The Buckeyes won't be playing this week, but Ryan Day still took to the radio waves on Thursday afternoon for his weekly radio show on 97.1 The Fan.
Day talked the heartbreak of the canceled game against Michigan, relived the team's "special" win over Michigan State, discussed the excitement about playing in the Big Ten Championship game next week, and more.
Strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti also joined the broadcast for the show's final segment.
Here are some of the highlights.
Ryan Day
On The Game's cancellation
- "I'm tired of giving the team bad news. It was another one of those days."
- "The thing that a lot of us realized after that is these kids have really become hardened."
- "They were really devastated. ... We've been really looking forward to playing these guys. All of them. I've been looking forward to it for a while and wanted it in the worst way."
- "You don't just get that kind of news and move on." Day mentions they prepare every day for that game. "We play that game all the time. Every day. We honor that game."
- Day said the team has gotten better at handling disappointing news like that.
On being eligible for the Big Ten title game
- "That was good, to be able to give them some good news."
- "It was a deep sigh of relief, knowing we had an opportunity to play for the Big Ten Championship.
- "We've got an opportunity to go for No. 4 here," Day said of the team's chance to win
- "The fact that we're in this game in Indy, that's a goal accomplished. But on to the next one."
On the win over Michigan State
- "To see them play and rally the way they did was really special."
- "Really gotta credit our leaders, our coaching staff, Larry Johnson."
- "And it mattered. I think the way we won that game had people on notice around the country." Day said he believes it's part of the reason Ohio State is still No. 4 in the country."
On the safety
- "They really weren't challenged all that much in the back end in that game, to be honest."
- "Those guys really want to get out there and get that bad taste out of their mouth."
- Day said they did much better last week.
On the defensive line
- "They're playing hard, and Larry certainly has done a great job of keeping them fresh."
- "They've done a great job the last few games of eliminating the run game."
- Day said when they stop the run, then they have a chance to get a pass rush. "That's when games can get a little bit lopsided, and that's what we look for."
On Tyreke Smith
- "He's always had the ability to make plays, and now you're seeing him make some plays."
- Day mentions he could be the next big name on the defensive line to step up.
- "Now that we're getting into this championship season, we're going to need him to make some plays."
On players returning from quarantine
- "We're in a pretty good place right now with that."
- Day said he expects a lot of players back for the Northwestern game.
- "The good news is, the guys who were affected with it the past week or so are getting back."
- Day mentions that all the coaches are back.
On the adjusted schedule due to the canceled game
- "We've been focusing on Northwestern since we got the news."
- Day said they'll have a mock game on Friday, then watch Northwestern on TV together on Saturday.
- Day said next week will be a regular game week.
On Northwestern
- "Fitz does a great job year in and year out of making it hard to beat them."
- "They know how teams are going to attack them."
- "They've got some veteran guys on defense and Peyton Ramsey's given them a boost on offense."
On Northwestern's seniors on defense
- "They've played so much football, it's amazing. And they play like that"
- "It feels like they've been there forever."
- "You can get them one time, but you're not going to get them twice. And you're going to have to get lucky to get them the first time."
On the offensive line
- Day mentions there were four guys in new positions.
- "There's so much more stuff we've got to clean up on, but it was great to see."
- "It's hard when you've never played together as a line like that."
- Sometimes those guys practice harder than the game is.
On the tight ends
- Day mentions that tight end is a strength of the team this year.
- "They deserve a lot of credit for the success of the run game the past couple of weeks."
- "They're going to have more and more opportunities, even in the passing game."
- "They're close to having a big game catching the ball as well."
On Justin Fields
- "He competes really hard."
- "There wasn't a ton of clean plays. He competed. He took some broken plays and made some things happen."
- Day mentions Fields' block "That's what being a leader is all about."
- "I tell you, that was special. And when everyone on the team can see the quarterback doing something like that, that's special," Day continued of Fields' block.
- "He's a strong runner and he's worked really hard on that."
- Day mentions Fields couldn't run so well last year because he was injured.
- "He's a threat with his legs for sure, and that really puts a lot of stress on the defense."
On Trey Sermon
- Day mentions he just hasn't been able to break loose.
- "It was good to see him pop a couple of those."
- "It didn't come all at once early in the season for him, but he's worked through a little adversity and it was great to see it come through for him."
On recruiting
- "We're very excited about signing day. We're really excited about our classes that we've been working on for a long time."
- Day mentioned it's difficult with having to do everything virtually.
- "There are going to be some guys that sign here that have never stepped foot on our campus, which is really bizarre."
- Day said it's been hard because other schools around the country are allowed to have crowds in stadiums, so players can
- "I think we're going to sign one of the best recruiting classes in the country."
- "It's been hard, but you have to adapt."
On seeing Chris Olave after The Game was canceled
- Day said Olave was one of the first players he saw when the game was canceled. "'I know you're missing this game,' cause he loves playing in that game," Day said, mentioning Olave's big performances the past two years.
- "Careers are made, legends are born. That's really what this game means to a lot of people."
On Justin Fields' Heisman Trophy chances
- "I would hope so. His body of work is amazing, just what he's done."
- "His numbers maybe don't compare, but he just hasn't had the opportunity."
- Day mentions winning a Heisman was one of Fields' goals, but that a lack of games will likely keep that from happening. "This year hasn't been easy for him."
- "I think he's the best quarterback in the country."
On Larry Johnson
- "It was great to see him get a little Gatorade bath and to see him dancing in the locker room."
- Day said it was great to see everyone so happy.
- "It was really good for Larry. I'm really happy he had that opportunity with the team."
Mickey Marotti
On leadership against Michigan State
- "As coaches and staff members, you're always trying to promote leadership."
- Marotti said that when you give players a chance, they can pull through.
- Marotti mentions that Justin Fields doesn't talk in front of the team often, but he was forced to against Michigan State and "it was great."
On guys putting in the work themselves during the quarantine
- "You just had to help them find ways to get something to do productive, whether it was lifting a log or cinder blocks, or pushing somebody's car down the road – something."
On the canceled game
- "Nothing really surprises me anymore through these last eight months," Marotti said with a laugh.
- "We've been the highest of highs, we've been the lowest of lows."
- "Obviously, there was a disappointment because we prepare for this game for 365 days a year."
