Ryan Day Ignores Question About Desmond Howard's Heisman Ceremony Comments

Desmond Howard's dig at Ohio State during the Heisman ceremony continues to be a hot topic.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day stayed far away from directly addressing Desmond Howard's Heisman ceremony dig during Wednesday's signing day press conference.

During Saturday's Heisman ceremony, Howard responded to Tim Tebow asking Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett to “please stay there” on stage between Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson and Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud. with a joke at Ohio State's expense. 

“Better than his [Stroud's] offensive linemen,” Howard said, which was met with an awkward reaction from the Heisman ceremony crowd. 

On Wednesday, when asked if there was anything said during the ceremony that he took offense to, Day instead chose to highlight the positive Heisman ceremony experience for Stroud and his family.  

“I was happy that C.J. was able to get that experience because you just never know,” Day said. “Hopefully he has an opportunity to get back there next year but you just never know. 

“What a great opportunity for him and his family to get to spend a weekend in New York City and I certainly have a lot of respect for the tradition of that ceremony, all the great people that have come before and the professionalism of that event,” Day said. “So it was an honor to go back there this year.”

When asked again by a reporter whether anything upset him during the ceremony, Day quipped, “Like I said, I have so much respect for that award.”

During the same press conference, Day also shut down a rumor reportedly linking him to the Chicago Bears head coaching position. 

“There's nothing to that,” Day said. “There’s no truth to it. I love Ohio State, and I love being the coach at Ohio State.”

More College Football:

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• Michigan State Makes Tate Myre, Oxford Shooting Victim, Honorary Signee
• Buckeyes Now: 2022 Colorado OT George Fitzpatrick Signs With Ohio State

For more Ohio State news, head over to Buckeyes Now.