Ryan Day took the podium two days after Ohio State dominated Nebraska on the road with a 48-7 win, and four days before the Buckeyes take on Michigan State at home.
Here is what the Ohio State head coach had to say heading into the matchup with the Spartans.
- Ryan Day calls Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio “One of the best coaches in the last couple of decades in college football.”
- “The history of what they’ve done against Ohio State is something our guys will be aware of all week in practice.”
- Day on his coaching staff: “I don’t expect anybody to leave any time soon.”
- Day said there’s “no magic formula” in deciding when to take quarterback Justin Fields out of the game.
- Day said it can be tough to prepare for defenses who can adapt to problems from the week before. “Great defenses do that.”
- “It seems to be a good fit right now. They’re off to a great start,” Day said on Jeff Okudah’s improvement coming either from personal improvement or from new coaching.
- On offensive lineman Josh Alabi: “I thought we handled the pressure really well … this is a guy who stuck with it, kept a great attitude … I think we all thought he deserved to be player of the game.”
- “In college football, great players have to play great, and Chase [Young] is one of those guys.”
- On college athletes getting paid, Day said he stands with athletic director Gene Smith’s thoughts on the issue: “I’m interested to see where it goes. I do definitely think there’s opportunity out there for these guys, but at the same time it’s not easy.”
- On Michigan State’s defense: “They have a defensive system that has been challenged for years and years,” and said that because of that, “they have answers for everything you do.”
- “[Michigan State] is a tremendous challenge.”
- “It’s important to know the history” between the two teams before playing against an opponent.
- “I feel like he’s in on every play,” Day said on Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes.
- Ryan Day would not give a comment on how he voted in the Amway Coaches Poll.
- Day said that he told Jeff Halfey at San Francisco that “one day we’d work together again.”
Ohio State secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley also went to the podium.
- Hafley said he “hasn’t had time to shave” when asked if he has looked much into the future after such a successful start to his 2019 season.
- Hafley said Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke might be the best quarterback Ohio State has seen this year, and clarifies he is not just saying that because Ohio State is playing the Spartans this week.
- More on Michigan State “They’ve got good wideouts … this is a really good football team, really well coached.”
- On Tuesday practice: “They’re hard … we push them here … in my opinion, you win and lose games today and tomorrow.”
- “The culture here, I think it’s special.”
- Hafley on coach Larry Johnson: “He rotates D-line in better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
- Hafley said he and Day would talk often at San Francisco about schemes and would bounce ideas off each other, all of which helped the two of them click.
- On having more fun here: “I think it all starts with Ryan. He lets you coach, he really lets you coach … he lets you do your job. And to any assistant, that’s one of the most important things.”
- Hafley also said Day is great with allowing him be with his family and for his family to come to the office. “I just think guys enjoy being in this building right now.”
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