Ryan Day says he hasn’t spoken to Lou Holtz since viral on-air spat

Ryan Day might not actually want to know where Lou Holtz is right now.

Holtz isn’t exactly hiding — he’s hosting a podcast produced by a right-wing think tank.

But that’s hardly the point.

When Ohio State beat Notre Dame last season, Day stared straight into NBC’s cameras and asked about Holtz’s whereabouts. It wasn’t out of genuine concern for the 88-year-old coaching legend. Rather, Day was fuming over Holtz’s pregame remarks, which painted the Buckeyes as a team lacking toughness.

Day kept his receipts. Others questioned whether he was keeping his composure.

Holtz, not one to back down, later suggested that Day’s viral postgame rant was more about avoiding another conversation entirely — his repeated failures against Michigan. At that point, Day had already lost two straight to his biggest rival. And Ohio State has promptly lost twice more to the Wolverines.

Day eventually moved on, at least publicly. He even made amends in a segment on The Pat McAfee Show with a fake Lou Holtz.

But as these things tend to go in college football, the story isn’t quite over. Especially now that Notre Dame and Ohio State are set to meet in the CFP National Championship Game.

What began as a spicy subplot in September 2023 has seemingly come full circle, even if Day and Holtz aren’t on speaking terms. And while Day might’ve patched things up with the fake Lou Holtz, he hasn’t with the real one.

During Sunday’s College Football Playoff webinar, a reporter, according to On3, questioned Day if he and Holtz have talked since their infamous war of words just over 15 months ago.

“No,” he said.

Ryan Day revealed if he and Lou Holtz have patched things up since his heated postgame comments last season:

“No.” https://t.co/eIib9EGj9m pic.twitter.com/CsUu7Vo5f8

— On3 (@On3sports) January 13, 2025

Well, there’s that.

And if Day wins it all next week, maybe the best answer to Holtz won’t come through words at all.