Ohio State Prepared for Potential Headset Issues During Michigan Game,โข coach Dayโฃ Says
ANN ARBOR, MI -โฃ December โฃ3, 2025 – Ohio State head coach โขRyan Day โrevealedโฃ the Buckeyes โprepared for potential interaction issues during their recent game against Michigan, even before any problems arose. Day indicated heโ had a feeling a disruption might occur, leading the team to implement contingency plans.
“Iโค was in โhere (last) Friday, and I think some of the guys and the โstaff were looking โคat me โขsideways.like, ‘Whyโค would youโข just think that would happen?'” day โsaid. “I don’t no.โ We’ve just got to be ready and be ready for anything.”
Theโ Buckeyes’ preparation included a wristband โcommunication plan and a visit from a staff member, Sayin, to โthe sideline toโ address potentialโ issues. โDayโข explainedโ the team simply aims to be prepared for โคallโ possibilities. “We’re โคjust ready for everything,” he said. “ItS funny โhow your mind โคworks.”โค He then winked at the assembled media.
The issue โstemmed from the coach-to-player communication system, โwhich is managed by a third partyโ selected by the Big Ten Conference. A neutral technician is present โatโ all conference games to assist both teams.
According to Dave โAblauf, โMichigan’s โassociate athletic director for public and โmedia relations, theโค Wolverines do not manage the opposing team’s communicationโค system. “We โdo not manage their communication โsystem,” Ablauf stated in an email. “Each athletic department provides electrical powerโ and fiberโฃ linesโ that are equal on both sidelines.”
The โฃBig Ten adheres to NCAA rules requiring equal conditions for both teams. If a โฃtechnicalโ issue isn’t quickly resolved, both teams must cease using โคthe technology. “We don’t want the opponent toโค have โissues because our teamโ would have to take โour communication system down as well,” Ablauf explained. “No one benefits from a system โฃfailure.”
Similar issues have occurred โelsewhere this season. During the October game between Tennessee andโค Arkansas, the Arkansas โฃcoaching staff lost headset connection at halftime, delaying the second-half kickoff while Tennesseeโข coaches also removedโฃ their headsets until the problem was fixed.
The coach-to-player communication system โฃrelies โฃon cellularโฃ technology,โฃ which can be susceptible to disruptions in stadium environments. The โBuckeyes’โข proactiveโ planning โฃensured they were prepared โshould such a disruptionโค occur, independent of any control Michigan had over the system.
