Ryan Day reveals how his staff reacted to Northwestern hazing scandal

Ryan Day had a strong reaction to the Northwestern hazing scandal with his own team at Ohio State. Basically, it was a chance to look inward and maintain a positive culture in Columbus.

Day mentioned how he wanted to be upfront with his players and have his staff aid in addressing what happened within their conference. It’s all to ensure it doesn’t happen under his watch.

Northwestern fired Pat Fitzgerald after the scandal became public, so it made Day and others more aware of how to address potential issues.

“Immediately, all of a sudden, you got to look hard and make sure that there’s nothing going on with your (own program),” Day said at Big Ten Media Days. “So immediately, I have a staff meeting and talk about how if there’s something that’s going on, you know, I need to know about it. It needs to be told to me. So you can go back through that, again, not that we don’t talk about those things, we do. 

“But just it’s something that, you know, brings to the forefront. We talk to the team about how it’s unacceptable, all the things that come with it. So you just try to make sure you have everything in place so that something like that doesn’t happen, especially when it’s something that just happened recently.”

As long as Day runs a clean ship, Ohio State should be in the national championship picture once again. But, the Buckeyes have to get over the Michigan hump within the Big Ten after two straight losses to their rival.

David Braun details reality of Northwestern situation

David Braun took over for Pat Fitzgerald, who was fired amid a hazing scandal within the program. It wasn’t the ideal way to get a promotion, but it is what it is, as the kids say. 

“I never could have imagined nor did I desire to become a head coach under these types of circumstances,” Braun said. “That said, I’m honored to lead this group moving forward … I dreamt of playing in the Big Ten. That never became a reality. But an opportunity to work in the Big Ten, coach in the Big Ten and coach and mentor these young men is something that I don’t take lightly …

“Our number one priority moving forward will be ensuring that the student athlete experience for the young men that we coach and mentor is just that. The ultimate student athlete experience with the evolving landscape of college football and there being more emphasis put into talent acquisition, transit, transactional relationships, we have an opportunity.”