In his first press conference as the acting head coach at Ohio State, 39-year old Ryan Day looked like a pro as he addressed the media Monday afternoon.
Day talked about the whirlwind since being tabbed the acting head coach and cleared up some key roster happenings, announcing the starting offensive line and linebackers.
Day also discussed how the wide receiver depth might be used this year which is something many fans have voiced opinion on the last few years:
Q. And the receiver group we know traditionally Ohio State has rotated a lot of receivers. Who stood out, how do you, you have 10 guys who could play, I don’t think you can play 10 receivers realistically, who is going to play and how is that going to work?
RYAN DAY: They’re all going to play. And we have a great depth there, which I think makes us really strong because when you have receivers who can roll in and out of plays, that keeps them fresh. And think about we have three captains in the wide receiver group alone. A lot of leadership there. But along the way guys get injured too, so you need depth, but the plan is early on to play everybody. Rotate them, get them in the game, play fast and go.
Props to Day for realizing he initially went full Urban-hyperbole-mode with the insinuation "they're all going to play" by later clarifying the "plan early on is to play everybody" which means as the competition stiffens so might the rotation.
In reality, even with how the old receivers coach rotated a ton of guys, it doesn't seem logical that Ohio State's offense will truly rotate 10 receivers unless it's a blowout. That said, there's no question this group features a ton of depth.
Brian Hartline's group returns seven guys who caught at least 17 balls, six of which had at least 340 receiving yards led by H-backs K.J. Hill (56 rec, 549 yds) and Parris Campbell (40 rec, 584 yds).
On the outside, Austin Mack, Terry McLaurin and Johnnie Dixon were noted as starters (or co-starters) in yesterday's depth chart release while Binjimen Victor also joined the two-deep.
Behind those names, C.J. Saunders is the third-string H-back meaning reps as a receiver could be hard to find for Demario McCall who was instead listed as a top option at both the punt and kickoff return spots.
On Monday, Day certainly didn't sound too bullish on McCall as a pass catcher which was subsequently reflected in the depth chart release:
Q. Do you expect Demario McCall will have a role in there or is he below some other guys?
RYAN DAY: Yeah, you look at what he’s done, he’s spent time now at receiver. Before he was kind playing a little running back along the way in his career and then to get moved to wide receiver, so now that he’s spent most of his time at wide receiver he’s improved a lot. How much he’s going to play, we’ll see throughout the week.
Tough break for us McCall stumpers. I guess we'll just have to see if he can eventually play his way into a stacked receiver rotation.
For now, let's see if/which guys can separate themselves over the first couple games in hopes that Hartline and Day have no choice but to place increased reps on an emerging critical few who get it done as blockers and through the air, building chemistry with Dwayne Haskins before Ohio State's trip to Dallas to take on TCU in week three.
