Ryan Day Radio Show: Ryan Day's Must-Get Prospects, Preparing For Northwestern, and Big Ten Honorees

As the Buckeyes prepare for Saturday's Big Ten Championship game against Northwestern, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day made his final pregame comments on Thursday afternoon, joining his weekly radio show on 97.1 The Fan.

Here are some of the highlights from Day's appearance.

Ryan Day Radio Show

On the challenges of the season

• “It’s getting old saying how hard it is, but it’s just the truth. It really has been difficult.”
• Day said he’s excited to play.

On getting backup players in the game

• Day mentions the more players you can play in games, the more comfortable you are with your depth.
• Day said there’s always a doubt in players minds
• “A lot of times the game is easier than practice.”
• Day said players have told him playing in the game is easier than practice.

On not taking this game for granted

• “Oh my gosh yeah.”
• “There’s been times where you build up and it gets taken away from you.”
• Day said they’re not going to take it for granted.

On the differences of this game compared to previous Big Ten title games

• “Everything about it is different.”
• No Michigan game before, noon start time, an empty stadium
• Day said they’ll watch some of the other teams play afterwards.

On Peyton Ramsey

• Day called Peyton Ramsey a “winner.”
• “He does everything you want of a quarterback.”
• Day mentions he has plenty of experience and they’ve seen him at Indiana too.

On national signing day

• Day once again mentions how hard it was to recruit this year with no players on campus.
• “We had several guys who signed yesterday who didn’t even step foot on campus. That’s just amazing to me.”

On Jack Sawyer

• Day spoke to the importance of landing him, and said he made it a priority as soon as he was hired.
• “We need to get Zach Harrison, Paris Johnson and Jack Sawyer. Those are must gets.”
• Day said they got good players, but if meant a lot as leaders in the class as well.

On players graduating

• Day said their graduation rate and GPA is proof they care about academics.
• Day said a lot of programs boast their academics, but the numbers don’t show it.
• “Going to class is cool.”

On Northwestern's linebackers

• "Those three linebackers have played forever."
• "I mean, every single time you put the film on, they're on the field."
• "They've seen it all."

On five-wide receivers sets

• Day said they have done it some, but haven't done it a lot.
• "There's risk with it, because there's only five guys in protection and they know it."
• "They know exactly what protection you're in, and that's the negative to it."

On the offensive line

• Day praised the offensive line's depth stepping up against Michigan State
• “I'm hoping we can get all those guys out there this weekend, and they can all be together.”

On controlling time of possession

• Day mentions it's something they focus on even though they're a hurry-up team.
• Day mentions that Master Teague and Trey Sermon allow them to hold the ball because they don't take a lot of negative yards.
• "We've kept things on schedule."

On the Big Ten honors

• Day said the team goals come first, but he's happy the players are getting rewarded
• "To see those guys get recognized is great for them."
• "I just want to make sure some of these guys – whether the team or individual – get some of the recognition they deserve after everything they've been through."

On Shaun Wade winning defensive back of the year

• Day said he's happy for Shaun Wade.
• "It's great to see him playing his best football down the stretch," Day said, mentioning his two interceptions.
• "Hopefully he's going to play his best game on Saturday."

On family members being able to attend

• "Everyone misses their family, and they want them there."
• "That's a lot of these guys' 'why' – they want to make their guys proud."
• Day said he's glad they get to be there.

On recognizing the seniors

• Day mentions the pandemic has made it hard to honor the seniors like normal.
• Day said the seniors' families zoomed into the senior tackle
• "We're trying to do what we can, but there are so many restrictions."

On the 21-day rule getting potentially getting relaxed for the College Football Playoff

• "I haven't really gone down that road."
• "I know (Gene Smith) is having those discussions now."
• "We'll get through Saturday then worry about that."
• "We just want to get through Saturday and then we'll come up for air and see where we are."

On the difficulties of the season

• "I don't know if anybody signed up for this. It's something else.
• "When you're in this together, it makes it all worth it."