If a player says he would rather crash his car than be late, the standard is clear. For Ohio State punter Joe McGuire, that line is not a joke; it is how his unit treats time under Ryan Day.
“When you start at 6.30, you have to be there at 6,” Joe McGuire said during an appearance on the Dos and D podcast. “If you’re a minute late, it is a disaster. I would rather crash my car than show up late. Like, it is so bad.”
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Then he explained why.
“You’ll have dawn patrol on Saturday, so you’ve got to be there at 6. You’re cleaning the weight room, you’re restocking fridges.”
Waking up early to clean things is just the beginning. If there’s no work to be done, the ones under punishment will enter the indoor field and pick every white grass on the green turf. And then, there will be community service after that. Still, the consequences don’t stop there.
Joe McGuire said the punishment goes beyond the player who showed up late. Maybe that’s why players push each other to be punctual, because every player in that position, including the position coach, will have to bear the punishment.
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“Then you’re kicked out of the locker room for three days,” he added. “You’re like Harry Potter. You’re under the stairs. That’s where you get changed and live for the three days, you and your entire unit and your coach.”
The group also has to complete a mandatory Monday study session, where staff supervise schoolwork and even provide transportation to and from class. At first, the punishments might seem a little extreme. But there’s a reason behind them. Ryan Day wants every player to understand that being late affects the whole team. That’s why the consequences are shared.
That team-first mindset has become a big part of Ohio State’s culture under Ryan Day. If one player slips up, everyone in that group feels it, making players think twice before letting their teammates down. Joe McGuire has experienced that culture since arriving in Columbus. The Melbourne native came through ProKick Australia after growing up playing Australian Rules Football before making the switch to American football.
Since making the switch, Joe McGuire became Ohio State’s starting punter and played a role in the Buckeyes’ national championship season, which ended with a title-game victory over Notre Dame. Now entering his third active season, he has spoken openly about wanting to reach the NFL. But his job isn’t guaranteed.
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Ohio State’s punting competition also got more interesting this offseason after Brady Young transferred into the program. Joe McGuire will now have to fight to keep his spot once fall camp begins. Still, that’s a football battle. Inside the building, players seem far more concerned about something much simpler, and that’s making sure they’re never the last person through the door. Under Ryan Day, being on time is part of the standard.
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