Visiting recruits, media members and the Ohio State student body all showed up at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center Saturday to watch the Buckeyes' second scrimmage of the spring.
The Buckeyes put on a show during Student Appreciation Day at the WHAC, with approximately 75 minutes of practice on display for the Buckeye fans who showed up to support the team. Media members were permitted to watch about 30 minutes of practice even before students were let in.
After the scrimmage, Ryan Day evaluated everything he saw on the indoor field at the Woody during a brief interview session, from standout performances and points of improvement to some notable absences and injuries on the day.
Eleven Warriors took notes on everything Day said below.
Ryan Day
- Day says it was "great to see the students up here" and enjoyed giving them a chance to see the team "live and in color."
- "I think we're playing hard, I think we're working at it." Day says "we certainly have some guys that are missing on both sides of the ball," but thought the defense "pretty much dominated the winner-loser" aspect of practice. "A lot of the young guys are really grinding, stacking days."
- Day says he was particularly impressed with the level of play of the Ohio State defensive line.
- On Carnell Tate having a big day, Day says "there's a lot to be impressed with Carnell. But I think the first thing is his maturity." Day says the feedback OSU is getting about Tate from the strength staff to the nutritionists to the academic side of things has all been positive. "If he keeps stacking these days, he's gonna get better. He's here to play."
- On Ja'Had Carter suffering an apparent knee injury in practice: "You hold your breath because you just don't know. ... We'll get it evaluated for sure. Make sure we cross every 't' on this thing." Day says Carter's had a "really good spring" up until this point.
- Day says Cameron Martinez is "really starting to come around" and "play with more confidence" at the nickel safety position for Ohio State.
- Day says "we're gonna need (Kenyatta Jackson) to step up and be a contributor this season," and acknowledges that he's flashed in both scrimmages thus far.
- On Zen Michalski not being at practice, Day says the Buckeyes don't expect it to be a long-term injury and that they hope to get him back before the end of the spring.
- Day says it was "hard to tell" how the quarterback play was on Saturday. Day says "it wasn't ideal any time the offense doesn't win," and thought the QBs might have been holding the ball a little too long.
- Day says Chip Trayanum has "put in a great offseason" and that "he and Dallan ran really hard today."
- Day says it was "great to see" TreVeyon Henderson participating in individual drills today. "He's been dying to get out here, so that was a great sign."
- Day says elite quarterbacks at both the college and NFL level learn from their mistakes quickly and don't make them again, and that's something he hopes to see from his unit this season. "I'd like to see one of the two really step out. I don't think we've seen that yet. It would be nice to kind of see one of them separate from the other, but that takes a few practices in a row."
- On Marvin Harrison Jr. playing in the slot at times on Saturday: "It's a whole different deal with him inside." Day says it also helps with Harrison's route tree and that "it's something for the defense to consider."
- Day says 12 personnel will "continue to be very important for us" in 2023 and that he wants to establish three tight ends that can all play this season.
