Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day Talks Running Back Rotation, Penn State In Tuesday Zoom Call

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day spoke to the media Tuesday following the Buckeyes’ 52-17 win over Nebraska, and talked about what the team will be doing to prepare for its incoming road matchup Saturday night against Penn State.

Day credited the medical staff for defensive tackle Haskell Garrett’s recovery from a gunshot wound through both his cheeks, as well as defensive line coach Larry Johnson and Garrett himself.
Said the team would “move some things around like we always do” if wide receiver Chris Olave was unable to go on Saturday.
Day called the running backs “solid,” and said that they played better as the game went on. Said they were “just OK” at the start of the game against Nebraska.
Day said that “it’ll be different” not having to deal with the typical crowd at Happy Valley for the Penn State game.
Said he thought running back Steele Chambers played well, ran hard and “flashed a little bit” during the opener.
Day said he thought quarterback Justin Fields did a great job in extending plays with his legs, and said most of Fields’ runs were not designed runs, but scrambles on pass plays.
Day on Fields: “I think there are times he can keep his eyes downfield longer.”
Day said that freshman wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes highlight plays in practice frequently. Though he hadn’t exactly seen the type of catch he had in the Nebraska game from him.
Said he isn’t too concerned with rhythm when it comes to running backs. Day said having two running backs helps keep them both fresh during the game.
Day said that recruiting is one of the main things that keeps a program at the top for an extended period of time, and is something that the team has to be focused on doing every single day.
Called wide receiver Chris Booker’s story “unbelievable” on his journey from not playing football to club football to joining the team as a walk-on at Ohio State. Booker was named special teams player of the week for the Buckeyes against Nebraska.
On defending QB runs, Day said he thought “it was good, but we’re going to get a lot more this week.”
On the Penn State game: “The goal is to win the game. It can’t be anything else.”
Day said he always expects a Penn State team ready to play, but on the overtime loss against Indiana: “When you lose a game like that, everyone is a little more hungry.”
Day said he doesn’t mind Fields trying to make a play, but when he waits too long to throw it away and the team is now at a 2nd and 18, that is a problem that needs to be worked on.
On Penn State: “I think they look excellent on all three phases … This is going to be a difficult game.” Said the score didn’t tell the tale of the game.
Day said that he sometimes pulls Fields aside and isolates him, “for a lot of reasons,” but one of those reasons being to potentially avoid major contact with others due to COVID-19.
Said the backup quarterback battle is still “ongoing” despite Jack Miller getting the call at the end of the game against Nebraska.
Day said he thought safety Marcus Hooker did well in his first start and that he’s seen plenty of development from him over the past few years.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics

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