The Ohio State Buckeyes got some brutal news on Tuesday when head coach Ryan Day announced that star quarterback Julian Sayin is out indefinitely with an arm injury. Even one of the Buckeyes’ loudest critics felt bad about it.
Barstool Sports founder and Michigan alum Dave Portnoy sent his well wishes to Sayin after the news broke. But in the middle of an ongoing feud with Day, he also couldn’t resist taking another shot at the Ohio State head coach.
Sayin Out Indefinitely
Sayin was injured in the fourth quarter of Ohio State’s 19-15 win over the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday after he was sacked. He returned to the sideline with his right arm in a sling.
On Tuesday, Day said that Sayin is out “indefinitely” and is “doubtful” to return during the regular season. The Buckeyes are now preparing for the possibility that last season’s Heisman Trophy finalist won’t play again this season.
True freshman Luke Fahey is expected to take over under center after replacing Sayin during Saturday’s game, but sophomore Tavien St. Clair will get reps during practice, as well. After a bye this week, the Buckeyes close the regular season against USC, Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska, and, of course, Michigan.
Portnoy vs. Ryan Day
Portnoy has never been shy about criticizing Day, but things have gotten more personal since he was removed from Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show earlier this month.
He blamed Day and the Buckeyes for the decision, claiming that Ohio State “[complained] and moaned to the Big 10 and threatened Fox till they had no choice” in a post on X. He also referred to Day as “Cryin Ryan.”
Ahead of Saturday’s game, Portnoy took things a step further, arguing that Indiana’s Curt Cignetti is a far better coach than Day.
“Cignetti is clearly a superstar coach, and it doesn’t matter where he went. Ryan Day would be unsuccessful at any program other than Ohio State,” Portnoy said during Barstool’s weekend preview.
Echoing former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh’s famous jab, Portnoy added, “Ryan Day was born on third base.”
When Buckeyes fans pushed back, Portnoy called them “delusional and insane and sensitive” and claimed that Ohio State has “a Dave Portnoy fetish.” Then Day went out and beat Cignetti anyway.
‘This sucks’
Despite his obvious feud with Day and his disdain for Ohio State, Portnoy had a classy reaction to the Sayin news on X shortly after Day’s announcement on Tuesday.
“This sucks. You never want injuries to derail a season even for your arch enemy. Hope Sayin comes back better than ever. I guess we’re gonna get to see how good a coach Ryan Day is the rest of the way,” Portnoy wrote.
Obviously, Portnoy couldn’t help but throw in the subtle jab at Day, but it was a mostly classy message nonetheless.
The post ‘We’re gonna get to see how good a coach Ryan Day is’: Dave Portnoy reacts to Julian Sayin injury appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.