Winners win.

Losers bitch about the officiating.

Ryan Day wanted an explanation.

The non-targeting call on Javon Bullard’s third-quarter hit on Marvin Harrison Jr. in the Peach Bowl might have cost Ohio State a chance to play in the national championship game. While the play was initially ruled targeting following a third-down pass from C.J. Stroud to Harrison in the end zone, the call was changed after a subsequent review. Harrison was sidelined for the rest of the game, Ohio State had to settle for a field goal and Georgia ended up winning the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup by just one point.

Immediately after the game, Day said “I’d have to see the replay” before coming to a conclusion about the non-call. A full month after the fact, Day’s had plenty of time to review the controversial play, and it’s no surprise where he stands. During a press conference at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center Wednesday, Day said he sought subsequent clarification from officials on the ruling but didn’t get the answer he was looking for.

“I made a lot of calls after the game. I felt like it was targeting. In the moment, and when things are moving fast and you can’t see the replay, it’s very hard to see,” Day said. “The hard thing for me is to see and understand that and have our medical staff let us know that he was knocked unconscious, and that’s why we’re not going to put him back in the game. Yet the flag gets picked up for targeting.”

Day said he talked to Big Ten coordinator of football officials Bill Carollo before speaking with the Pac-12, who supplied the officiating crew for the Peach Bowl. Day then spoke with national coordinator of officials Steve Shaw, who told him it was not a direct hit to Harrison’s head.

Day disagrees.

“I spoke with the officials in the Big Ten and had a great conversation with Bill. I then called at the Pac-12 to find out an explanation there. The explanation that was told to me was that it wasn’t forceable enough,” Day said. “I then asked to speak with the head of the officials, Steve Shaw. He explained to me that the hit didn’t go right to Marvin’s head, that it wasn’t a shot right on his head, it was to the shoulder. I completely disagree with that. But that was the decision that was made and those are the two explanations I was given.”

Allow Marvin Harrison Jr. to retort.

Maybe he should ask Marvin pic.twitter.com/YHe4hGSPI2

— c.quinn (@cquinn98025007) February 1, 2023

The other thing Day conveniently fails to mention is that Harrison Jr. went out of the back of the end zone before coming back in to try to make the catch, which should have resulted in at best (from Day’s standpoint) offsetting penalties.

Ah, well.  At least he’s got this year’s Metchie and Williams story to comfort him during the offseason.

Crash talk

Warren McClendon’s at the Senior Bowl, preparing to get ready for the NFL draft.  As you can probably guess, the media had other things on their mind for him to address.

“It was rough for me, but I’ve been talking to a psychiatrist, and it’s been getting better day by day,” McClendon said Tuesday in his first interview since the accident. “(The therapy) is very helpful. At first, I was kind of trying to push away from it, but it’s helpful.”

Asked what he remembered about that night, McClendon said, “Really, not too much. Just when the wreck happened, I kind of got knocked down. I really don’t remember too much.” He confirmed that the four friends were on their way to a Waffle House to meet other teammates. The crash occurred hours after the Bulldogs had a parade and ceremony to celebrate their second consecutive national championship.

McClendon, an offensive lineman, talked with media members for less than three minutes on the field in Mobile before Senior Bowl public relations cut the interview short, citing a need to protect the player.

I guess there wasn’t enough time to ask him about the show at Toppers.

Seriously, I get that to some this is news, but when does the statute of limitations run for that?  Maybe it’s just me, but that all had a very cringy feel to it.  I give McClendon credit for answering the questions, but when does he earn a little peace from that?

Tell us you’re not being pursued…

… without saying you’re not being pursued.

Current Fox Sports college football analyst Urban Meyer did not have the NFL stint that many expected, being fired in his first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Meyer made it clear on Tuesday that he doesn’t plan on coaching again at either the collegiate or NFL level after his disastrous tenure in Jacksonville.

Meyer discussed a number of topics on the All Things Covered podcast with Patrick Peterson and Bryant McFadden, saying that while he regrets some things about his time in Jacksonville, he has no plans of returning to coaching.

“No desire,” Meyer said on All Things Covered. “Of course, I would’ve done some things differently.”

Funny.  I bet the Jags’ owner said that, too.

Straight shooter

How it started.

“He made a pretty routine (76-yard) pass last weekend (to Arian Smith against Ohio State), but it was just such a big moment, putting a pass on the money, leading the receiver for a touchdown. I think it was probably under eight minutes in that game [8:41], they were down 10 [actually 11], and just him being able to stay calm, cool and collected. And obviously that last (game-winning) drive was just awesome. It’s really an honor to play against him. I can’t wait. He has a great story. I can’t wait to hit him. I can’t wait for him to throw a pass over my head. It’s just going to be awesome.”  [Emphasis added.]

How it’s going.

I’m not posting this in the spirit of mockery.  Quite the contrary — Hodges’ honesty and self-awareness is this day and age is refreshing.  You just don’t hear a lot of players talk like that after a big loss.  (Hey, Vols!)  He’s the kind of guy I can’t help rooting for.

By the way, doesn’t his Georgia praise resonate more because of his honesty and self-awareness?