Ryan Day saved his most impassioned Skull Session speech of the year for last.
Ahead of Ohio State’s final home game of the year against Michigan, Ohio State’s head coach spoke about the importance of winning The Game and gave a long list of reasons why Saturday’s rivalry game matters, including “our integrity, our character, our resilience and who we are as Buckeyes.”
“Our No. 1 goal every year is to win this game. And we put everything we possibly have in our process every single day to work this game. We don’t wear blue. We don’t say the M word. But this is not about them today. This is about us,” Day said. “This is about our team. This is about our band. This is about our fans. This is about our university. This is about our state. This is about our toughness. This is about our work ethic. This is about our integrity, our character, our resilience and who we are as Buckeyes.”
Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer and defensive line coach Larry Johnson also spoke to what was the loudest Skull Session crowd of the season at St. John Arena. Sawyer spoke about what The Game means to him as a Central Ohio native and implored the crowd to make the Shoe as loud as it’s ever been on Saturday.
“As a little boy growing up in Pickerington just 15 minutes down the road, it’s something I’ve always dreamed about playing in this game right here. This game means everything to me and the brothers and the coaching staff that are behind me right now,” Sawyer said. “We fought like hell to get back in this spot that we’re in right now. So my one message I have today, man, is to make the Shoe the loudest and most hostile environment in the country.”
Johnson also encouraged the crowd to cheer loudly and promised Buckeye Nation that they’re in for a treat with what they’ll see from the Buckeyes as Ohio State looks to end its three-year losing streak in The Game.
“We’re gonna need you today. We’re gonna need you to be absolutely loud today. We have to shake the Shoe today,” Johnson said. “We’ve waited for this moment 325 days to get back to here. Now we stand here, now we’re ready to fight and I’m telling you right now, watch what happens on the field for 60 minutes!”
