Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day Speaks On Radio Show About Upcoming Football Season

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, as well as Dr. Jim Borchers and defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs, spoke on 97.1 The Fan for Day’s radio show following the Big Ten’s decision Wednesday to begin the football season on the weekend of Oct. 23-24.

Ryan Day

Day said he is excited that his team now has something to specifically work toward, and also said he is excited to have something to talk about on this show now.
On offensive guard Wyatt Davis, who announced yesterday he is attempting to return for this season: “Wyatt has said that he wants to play, and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that happens.”
Day also said he has not yet heard what cornerback Shaun Wade will do for this season. He said Wade will take time to talk with his family about the decision.
On quarterback Justin Fields, Day said he feels like he has “unfinished business” and that it would have been “really tragic” to have him only play one season for Ohio State.
Day on Ohio State president Kristina Johnson: “Kristina Johnson is someone who’s played sports before. She gets what it means to be an athlete.”
Sept. 30 will be the day that full practices start, according to Day. The Big Ten announced on Wednesday that Sept. 30 is also the day that daily COVID-19 testing will begin.
Day said that he learned during the Big Ten discussions about what to do with the football season “when you’re part of a conference, you need everybody to work together.”
Day said that Cade Stover has impressed in his transition to tight end. At running back he said Master Teague’s recovery from his Achilles injury has been “just amazing.” Also has liked what he has seen from Oklahoma transfer running back Trey Sermon, who got his black stripe removed Wednesday.
One of the players that Day also talked about was fifth-year senior Demario McCall, who he said is seeing time at both running back and wide receiver so far.
Day called the wide receiver group, despite being young and inexperienced, as talented (a group) as I’ve ever been around.” He also said that they have moved sophomore Garrett Wilson inside.
On the potential of losing a player for 21 days due to a positive COVID-19 test, Day mentioned the amount of players on the roster and how the team will just have to find away to keep moving forward. “Some walk-ons might have to have a chance to play this season.”
In the secondary, Day said it will be hard to replace the lost talent, but also said that a lot of the returning players earned experience across multiple games in 2019. He also mentioned freshman Kourt Williams as “someone to keep an eye on.”

Dr. Jim Borchers

Borchers said that the players will be tested pretty much every day, but that one off day a week would be fine.
As one of four members of the executive committee for the Big Ten’s Return to Competition task force, Borchers said he expected some of the criticism to happen, but that the committee needed to figure out the best situation for the conference.
Borchers said that the new rapid tests can give COVID-19 results within 15 minutes.
Day was asked if he had any questions for Borchers on the radio show, to which Day said he has asked him “about 3,000 questions.”
Day to Borchers: “I’ve said it a million times to him, but I wanted to say it publicly one more time, thank you for all your work.”

Kerry Coombs

Coombs said that his top priority right now is with the development of the secondary. “It’s a work in progress. I really believe we’re going to get there.”
Coombs called experience “the greatest teacher of all.” Mentioned that the reps for players like Cameron Brown and Sevyn Banks last year will help in development.
Said he likes the group of defensive coaches that Ohio State has, and that he enjoys being back face to face in the facilities instead of over Zoom.
On Wade, Coombs said on his targeting call against Clemson: “Let’s hope that’s not his final play.”

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