Highlights from 2019 Big Ten Football Media Days and kickoff luncheon. Now who’s ready for kickoff?#B1GFootball x #B1GMediaDay pic.twitter.com/QVbWNJE3y3
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) July 20, 2019
Big Ten Media Days is now in the books and as always it was a bit of a zoo. Fourteen head coaches speaking for fourteen schools, conference commissioner Jim Delany, the supervisor of Big Ten officials, and the president of the Big Ten Network. They all took turns at the podium, and got peppered with questions and blank stares.
And now that the dust has settled, we can take some things away from the latest right of passage for the next Big Ten conference football season. Being that we’re an Ohio State dedicated site, a lot of things we are taking away will have a scarlet and gray hue to it, but there’s more to it.
Here are five things to take away from Big Ten Media Days:
No. 5 – Justin Fields is still in a quarterback competition – sort of
Ryan Day: Justin Fields hasn’t ‘earned’ Ohio State starting job yet https://t.co/FTlBBnJc3J
— Lettermen Row (@LettermenRow) July 18, 2019
Look, I get it. Ryan Day wants new transfer quarterback Justin Fields to earn everything he gets. He has too in order to get the respect of the team and develop enough to be put in a position to succeed at the highest of levels. Day refused to name Fields as a starter at his press-conference and says its still an open competition.
But I’m not buying for one moment that he’s not the starter in all the coaches minds. They allowed Tate Martell to transfer for a reason. That reason was Fields, and Fields only. Yeah, there’s other quarterbacks on the roster, but if any of them are your starter in 2019, then plan A hasn’t worked out.
No. 4 – Ryan Day gets the Michigan rivalry
Podcast: Why I’m concerned after hearing what the #OhioState contingent had to say about the #Michigan rivalry on Day One of Big Ten Media Days. https://t.co/FGefFotU3A pic.twitter.com/SO0Y7igJH3
— Isaiah Hole (@isaiahhole) July 19, 2019
It makes sense because he’s been in the program under Urban Meyer, but there isn’t going to be any less emphasis put on That Team Up North. Day continues to talk about the rivalry with reverence and has continued a lot of what Meyer and Jim Tressel put in place.
Want proof? Just listen to his players. Our sister site Wolverines Wire captured the three Ohio State players that went with Day to Chicago and asked them to about how much time they spend on the rivalry. It’s daily folks, and it’s purposeful and meaningful. Now whether or not the same results occur on the field — we’ll have to see.
No. 3 – Jim Harbaugh is just a different cat
Jim Harbaugh was asked what his Michigan team needs to do to break through and beat Ohio State this year: pic.twitter.com/yYfB52R1Lm
— Lori Schmidt (@LoriSchmidt) July 19, 2019
I find myself rooting for Jimmy khakis. Not on the field, but to get his thoughts out in an organized manner. Watching his press conferences are strange, bewildering, and entertaining all at the same time. There are long pauses, blank stares, and rambling answers that don’t address the question.
And what’s up with the baseball cap with a suit? It’s not like underwear. You don’t wear it with every outfit. But still, there it is almost at all times, even while he’s chewing gum with a suit and tie on in the most formal environment you can be in.
No. 2 – Ryan Day is a star in the making
Ryan Day is a sharp dude. Impressive.
— Brandon Brown (@BSB_Wolverine) July 18, 2019
Not many people outside of Columbus that loosely follow college football know that much about Ryan Day. The national narrative is that he’s nowhere near the coach that most of his colleagues are because he lacks experience. Yet not many folks knew about Urban Meyer until he took Utah to a BCS Bowl then won it all with Florida.
I’ve seen many opposing media folks that got to be around Day and hear him talk begin to speak about how sharp he appears to be. I think people are starting to realize with what’s being done with recruiting and how bright and polished he is, that he’s going to be a star in the business. Folks just don’t know it quite yet. He handled himself well in the spotlight and will be just fine with the Cadillac he’s driving.
No. 1 – Jim Delany has a lot of respect
Jim Delany pushed the Big Ten when it needed to be pushed. He also pushed back, sometimes to his detriment. His longevity and legacy won’t be replicated. My column on the most significant non-coaching figure in B1G history. https://t.co/yMjm7OZJVU
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) March 4, 2019
And for good reason. This is Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany’s last rodeo in Chicago. He’ll be riding off into the sunset in a few months and a new sheriff will be running the show. The Big Ten, and college football in general would look a lot different if he didn’t come onto the scene.
As each head coach stepped to the podium, they started with their gratitude and well-wishes for the man that has been in charge of the conference for thirty years. Delany got the Big Ten Network going, was a catalyst for conference expansion, pioneered instant replay in the college game, secured lucrative bowl agreements and television rights for the conference, and more.
He will be missed.
