Lou Holtz didn’t back from his earlier comments – or Ohio State coach Ryan Day. The former Notre Dame coach actually double downed remarks he made questioning the Buckeyes physicality.

“Toughness,” Day said when asked about his quarterback Kyle McCord following Ohio State’s 17-14 win over Notre Dame on Saturday night. “Toughness. That’s it. Physicality across the board. Finish it off. Having guts. …

“I’d like to know where Lou Holtz is right now,” he screamed. “What he said about our team, I cannot believe. This is a tough team right here. We’re proud to be from Ohio. It’s always been Ohio against the world. It will continue to be Ohio against the world.”

During an appearance on “Don’t At Me with Dan Dakich,” Holtz reacted to Day’s post-game interview.

“That’s his choice, I can understand why he did,” Holtz said. “He doesn’t want to talk about Michigan, 0-2. He doesn’t want to talk about the big game coming up against Penn State and Michigan again. He’s a great coach. He’s done a tremendous job. He’s a great offensive mind. …

“Ohio State’s a good football team. I don’t think they’re a great football team. He can come after me all he wants.”

He did defend Day, saying sometimes coaches say things “out of emotion.”

While Holtz did apologize, it wasn’t to the Ohio State coach.

“I called (Notre Dame) coach (Marcus) Freeman yesterday and apologized because I put him in a bad position, maybe,” he said. “I don’t feel bad about saying it because I believe it, and Notre Dame was the better football team. “Three times Ohio State had 4th-and-1, ran the ball, couldn’t make it. Other than the long run, they averaged less than 2 yards a carry.

“If I was coaching, I would have said it, and I would have went to our team and said, ‘I think you’re better. I think you’re more physical. I think you’re more talented.’ Coach Day doesn’t believe so, go prove him wrong and prove me right. But when I say something and I can’t control the outcome of the game, that’s unfair to coach Freeman.”

The back and forth started last week when Holtz shared his thoughts on the Ohio State-Notre Dame game with Pat McAfee.

“Notre Dame wins by 10. I believe that in my heart. … Notre Dame is a better football team than Ohio State,” Holtz said. “And let me tell you why. We have the best offensive line in the country. Sam Hartman won’t even get his jersey dirty all year. He has time to throw the football. … We have great running backs. This team is averaging about 10 yards per carry. We have great receivers, so offensively, we’re set. Defensively, our defensive line’s better.

“You look at coach (Ryan) Day — and I coached at Ohio State under Woody Hayes. We won the national championship when I was there. I’m proud of that. However, (Day) has lost to Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and Michigan twice. And everybody that beats him does so because they are more physical than Ohio State. And I think Notre Dame will take that same approach.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.