Ryan Day embraces one of Nick Saban's best philosophies with his latest staff decision
Nick Saban's dominant tenure at Alabama is unlikely to ever be replicated, but any coach would be wise to learn from some of Saban's tendencies. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is coming off his first national championship and is hoping to strike oil just as Saban learned to with reclamation projects. New Ohio State […]
Nick Saban's dominant tenure at Alabama is unlikely to ever be replicated, but any coach would be wise to learn from some of Saban's tendencies. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is coming off his first national championship and is hoping to strike oil just as Saban learned to with reclamation projects.
New Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia certainly fits the bill after burning out in Detroit as the Lions' head coach and in Philadelphia as an interim defensive coordinator. Patricia was well-liked as the New England Patriots defensive coordinator, but something changed when he was removed from that situation under Bill Belichick.
While it's important for recruits to be happy, the current roster players also matter. Ohio State has to do everything at a high level, including player recruitment, retention, and development. The staff must also be cohesive, or else the Buckeyes could see another departure like Jim Knowles' to Penn State.
Saban banked on the experience of former head coaches who failed elsewhere, and it worked well almost every time. Steve Sarkisian, Mike Locksley, Lane Kiffin, Bill O'Brien, and Mel Tucker are just a few of the names who benefitted from going to a coordinator role under Saban to be hyper-focused on one side of the ball.
Patrica earned criticism for struggling to help the Eagles as an interim DC and for ruining the locker room mood in Detroit. It's possible he's a pompous jerk who can't relate to players well enough. But it's also possible he's been humbled by having to take this role instead of staying in the NFL and suffering some defeats.
The key for Day is to maintain some balance with inside voices and the trusted coaches who have led the team to this point. He's ensured that by keeping assistants like Tim Walton and Matt Gurrieri.
