The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Offense Reactions

Episode Summary: Play Calling Plans, Jeremiah Smith Health, Right Guard Change

Podcast: The Bill and Doug Show: Ohio State Football Talk (Blue Wire)
Date: December 22, 2025
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises & Bill Landis

Overview

In this episode, Doug and Bill break down the latest Ohio State football news ahead of the Cotton Bowl, focusing on Ryan Day’s play-calling decision, the status and impact of standout receiver Jeremiah Smith, and changes at the right guard position due to injury. Drawing on their decades of experience covering the Buckeyes, the hosts offer insight, context, and thoughtful speculation with their signature blend of passionate fandom and insider know-how.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Ryan Day to Call Plays in the Cotton Bowl

[03:00–13:57]

• Definitive Decision: Head coach Ryan Day, after some speculation, confirmed he will call plays for the Cotton Bowl and (potentially) playoff run, stepping back into a role he excelled in earlier in his career.

  • "Three major pieces of information I think, came out of this. The first is Ryan Day said he's calling plays for the Cotton Bowl. That was definitive. Definitive. It's what we expected." — Bill [03:18]

• Context & Nuance: Day’s announcement was careful—he said, “It will be my decision what calls go into the game,” a phrasing Doug found “convoluted” but respectful of outgoing OC Brian Hartline.

  • "It was not like, I am the play caller now. It was, it will be my decision what calls go into the game, which I thought was a very interesting sort of convoluted way to say, I am the play caller now." — Doug [03:56]
  • Both hosts see the move as logical and not surprising, especially with Hartline leaving for a head coaching job at South Florida.

• Why It Makes Sense: Doug and Bill believe Ryan Day is better-suited for play-calling in high-stakes games, especially given Hartline’s limited experience as a primary play-caller.

  • "I think maybe you want Brian Hartline for the 12 (regular season), so Ryan Day can do other things, but I think maybe you want Ryan Day for the three (playoff games) to get you over the top." — Bill [09:18]
  • "It's not just the best of a bad situation. It might be the best of any situation. This is better." — Bill [09:58]

• The “Eyes Up” Conversation: Doug credits Day with recognizing that a head coach/play-caller needs to keep an “eyes up” view—managing the whole team, not just the offense.

  • "If you're so locked in on being a play caller, are your eyes up for your program and your culture year round? And that is what I was most interested in in the should Ryan Day give up play calling Discussion." — Bill [07:38]

• Seasonal Dynamics: The hosts clarify this arrangement is ideal for the postseason but not for the full season, where “eyes up” on culture and preparation for Michigan outweighs tactical play-calling.

  • "You have to coach the whole team all year."
  • "If you are just in the meeting room with the offensive staff trying to figure out what the third and three package of play calls should be, then I don't think you're preparing Ohio State mentally, emotionally, holistically to play its best game against Michigan." — Bill [13:10]

2. Offensive Game Day Roles and Staff Structure

[15:20–19:07]

• Supporting Cast: With Day spending more energy on play-calling, tight ends coach Keenan Bailey and quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler's roles will be more critical. Hartline, now leaving, will retain receivers coach duties and be in the press box on game day.

  • "Keenan Bailey was like in Ryan's back pocket in the Big Ten championship game. Maybe that means Billy Fessler and Brian Hartline will be upstairs together. They'll help each other and Keenan Bailey will be the guy on the sideline." — Bill [17:08]

• Quarterback Communication: Fessler will relay plays to Julian Sayin, who has been operating in this system all year.

  • "Billy Fessler could still talk to Julian via walkie talkie. So that sounds like something maybe he's been doing all year." — Doug [17:56]

• Room for Change: Doug notes that specifics of who is where on game day may shift as the bowl prep unfolds, but the staff structure feels settled and sound.

3. Right Guard: Injury & Next-Man-Up

[19:25–26:48]

• Tegra Tshabola Out: Starting right guard Tegra Tshabola is out for “a few weeks” due to injury, officially confirmed by Day.

  • "Tiger Chabola is not starting at right guard against Miami. That is definitive. That is injury related. It certainly may have been performance related also." — Bill [19:43]

• Gabe VanSickle Takes Over: VanSickle is expected to be the starting right guard. If he struggles, Josh Padilla may rotate in. This is a tough “trial by fire” as Miami boasts a formidable defensive line.

  • "I would expect to see him play most, if not all, the game against Miami. And it's going to be a heck of a test for him because there's some real dudes in the middle of that Miami defensive line." — Doug [21:32]

• Host Analysis: Despite the challenge, both hosts agree that giving VanSickle a shot makes sense given Tshabola’s struggles and VanSickle's promising athletic profile.

  • "It's just a little early. I think that more often than not, certainly has the chance to be fine." — Bill [23:35]
  • "He's pretty athletic. He's very physical. He's bigger than Josh Padilla too, which is another reason why I think he might play more." — Doug [24:43]

• Coaching for Success: They discuss how the staff will likely alter gameplans—quick throws, pocket movement, and play design—to support a first-time starter.

