Fact or Fiction: Is Ryan Day Failing in the Margins?

Does Ryan Day consistently fail in the margins of Ohio State's biggest games? Are the Buckeyes making too many mistakes in critical situations, playing too many tight ends, and struggling to identify their best five offensive linemen?In this edition of Fact or Fiction on the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr tackle another round of criticism from Ohio State fans following the Buckeyes' disappointing losses to USC and Oregon.One fan argues that Ryan Day's teams routinely lose games because of failures in the margins, that Ohio State continues to play ineffective tight ends, that the offensive line rotation shows a lack of planning, and that too many players are receiving significant playing time despite not performing at the level expected of a Buckeye.How much of that criticism is fact, and how much is fiction?Tony and Tom examine Ohio State's history of missed field goals, questionable special teams decisions, clock management, and other small mistakes that can make an enormous difference in close games.They also discuss the Buckeyes' continued reliance on multiple-tight-end formations, whether Jeremiah Smith should ever leave the field in critical situations, and why the offensive line has become a revolving door of personnel changes.Finally, they take a hard look at Ohio State's talent level and whether the Buckeyes have enough elite players to compete with the nation's best teams.Of note, this show was recorded before Ryan Day fired special teams coordinator Robby Discher.00:00 – Welcome to Buckeye Weekly: Fact or Fiction returns00:30 – A fan's criticism of Ryan Day, the tight ends, offensive line, and roster talent01:30 – Fact or Fiction: Ryan Day fails in the margins of every big game02:15 – How missed field goals have changed Ohio State's biggest games03:00 – Special teams, field position, and questionable punting decisions03:45 – Ryan Day's clock management and late-game strategy04:43 – Why the word "every" makes the criticism too broad05:16 – Ohio State's close losses and the importance of winning in the margins06:30 – Fact or Fiction: Ohio State's tight end play is atrocious07:15 – Why the Buckeyes may be playing too many tight ends08:05 – The difference between using two tight ends and relying on three or four09:00 – Why taking Jeremiah Smith off the field is such a problem10:04 – Fact or Fiction: Ohio State's offensive line rotation proves the coaches have no plan10:45 – Injuries, illness, and uncertainty surrounding the five best offensive linemen11:46 – Why the Oregon game raised new concerns about offensive line decisions12:30 – Is Ohio State experimenting too much with its offensive line combinations?14:01 – Why offensive line injuries and inconsistency are affecting teams across college football14:45 – Fact or Fiction: Too many bad players are getting meaningful snaps15:53 – Should Ohio State shorten its rotations and rely more heavily on its best players?17:18 – Has the Buckeyes' overall talent level declined significantly?18:48 – Why modern college football makes it harder to stockpile elite talent19:30 – How injuries expose the lack of depth across college football20:28 – Final verdicts: Which criticisms are fact and which are fiction?21:00 – Buckeye Insiders community, viewer comments, and final thoughtsJoin Buckeye Insiders!Get exclusive Ohio State football coverage, insider reporting, recruiting analysis, premium message board discussions, and more at:https://BuckeyeInsiders.comJoin Tony Gerdeman, Tom Orr, and the Buckeye Insiders community for daily coverage and conversation about everything happening with Ohio State football.