The Bill and Doug Show: Inside Ohio State's Comms Breakdown at Michigan, Ryan Day's Wink, and Rivalry Lore

Podcast: The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk (Blue Wire)
Episode Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis break down the controversial communications breakdown that affected Ohio State during their game at Michigan. The hosts provide unique insight based on questions they posed to head coach Ryan Day at his Tuesday press conference. They discuss the mechanics of the breakdown, Day’s cryptic “wink,” and how these events add a new layer to the historic Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. The episode also provides updates on Ohio State’s preparations for the Big Ten Championship and teases what’s coming next for Buckeye fans.

1. Communications Breakdown at Michigan

Background

• During the second half of the Michigan game, Ohio State suffered a loss of communication, affecting both player-to-coach and coach-to-coach headset operations.
• The issue became widely discussed on social media following fan videos and television commentary, particularly with visible cues like quarterback Julian Sayin running to the sidelines for play calls.

Doug on Why This Matters

"Lots of people had chances to ask about the communications issues and nobody did until you did it. And then I followed up and we got a second part of that and I think it's the most interesting thing that came out of [the press conference]." (03:13)

Technical Impact

• Both offense and defense lost comms; Julian Sayin had to run to the sideline to get plays directly from Ryan Day.
• Normally, offensive coordinator Brian Hartline would call plays from the box via headset, but the staff had to ad-lib around the breakdown.
• Defensive staff also huddled unusually close on the sidelines, coordinating substitutions and play calls manually.

Bill’s Explanation

"From what it sounded like, maybe they lost it, got it back, and then lost it again—so it was sort of an ongoing thing for chunks of the second half." (07:25)

2. Protocol & Potential Gamesmanship

Questions of Sportsmanship

• NFL rules require the opposing team's communications to be shut down if one side loses comms. It's believed (but not confirmed) the same would apply in college, particularly in the Big Ten.
• In this game, there was a period where only Ohio State was affected.

Bill on the Rules:

"It is my understanding that they have to [both go down], but I don't know that 100% for a fact... There was certainly a time during the game...where Ohio State's communications were down and Michigan's were not." (10:53)

3. Ryan Day’s Tuesday Press Conference

The Key Q&A Series on Communications (Starts ~18:00)

Bill’s Original Question:

"How did you work through [the communications breakdown]?"
Ryan Day: "We lost communication there in the second half. But the good news was, earlier that week, I had an inkling this may happen, so we had a plan for it. We had a wristband plan...We would bring Julian over and I was getting us through it until we got the headsets back up and running. It took a little while, but yeah, just by chance, we had a plan for it." (21:57)

(Memorable Moment: Day answers with a small smirk, hinting at more beneath the surface)

Doug’s Follow-Up ("Inkling" Q):

"Inkling. Why did you have that inkling?"
Ryan Day: "We're just ready for everything. You gotta be ready for anything. When you go into any big game, you're always trying to put contingency plans in place for anything that could possibly happen. I was in here on Friday and some of the guys on staff were looking at me sideways, like, why would you think that would happen? I just, I don't know. We just gotta be ready for anything. That's funny how your mind works." [He ends with a deliberate wink.] (25:44)

MEMORABLE MOMENT – THE WINK

"Who cares what he said? He ended it with a wink." (26:12 – Doug)

4. Interpreting the Wink: Paranoia or Preparedness?

• The hosts debate the implications: Was this standard paranoia in a rivalry, or an allusion to deeper suspicion about Michigan tactics in light of past scandals (like the Connor Stalions signal-stealing)?
• Bill notes the contingency plan was not to revert to visual signals—i.e., avoiding a return to the signaling methods that were previously compromised by Michigan’s scheme.

"That's paranoia...but it's interesting they didn’t choose to start signaling and plays again. Even in their 'paranoia,' the plan wasn't to use signals." (16:43)

• Doug frames Day’s actions as both taking the high road ("win with humility") and making sure the rivalry’s undercurrents are acknowledged ("the wink").

"Win with humility is like sort of high road. And then the wink is like, you know, but we also know what’s up...we’re not gonna really engage." (29:36)

5. The Rivalry Dimension: Lore and Legacy

• The breakdown’s timing and Day’s response are seen as adding a new chapter to the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry lore.
• The wink could be interpreted either as a knowing nod to the rivalry’s wackiness or as an accusation given the context of recent cheating scandals.

Bill:

"If this communications thing had happened in a vacuum...it could be laughed off. But because of everything that preceded it—it gets lumped in with the characterizations Michigan earned." (31:30)

6. What’s Next? Open Questions and Reporting Gaps

• Will the Big Ten clarify what the protocol is for this situation?
• How often does headset failure actually happen, especially at Michigan Stadium?
• Did Michigan’s communication go down at any point? Was this issue unique or part of a larger pattern?
• Doug and Bill commit to continue reporting, but acknowledge that getting definitive answers may be out of reach without whistleblowers.

"We’re not saying that it was purposeful. But it is quite a coincidence because I think we could ask Ryan Day...have you ever had this happen before?...We could maybe ask the Big Ten...do you [know] how many times it’s happened in the last two years?" (33:30)

7. Around the Team: Injury Updates & Big Ten Outlook

Quick Updates (40:08+)

• Both star receivers, Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith, are reported to be ready for the Big Ten Championship.
• Day said both came out of the Michigan game in a better place than the previous week.
• Doug and Bill discuss Jeremiah’s limp:
  • "I didn’t think Jeremiah was limping after the game." (42:02 – Bill)
  • "He looked better after Michigan than UCLA." (43:05 – Bill)

8. Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Ryan Day's mindset:

  "I think there may be an inkling that that may happen, so we had a plan for it." – Ryan Day (21:57)

• On the wink:

  "[He] ended it with a wink." – Doug (26:12)

• On rivalry paranoia:

  "Woody and Bo [were] constantly paranoid of one another going into the game." – Bill (30:09)

• Rivalry pageantry vs. actual cheating:

  "There's a version of cheating that's…'isn't college football great'? …then there's a form that's… serious business and went above and beyond." – Doug (31:30)

9. Upcoming Episodes & Coverage

• Big Game Breakdown: Ohio State vs. Indiana (Thursday)
• Reactions to College Football Playoff rankings (Tuesday night)
• Subscriber-only deep dives available on Substack (details throughout)

"A lot of stuff coming here…grateful that you guys let us hang out with you and talk ball." – Doug (45:17)

Conclusion

This episode deftly unpacks an instantly legendary moment in Ohio State-Michigan history: a communications breakdown shadowed by suspicion, met with deliberate and practiced preparedness, and capped by a coach’s sly wink. Doug and Bill provide both the granular detail—down to in-game sideline choreography—and the big-picture context that only rivalry insiders can offer. The show closes looking ahead to the Big Ten Championship, reinforcing their ongoing commitment to comprehensive, fan-focused Ohio State coverage.

For further updates, subscribe to their Substack or follow future episodes of The Bill and Doug Show.