College Football

Ryan Day still upset with targeting no-call in Ohio State's CFP semifinal loss

Updated Feb. 1, 2023 8:52 p.m. ET

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Ohio State head coach Ryan Day revealed in a press conference with local media Wednesday that he is still not happy with a controversial ruling during his team's 42-41 loss to eventual national champion Georgia in a College Football Playoff semifinal in the Peach Bowl.

Star Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. left the game in the third quarter after a hard hit in the end zone from Georgia safety Javon Bullard. The Bulldogs defensive back was allowed to remain in the game when officials ruled after a replay review that he did not commit a targeting penalty.

Day spoke at length about the play — and his fury at the no-call — for the first time Wednesday, revealing that Harrison was not only knocked out of the game but literally knocked out on the play.

"I made a lot of calls after the game," Day said. "I felt like it was targeting. In the moment, when things are moving fast, and you can't see the replay, it's very hard to see. The hard thing for me is to have our medical staff let us know that he was knocked unconscious and that's why we're not gonna put him back in the game, yet the flag gets picked up for targeting."

Day revealed he went on to speak with referees from the Big Ten as well as the Pac-12, the conference whose referees worked the game. (It is common practice in college football bowl games, especially major ones, to have referee crews from a conference not represented by either team in the game.) He also spoke with Steve Shaw, the NCAA's national coordinator of football officials.

"The explanation that was told to me [by the Pac-12] was that [Bullard's hit] wasn't forcible enough," Day said. "I then asked to speak with the head of the officials, Steve Shaw. He explained to me that the hit didn't go right to Marvin's head. It wasn't a shot right on his head, it was to the shoulder.

"I completely disagree with that, but that was the decision that was made and those were the two explanations I was given."

Day made it clear he was taking a filtered approach with his answer, even double-checking with an Ohio State sports information official to see if he had permission to talk about the play. During the game, he was visibly furious on the sideline after the no-call, and it appears that fury has not fully abated in the month since that game.

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He had reason to be. Regardless of the legality of Bullard's hit, Harrison's departure was a massive loss for Ohio State. After a 2022 regular season in which he had cemented himself as one of the best wide receivers in college football, Harrison had already racked up 106 yards and two touchdowns on five catches in the Peach Bowl before his injury.

The good news for Day and Ohio State is that Harrison is set to return to the Buckeyes in 2023. However, he will have a new quarterback throwing him the ball after Heisman Trophy finalist C.J. Stroud declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Redshirt sophomore Kyle McCord and redshirt freshman Devin Brown, both former blue-chip prospects coming out of high school, will compete for the starting quarterback position in spring practices, and Day said Wednesday that he would like to name a starter by the time the team's spring camp ends. 

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Day also revealed that he is considering relinquishing playcalling duties on offense to newly promoted offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, who is widely regarded as one of the top assistant coaches in the country. Hartline will call plays during spring practices, Day said.

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