Ryan Day was available to members of the media for a full 50 minutes as the first day of festivities at Big Ten Media Days wrapped up in Indianapolis Wednesday.
The Ohio State head coach had already appeared at the podium on stage at Lucas Oil Stadium earlier on Wednesday and met with reporters in a scrum-style setting right after. A few hours later, though, Day made his longest appearance of the day to close out his obligations at the two-day event.
Eleven Warriors took notes on everything Day said as Ohio State gears up for the start of preseason cap next week, including several pertinent health updates, roster assessments and more.
Ryan Day
- On Avery Henry not being able to continue playing football: "They felt like it was a blessing to be at Ohio State, to have the James (Cancer Research Center) right there." Day said Henry had a procedure that will make it "virtually impossible" to continue playing football. "He's still gonna be a part of it and everything as best he can."
- On Carnell Tate losing his mother: "I got the call at 6 a.m. about Ashley and it was not easy for anybody, but certainly Carnell. Him and his mom were very close. ... He does have a team that's here to support him." Day says football has helped to distract Tate as he goes through a grieving process.
- Day says Carson Hinzman has to "go earn his spot" at center but says "we're gonna need him to."
- Day says Lorenzo Styles Jr. "knows what it means to be a Buckeye" having grown up in Columbus. Day says if he had one word to describe Styles, it would be "competitive." Day says he'll be able to contribute on special teams early on but could have a real role on defense as the season goes on.
- Day says staying in contact with recruits for a little while even after you lose them is important and ends up being beneficial when players enter the transfer portal.
- On the defensive line, Day says the players at the top of the depth chart have to be able to take the lion's share of reps this season in a way that they haven't had to in recent years.
- Day says his starting offensive tackles are still "undecided" as of now and wants to see Josh Simmons on the field this preseason before making declarations about where he fits on the depth chart.
- On Luke Montgomery making a splash as a true freshman: "He's in the competition right now ... He's got a huge upside as well."
- Day says he has yet to decide if Brian Hartline will be the full-time playcaller for the Buckeye offense by the start of the season. Day says being a coordinator is "the next logical step" for Hartline, but calling plays on offense is "always something I had a handle on." Day says it "won't be easy to walk away from."
- Day says he believes Tywone Malone will be in the program for multiple years and can develop now that he's committing himself fully to football.
- Day says the Buckeyes have been "competing in everything we do" and that Ohio State is "counting on that" to be a difference-maker for the group in matchup games this season.
- On how much college football is changed in the past couple years: "I think we need help in certain areas." Day calls for "flexibility around the country."
- Day says it was "devastating" to lose the last game of the regular season, but thinks the program is "as healthy as it's ever been."
- Day says he talks to his players "all the time" about avoiding guns, gambling and speeding. "Getting behind the wheel of the car and going too fast or getting themselves in accidents."
- Day jokes that he was "willing to auction off the first play in the Indiana game on the Buckeye Cruise For Cancer" but decided against it because he assumed it would be some sort of rules violation.
- Day says there's a group of returning veteran players who have "driven the offseason," including Cade Stover, Tommy Eichenberg and others.
- Day says Lincoln Kienholz "has a long way to go" but is "very, very talented." Day says Calvin Simpson-Hunt "has a really bright future ahead of him."
- On the QB battle between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown: "You don't get to see them play with their legs in practice, so you don't know that until the game. Those plays, third down, red zone, a play-action shot – you can't miss that shot." Day says making the important plays will separate one quarterback from the other.
- Day says McCord has an edge in experience, but "they've both done a great job." Day says both passers will continue to split first-team reps in the preseason.
- Day says it would be "unacceptable" if Marvin Harrison Jr. only touched the ball one or twice on offense in a particular game. "There's probably some guys in the NFL that can't cover him, he's that good. We're lucky to have him."
- Day on the Michigan rivalry: "The emphasis every day needs to be there" in order to change the result.
- Day says after the Northwestern scandal, Day had a meeting with his staff and told them he needs to know about anything going on with his players behind the scenes.
- "We need Kenyatta (Jackson) to play this year for us and have production. He looks like an NFL player right now."
- Day thinks the Ohio State-Penn State rivalry has been "excellent for college football" but isn't necessarily losing sleep about not playing the Nittany Lions on a yearly basis.
- Day says it's "worth a long discussion about where that (Michigan) game should be placed" on the regular-season schedule due to the possibility of a rematch in the Big Ten Championship Game.
- On Harrison and Egbuka: "I don't think you could say there was anybody better" as a duo of wideouts. However, Day says they have to do it for multiple years to be considered "one of the better ones in the history of Ohio State, if not the best."
- Day says he can see himself moving some pieces around on the offensive line in the preseason and in games this season.
- On hiring Joe Philbin, Day says "I never thought we'd have the chance to hire him. ... A perfect hire in an analyst role.
- Day says Reis Stocksdale suffered an ACL tear and won't be available until bowl practice. Zak Herbstreit is out indefinitely but won't be able to get onto the field "until we get some sort of an update on his condition." Day says Evan Pryor is "full-go" in terms of health.
- Day thinks NIL is the "No. 1 thing we need to get straightened out" in college football.
