Ohio State fans who were hoping for a better offensive showing than they saw in the Big Ten Championship are left searching for answers at halftime. The Buckeyes trail Miami 14-0 as the team is 30 minutes away from the season ending far sooner than anyone could've expected when the team ended the regular season undefeated.
The offense looks lifeless for a group that has Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, Bo Jackson, and Julian Sayin, and there's only one person to blame. As the Buckeyes can't move the ball, everyone's looking at Ryan Day and a decision he never should've made to begin with.
Ohio State fans are begging for Ryan Day to give Brian Hartline back playcalling
After the Ohio State Buckeyes' loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship, Ryan Day made the bold decision to strip Brian Hartline of playcalling duties. The offense finally started to find some rhythm on the final drive of the half, but as a whole, the group looks disjointed, and yet another missed field goal didn't help.
One Ohio State fan called out that Brian Hartline was never the problem with the offense, likely referring to the fact that the Buckeyes offensive line has been a major issue the last two games.
Brian Hartline was never the problem Offensively
— Ohio State Fanatic (@OhioStateFan92) January 1, 2026
If Brian Hartline is going to be allowed on the sideline while being the USF head coach, it's strange that he can't call plays.
Genuinely have 0 clue why Brian Hartline is on the OSU sideline - fascinating
— Ross Thompson (@LedTasso_36) January 1, 2026
Ohio State fans: “Can we go back to Brian Hartline calling the offense? Please…” pic.twitter.com/O4Ipvj5PUJ
— Doug Samuels 🏈 (@CoachSamz) January 1, 2026
Stripping Brian Hartline of his job calling the plays was a decision that Ryan Day never needed to make. We've already seen Charlie Weis Jr call an outstanding game for Ole Miss in the Playoff while being employed by LSU. The offense didn't struggle all season until the Big Ten Championship, and blaming Hartline for the struggles is unfair.
Whether it's Ryan Day calling the plays at halftime or another staff member, this staff needs to find a way to buy more time for Julian Sayin. Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor have put pressure on Julian Sayin the entire game combining for 3 first half sacks.
This is the same offensive issue everyone saw in the Big Ten Championship Game, and it appears the Buckeyes still haven't found anyway to adjust on the offensive line.