  • "We have to help him. We have to assume he's gonna have some trouble. We have to design as opposed to, well, Tegra's a big, physical guy, like, let's see what he can do before, you know." — Bill [25:56]

4. Quarterback & Skill Positions: Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith

[27:07–33:42]

• Julian Sayin Focused: Sayin appeared notably more serious and “locked in” compared to the Heisman media circuit, focusing purely on prep for Miami.

  • "Now it's game prep again. And Julian was like, nope. Julian Sayin shut it down. Which is only an indication of locked in Julian Sayin…this is beat Miami time." — Bill [27:43]
  • "I certainly made note of the fact that he said he was watching both Miami and A&M prior to their game on Saturday. Like, I think he's pretty dialed in." — Doug [28:03]

• Ryan Day’s QB Influence: Doug wonders if Day's direct play-calling could “bring out” the CJ Stroud-Georgia level in Sayin, noting Day's proven impact on quarterbacks.

  • "The game that they got out of CJ Stroud there where he was just a playmaking maniac…it felt like Ryan Day was instrumental in bringing that out of CJ. Is there anything in this dynamic here that maybe Ryan can bring a little bit of that out of Julian?" — Doug [29:17]

• Jeremiah Smith Injury Update: The star WR personally clarifies his late-season struggles stemmed from a quad strain suffered in practice (“usually keeps you out 3-4 weeks”), not the previous back scare. He played versus Michigan below 100% on Day’s advice to "will" himself healthy.

  • "Jeremiah Smith himself, describing how worried he was about his ability to play in the Michigan game, that he was not sure that he was going to be able to play. He said it was a quad strain…He said, it's an injury that usually would keep you out three or four weeks." — Doug [29:49]

• Smith’s Health for Miami: Smith confidently claims he is now back to 100%, promising a return to his explosive form at season’s start in a game packed with personal storylines (he’ll be facing high school friends who play for Miami).

  • "He said, I am 100% now. And he's playing this Miami team that one of his best friends, a receiver at his high school, plays for Miami...you're gonna see like the Jeremiah Smith from the beginning of the year when he was healthy. And that could be quite a thing." — Bill [31:33]

• Emotional Stakes & Motivation: The hosts note Smith’s competitive fire and connection to his roots, cautioning only against letting his intensity spill over into penalties.

  • "Honestly, the only thing I'm worried about is that they're going to be like, too charged up...No personal fouls, I guess for Jeremiah should be the main goal here. But otherwise, I think you're gonna get the full Jeremiah Smith experience." — Doug [33:27]

• Broader Significance: They highlight how Smith, despite NIL era money and fame, embodies passion for team and program.

  • "This is a second-year college student...who wants to put it on for this program and his teammates and his coaches and the people that he cares about...it's nice to hear him talk about it." — Bill [34:03]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Play Calling:

  • “It will be my decision what calls go into the game.” — Ryan Day (as paraphrased by Doug, [03:56])
  • “I think maybe you want Brian Hartline for the 12, so Ryan Day can do other things, but I think maybe you want Ryan Day for the three to get you over the top.” — Bill [09:18]

• On Smith’s Health & Motivation:

  • "He said, I am 100% now. And he's playing this Miami team that one of his best friends, a receiver at his high school, plays for Miami." — Bill [31:33]
  • "He flipped double birds to the crowds after he scored against Michigan. He's got to be careful, I think, to not—because he didn't get caught that time. He's got to be careful because I think they could be looking for that next time." — Doug [33:54]

• On NIL and Player Attitude:

  • "And this is a second year college student...And he seems like he cares as much as anybody could care...And this guy wants to put it on for this program and his teammates and his coaches and the people that he cares about." — Bill [34:03]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:00–13:57]: Play Calling Plans & "Eyes Up" Philosophy
• [15:20–19:07]: Staffs Roles & Game Day Structure
• [19:25–26:48]: Right Guard Change Explained
• [27:07–29:17]: Julian Sayin’s Mentality
• [29:49–34:03]: Jeremiah Smith Health, Motivation, and Miami Ties
• [34:03–35:49]: Broader Reflections on NIL, Motivation, and the “full Jeremiah Smith experience”

Tone and Flow

The conversation is a lively, analytical back-and-forth, sometimes self-deprecating, always fan-focused, with a penchant for big-picture insight and “what does this mean for the whole program” thinking. Doug and Bill inject humor, empathy, and wisdom, all while keeping Ohio State fans front-and-center.

For Listeners: Key Takeaways

• Ryan Day calling plays is not a crisis response—it is the optimal move for postseason success given Hartline’s inexperience and new job.
• The offensive staff is reassembling roles to support both Day as play-caller and a new right guard (VanSickle), with careful planning.
• Despite injuries and off-field distractions, key players like Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin present as healthy, focused, and highly motivated.
• Emotional storylines abound—several players face former teammates and friends in the Cotton Bowl.
• This group of Buckeyes combines modern NIL realities with old-school competitive passion, giving fans real reason for optimism and pride.

Next Up

Bill and Doug will follow with a defensive preview after interviews with Matt Patricia and OSU defenders, and provide more content on their Substack and podcast feeds, especially as game day approaches.