Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is three days removed from his second straight 3-0 start as a head coach here at Ohio State.
This time, though, he is not heading back to an assistant role, and has a matchup with Miami (OH) Saturday on the horizon.
Already sitting with the fourth-best start for any Ohio State head coach, here is what Day had to say in his Tuesday press conference following the 51-10 victory against Indiana:
- Day opened his press conference thanking teachers for hard work and making him who he is today: “I don’t think they get nearly enough credit.”
- “I think Brandon Bowen and Wyatt Davis are two of the better offensive linemen in the country.”
- “We played well, but we didn’t play great” in the win against the Hoosiers. “When you watch the film it’s actually frustrating to watch. There are so many things to fix.”
- “We’re playing tough, we’re playing hard, we’re tackling well,” and said that errors can be made up by playing with increased effort.
- “If we want to get to where we want to go, we have to take it one week at a time.”
- “If we train the way we train, then Saturday’s will take care of themselves.”
- Day said that the team is nowhere near where it needs to be at this point in the season.
- On being grateful for being the coach at Ohio State: “This is obviously a special place,” and Day said he thinks right know “the culture is strong.”
- On Justin Fields: “It’s experience … the experience of playing quarterback, he still doesn’t have much of that under his belt.”
- “Overall, [Fields is] managing the game well … so much of it is experience at quarterback.”
- Day said Fields is “light years” ahead of where he thought he would be at this point in the season.
- On the freshman potentially redshirting: “That conversation is going to be happening pretty soon … when in doubt, we’re probably going to play them” in order to have depth at multiple positions.
- On the backup quarterback spot: “The more Gunnar [Hoak] is here, the more he can learn the offense” and the more he can show what he can do. Day said that Hoak and Chris Chugunov are still splitting reps as the backup, and that nothing has changed there to this point.
- On Fields’ arm strength: “Justin has as strong an arm as he needs.”
- “We want to be the best at what we do … there’s no small surgeries when you’re a surgeon, there’s no small games when you’re at Ohio State.”
- Mentioned alignment, assignment, execution and fundamentals as some of the general areas where Ohio State needs to improve moving forward.
- Day on Miami coming into the matchup as heavy underdogs: “I’ve been in that role before … it’s an opportunity, and every week’s an opportunity.”
- Day said “guys on the team really respect” Fields as a leader.
- Day called Chris Olave’s recent production over the last six games “off the charts.”
Ohio State linebackers coach Al Washington also came to the podium Tuesday.
- Washington said of Indiana’s trick-play touchdown: “It was a good fake … I guess when you’re aggressive like that things happen.”
- “I think our guys are starting to feel more confident … We’re going to get everybody’s best shot.”
- Stance, eyes and hand placement are the things that Washington said will be focused on in today’s practice.
- Said Baron Browning is “a good kid, he wants to do well,” and that the relationship between Washington and Browning is strong and honest.
- “If you have a spark, I’m going to pour gas on it” and try to make it a blaze on finding the potential in players.
- “I think Malik [Harrison] has a chance to be one of the best in the country.”
- Washington said that Tuf Borland has to be seen, but can be heard as a leader even when he isn’t playing every snap on defense.
Passing game coordinator Mike Yurcich was the final coach to be at the podium.
- He said the important thing is answering the question of “How can we help [Fields] be the best quarterback he can be?”
- “You can go across the whole spectrum of quarterbacks in college and NFL and nit-pick footwork.”
- Chugnov’s approach and familiarity with the system is what has allowed him to be the first quarterback off the bench, according to Yurcich.
- Calls Olave a “very explosive receiver” and praises his work effort and want to improve.
- Said this is a long journey that the team is on, and that they have to continue working on improving.
- Yurcich said that leaders need “street cred” and that Fields has that right now.
- Said the offense “can’t hide” when it goes up against Ohio State’s defense in practice. Called the matchup “good on good.”
