In less than 48 hours, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes will take on Florida Atlantic at Ohio Stadium.
Before then, though, Day made his final public comments of the week, spending 10 minutes talking about Ohio State's upcoming season opener with the local media at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. The Buckeyes open the season against the Owls at noon on Saturday.
A bullet-point recap of what Day had to day on Thursday.
- Day on the freshman who might play on Saturday: "Everybody's got to be ready to roll." He says Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Cade Stover, Craig Young, Steele Chambers, Marcus Crowley and Zach Harrison are likely to play.
- On going for it on fourth downs: "We're going to be aggressive, and we want to be aggressive." However, he says it's important to never put the team at risk. The situation, weather, how team the teams are playing are among the options. He says he must take the emotion out of it, and many of those decisions are made before the games. It's important, Day said, to never put the team at risk with a decision.
- He says the offense will be "very similar" to what it was last year. They experimented with under-center snaps during the offseason, but they'll primarily be in the shotgun.
- Day says he hopes to have Garrett Wilson return a couple punts on Saturday.
- He says sometimes coaches can give too much information to players at this point of the year, so he and the coaches want to be "clear, concise and direct" to the team this week.
- Day has talked to Mike Yurcich about Florida Atlantic's defensive coordinator since they once coached together, but they've both changed since they were together.
- On the kick returners and punt returners: "We've got a bunch of guys out there that will be ready to roll." Demario McCall, K.J. Hill and Garrett Wilson are among those who will get the first reps, and then they will ride the "hot hand," Day said.
- Chris Olave and Jeff Okudah are among the top gunners on the punt team. Tuf Borland is one of the top punt protectors.
- Day says the defensive end changes every few years, and Zach Harrison fits the long, basketball-looking body type that's successful. "I think his ceiling is through the roof and now we just have to get him experience."
- He says the tight ends will be used in a "very similar" manner to how they were used last year. That's a strength, he says, and the team will need all of them.
- Day says Thayer Munford's experience is critical, and he'll be critical.
- He says he's looking forward to see J.K. Dobbins "run with his pads down." He also says he's looking forward to seeing the secondary because it's difficult to throw against them in practices.
Stay locked in with Eleven Warriors for more coverage of Ohio State's season opener.
