Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has voiced his concerns about the current format of the College Football Playoff (CFP), suggesting that significant improvements are needed to enhance the overall experience for players.
Despite leading his team to a national title under the new 12-team system, Day believes the tournament is lacking key elements that once made bowl games special.
Speaking on The Triple Option podcast, Day highlighted how traditional bowl games used to provide athletes with unique and memorable experiences, something he feels has been lost in the CFP era.
“First off, the experience is something we really got to learn from,” Day said. “I think that the player experience can be much better. I think that the focus needs to be on the players, and I think we need to look at a lot of it.
“Because, you know, the National Championship is not run by a bowl. The other ones are, but even the ones that are run by a bowl, as you guys remember, there used to be events. There was a lot that came with that. Now that’s no longer the case.”
Day pointed out that in the past, bowl games included activities and celebrations that made the experience enjoyable for the players. However, under the current playoff system, those elements have largely disappeared.
“It’s just like being on a road game, except you’re there a day earlier, but there’s no events-like, nobody’s going on any events, nobody’s leaving the hotel,” he added.
Proposals to Improve the Playoff Atmosphere
One of Day‘s main suggestions is relocating team accommodations away from major city centers. Since teams are no longer participating in pre-game events, he argues that staying in quieter locations would be more beneficial.
“I think that, you know, we need to consider moving the hotels outside of these big cities, because we’re not going to these events anymore,” Day said. “So I think being a little bit more secluded and looking at some of those locations is just better for everybody, especially for the players.”
In addition to better accommodations, Day emphasized the need for improved amenities and recognition for the players who compete in the high-stakes tournament.
“These are the guys that are doing the work. So I think that we need, you know, the best food there is that could possibly serve these guys,” Day stated.
“I think it should be the best conditions. I think we should try to find as many mementos for these guys that possibly can be done – just little things that money can’t buy, but it stays with them forever.”
The Evolution of the College Football Playoff
With the expanded playoff format still in its early years, it is expected that changes will be made to fine-tune the system.
Day‘s comments highlight an issue that many have observed-the CFP, while competitive, lacks some of the prestige and fanfare that traditional bowl games once provided.
His concerns raise important questions about how to balance the competitiveness of the playoff with the experience of the players.
While the focus is on determining a national champion, ensuring that athletes are rewarded for their efforts and sacrifices could become a greater priority in future iterations of the CFP.
Whether Day‘s suggestions will lead to actual changes remains to be seen, but they shine a light on an aspect of college football that deserves more attention-making the playoff experience truly memorable for the players involved.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
