The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk

Episode: 4 Things Ohio State Needs to Improve, According to Ryan Day
Date: September 2, 2025
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises & Bill Landis
Platform: Blue Wire

Episode Overview

This episode centers around Ohio State head coach Ryan Day’s press conference and his post-game evaluation following Ohio State’s low-scoring but pivotal season-opening win against Texas. Doug and Bill dissect the four areas Day highlighted for improvement, analyzing both sides of the ball and unpacking two specific drives that Day singled out. Throughout, the hosts blend in their own rewatch insights, connect the discussion to big-picture concerns, and reflect on Ohio State's evolving identity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Unique Opening Schedule and Its Impact on Team Evaluation

• Opening with a Top Opponent:
  • Doug reflects on the rarity and challenges of facing “a banger” like Texas in Week 1, compared to previous seasons and schedule quirks.
    • “I don’t know if it’s just TV saying we want it Week One, but it is. This was a great Week One of college football. We had three Top 10 matchups.” (02:37)
• Coaches' Preferences:
  • Bill and Doug note Ryan Day likely would prefer a more gradual ramp-up, like playing Texas in Week 2 (03:33).

2. Ryan Day’s Four Areas for Improvement

A. Defensive Playmaking: Attack the Ball & Create Turnovers

• Day’s message: Need more aggression going after the ball on defense; more turnover creation is expected.
  • “On defense, he said they need to attack the ball and create more turnovers.” – Doug (04:37)
• Hosts’ Analysis:
  • While Jermaine Matthews made the lone interception, few other true turnover opportunities were present against Texas’ high-caliber offense.
  • Bill: “I do want to be a defense that makes as many splash plays as you can … but… for that caliber opponent, that feels fine.” (06:14)
  • Discussion about missing key defenders like Lathan Ransom, known for forced fumbles (06:51).

B. Defensive Line Discipline vs. Pass Rush Aggression

• Day’s Acknowledgment:
  • Emphasized rush-lane discipline and unselfish play over eye-popping pass rush numbers.
  • Doug: “He said… having integrity in your rush lanes… if you play team defense with 11 guys, man, you’re going to be great.” (07:02)
• Landis’ Reel:
  • On rewatch, he noted more stunts, twists, and near-impact plays than initially thought.
    • “My first blush… I don’t know if they bothered Arch [Manning] enough. And then rewatching it now, I actually think it was OK.” (07:56)
  • Called out Arvell Reese and Tai Malone for notable disruptive moments (08:40).

C. Explosiveness on Offense

• Explosive Plays:
  • Doug quizzes Bill: Only ONE play of 20+ yards vs. Texas (the Carnell Tate TD). Tied for 123rd nationally.
    • “There are only two of the 136 schools in the FBS who have zero plays of 20 yards or more… and then Ohio State with one.” (09:33)
• Day’s Stipulation:
  • Recognized it was a “win at all costs” week, but expects more going forward.
• Pass Game Example:
  • Discussed Julian Sayin passing up a deep shot to Jeremiah Smith for a safer option, which Day ultimately approved on film review. (11:04)
    • Bill: “Ryan Day seemed satisfied with Julian Sane’s decision making.” (12:57)
• Run Game Explosiveness:
  • No OSU rush went for more than 8 yards.
    • Open questions about whether younger backs like Bo Jackson could add juice.
    • “If you’re saying we need to be more explosive in the run game, somebody’s got to do it… maybe they’ll keep searching until somebody does it…” – Doug (13:55)

D. Execution on Two Key Drives ("The Middle Eight" & Late Game Drive)

i. First Drive of 2nd Half – Lack of Execution ([17:50])

• Day's Dissatisfaction:
  • The drive lasted just 1:26, gained 6 yards.
  • Doug: “He was not happy with the first drive of the second half.” (17:50)
• Hosts’ Breakdown:
  • First down: Short completion for six yards (18:32)
  • Second down: Run play that failed due to poor vision and missed blocks; James Peoples “cut the run inside when he should have bounced it outside.” – Landis (19:30)
  • Third down: Incomplete due to uncalled PI; Landis notes, “Jeremiah Smith was getting rag-dolled by Malik Muhammad.” (22:12)

ii. "Winning Time" Late Fourth Quarter Drive ([24:12])

