every evolution has the same underlying theme: Take what the defense gives you.
Taking what the defense gives him has been at the forefront of Ryan Day's offensive mindset since taking over playcalling in 2018. That season he dismantled a great Michigan defense by calling the same pass play more times than my fingers and toes can count. A year later, Day dismantled the same team, who spent all offseason correcting what went wrong in 2018, by running the ball 50 times. 62 points in 2018. 56 points in 2019. Vastly different paths to get there. Both paths destined to take what the defense was giving him.
Standing on the sidelines on November 30th, Day's mantra was unchanged. Make the smart play. After all, football is just a numbers game right? If the number of blockers = number of box defenders, run the ball. Box defenders greater than blockers? Pass the ball. My workplace's favorite acronym is KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. Day has spent 4 years trying to run the football. Not because he wants to be a ground and pound team, but because he knows that is the simplest path to giving his WR's a numbers advantage.
While simple math does indeed follow the principles of KISS, so does the idea of simply giving your best players the ball. With his back in a corner, and his ass feeling a little warm, Day has since followed the latter KISS principle.
The first glimpse was on the opening possession of the CFP. 1st and 10 and Tennessee showing a very light box with 2 deep safeties. Surely Day is going to run it? Nope.
With a chance to put the game away up 28-10, Ohio State once again relied on the latter KISS principle. OSU rolls out into a 12 personnel set. Usually, a defense would counter this by going to a single deep safety. Tennessee does not. The safety #35 on their defense realizes their mistake post-snap. "Surely OSU is going to run it. They have the numbers!" But as he is crashing in to save the day, Howard calmly rolls out and throws the ball right where the defender came from.
The Oregon game was no different. Oregon may have still had a shot, but mentally, this game was over the minute Howard found Egbuka with what can best be described as a "dropping your nuts throw". The numbers favor a run. Oregon not only has 2 deep safeties, but is also giving cushion on the WR's. My favorite cult film is Division 3 starring Andy Dick. There is a quote in the movie that I like to believe has been going through Day's head the past 2 games. "F*** it, doesn't matter".
The smart people will tell you that football is a numbers game. Urban, Leach, Rich Rod, Kelly, and Day have lived by it. But when Day is at his best, he is not calling plays that make viewers say "what a great play call!". He is calling plays that make viewers say "Damn that kid is good". When Day gives his best players the chance to make plays, the sky is the limit. Or as the great Michael Jordan would say, the ceiling is the...roof?
Friday is the next chapter in what could be the greatest book ever written. After all, redemption stories are the American peoples' favorite genre. As Nike said, Winning Fixes Everything. So does throwing the ball to #4. Beat Texas. Go Bucks!
Disclaimer: Yes I referred to Day as "calling plays" even though it is Kelly. IMO, they are very much doing it hand in hand.