• Situation:
  • Texas had closed to 14–7. Ohio State needed to seal the win.
  • Run on 1st down with 13 personnel – stopped for no gain. (25:09)
    • “It was not a decisive run on first down.” – Doug (25:09)
  • Second down: Empty set with three TEs (13 personnel) – resulted in a failed scramble/throwaway.
    • Doug: “I just find it… the best receiver school in the country is empty with five guys running routes and four of them are not receivers…” (28:02)
  • Third down: Got favorable matchup for Brandon Innis on a short route, who failed to break the tackle for a first down.
    • “I think it’s also not unreasonable for Ohio State to expect its slot receiver to win that race.” – Landis (30:00)
• Big Picture:
  • Doug suspects Ryan Day may be subtly at odds with play-calling choices (hinting at Brian Hartline’s new involvement), especially the choice to run on first down (31:22).
    • “It’s just how this is going to work out. We’re not trying to drum up controversy, but… maybe a tiny bit… Ryan Day as a head coach but not the primary play caller maybe disagreeing with what they decided to do there?” – Doug (31:22)
  • Landis: When Ohio State needed to finish games in the past, they’ve both run and thrown. Believes this year the identity is still forming, but team isn't yet built to grind out wins on the ground (34:26).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Defensive Playmaking:

  • “You do want to be a defense that makes… as many splash plays as you can… but they got one, they nearly got two… for that kind of game against that caliber opponent, that feels fine.”
    — Bill Landis (06:14)

• On Explosive Offense:

  • “Only one play of 20 yards or more… ties Ohio State after the first week of the season for 123rd in the nation.”
    — Doug (09:33)

• On Play Calling:

  • “The best receiver school in the country is empty with five guys running routes, and four of them are not receivers…”
    — Doug (28:02)
  • “Not in like a way that is problematic but… just like he’s gotta let Brian Hartline learn… and that’s probably a moment to do so.”
    — Landis (31:22)
  • “I think it is, it would have been like truer to Ohio State’s identity of late to throw the ball on first down there and not run it.”
    — Landis (32:30)

• On Run Game Questions:

  • “If you’re saying we need to be more explosive in the run game, somebody’s got to do it… maybe they’ll keep searching until somebody does it.”
    — Doug (13:55)

• On the Importance of These Early Games:

  • “Now, maybe it will be CJ Donaldson or James Peoples, but I think everybody who watched that game would agree. Right. That a little more. It’s just interesting. He’s re—I think he confirmed what a lot of people watching this and the two of us thought with the run game.”
    — Doug (13:55)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:25] — Episode proper begins, setting up Ryan Day’s comments post-Texas win.
• [04:37] — The four things Ryan Day wants to improve introduced.
• [05:32] — Discussion on defense attacking for turnovers.
• [09:17] — Offensive explosiveness critique by Ryan Day.
• [11:04] — Julian Sayin’s fourth-down decision and Ryan Day’s process-oriented approval.
• [13:55] — In-depth examination of run game and the need for explosive rushes.
• [17:50] — Dissecting the “middle eight” and first drive of the second half.
• [24:12] — Analysis of the crucial late-game “winning time” drive.
• [31:22] — Is there subtle interpretive tension between Day and Hartline as play-caller?
• [34:17] — Comparisons to previous closing drives against Notre Dame and Texas.

Conclusion

Doug and Bill’s episode is a deep-dive on Ryan Day’s own self-critical approach after beating Texas, using it as a lens to explain what still needs to improve—turnovers, pass rush vs. discipline, offensive explosiveness (especially in the run game), and drive execution. By grounding the critique in specific game situations and play design, the hosts paint a nuanced picture of an elite team still tinkering with its best formula for closing out big games.

For listeners and Buckeye fans, the core takeaway is that even after a huge win, the expectation in Columbus is that there’s always another level to reach—and the attention to detail on both sides of the ball is relentless.

Find more of Bill and Doug’s content, including premium audio and Q&As, at billanddugosu.substack.com, and keep an eye out for their new podcast feed on Apple, Spotify, and more.