In what is annually one of the biggest days of Ohio State’s fall camp, the Buckeyes partook in their first intrasquad scrimmage Saturday.
Following the Buckeyes’ 10th fall practice Monday, head coach Ryan Day addressed the media about where things stand with the team and his takeaways from the scrimmage.
Here’s a bullet-point rundown of what he had to say:
- Tight end Bennett Christian will not be eligible to play this fall after testing positive for a banned substance in January. “He’ll still practice with us and be a part of the team ... he made a mistake.”
- “You’d like a significant gap to name a starter (at quarterback) for sure ... I appreciate their competitiveness, they’re going at it right now.”
- Day said the team will have to decide this week whether the quarterback competition will be decided by the end of the week or continue into the Indiana game.
- Tywone Malone has started to make some plays in camp, but Day still wants to see it from him more consistently. “We’ve seen, so far, flashes that he can do it. But at this point of preseason camp, it’s the consistency of doing it all the time.”
- On San Diego State transfer Jimmy Simmons taking first-team reps at left tackle: “I think he’s had some really good practices and he has shown he can be the starting left tackle. He hasn’t won that job yet but he’s shown us he can do that.”
- Day said the team’s decision to split fields is all driven by reps. There are issues with just going first-team, second-team or third-team on the same field, he added, and the team will combine the two approaches to maximize reps and development.
- On what he learned from the scrimmage: “Not much that I learned. I thought some guys really stepped up. I thought there was a physicality in that scrimmage that was great ... overall I thought it was solid.”
- Day pointed to Evan Pryor and Cody Simon as standouts from Ohio State’s scrimmage.
- Quarterbacks Kyle McCord and Devin Brown both had their ups and downs Saturday, Day said, leading the team down the field on some drives and showing flashes. “I keep going back to the fact that there doesn’t need to be extraordinary play. It’s making the routine plays and taking care of the football.”
- A strong running game will help the new starting quarterback settle in, Day said. “You have to be able to run the football when you get in the red zone, on third down. It sets up the play action pass.”
- Ohio State’s offense wants a plan of action for the season in short order. “By Saturday, we need to have our identity etched in stone, where we’re at.”
- An ability to stay ahead of the chains will be important for the new starting quarterback as well, per Day. “Staying on schedule is going to be critical ... we have to be efficient.”
- “I feel like, right now, we’re more competitive than we’ve been in a long time at corner.”
- Day spoke to the staff Monday about putting a renewed importance on fundamentals. Blocking, tackling, playing with discipline are the things that he feels will make the difference for the team.
- “I’ve said this before, but I feel like we have a mature team that has leadership ... these guys know what it looks like and that has to show up for us.”
- On whether there is a running back pecking order yet: “First off, TreVeyon has had a great offseason ... overall I can’t say enough about the kind of work he’s putting in right now.” Day added that Miyan Williams, Dallan Hayden, Chip Trayanum and Evan Pryor will all see the field, especially if the team has similar injury issues to last year at the position.
- Day doesn’t feel that uncertainty along the offensive line won’t affect the quarterback competition.
- Kourt Williams suffered a torn ACL and will be out for the rest of the season. “He just can’t catch a break ... we’re all praying for Kourt.”
- Day said the team has two capable kickers in Jayden Fielding and Parker Lewis and hopes to make a decision at the position by the end of this week.
- Wednesday would have been the day to name a starting quarterback in C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields’ competitions, Day said, but the team isn’t there yet.
- More on the quarterback competition: “It’s not like they’re blowing it out of the water ... but it’s not like they’re not doing well either.” Day added that he’s continually asking what they’re seeing on the defense and trying to develop leadership with them.
- On how much he’s instructing both quarterbacks: “This is the only time I’m not talking with them.”
- Day liked what he saw from running back Chip Trayanum on Saturday, saying that he ran hard and showed a lot.
- Day said that, even from talking with his high school coach, the move to defensive end was a possibility for freshman Arvell Reese. “When Arvell got here, we immediately saw that he had a lot of talent. Fast, strong, explosive, smart.” Day said he’s got a “unique skill set” and wants to see if he can get on the field this year.
- A lot of the defensive ends have been “coming on” in Day’s eyes. The potential is there for Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Caden Curry and Mitchell Melton to get playing time alongside projected starters Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau. “We want guys that can take the full workload of a game at a starter level. The more guys you have like that, the better off you are.”
- “You’re going to fail. How quickly can you learn from your mistakes? That’s the challenge.”
- On Emeka Egbuka’s impassioned speech to the offense Friday: “He’s a veteran. That third-year class, they have experience, they have maturity ... when it comes from the players, that’s when you know you have something ... this day and age, everyone wants to be on their phone, it’s different to get up in front of your peers and challenge them.”
- Day isn’t ready to “identify somebody ahead of the other” at center, but did say there was some decent play in the scrimmage.
- While he said the job isn’t fully won yet, Josh Fryar is who Day is “projecting” to start at right tackle.
- Day said that he’s confident in Justin Frye’s ability to have the offensive line ready and that they’ve begun to settle in positionally, moving less players around.
- Cade Stover will remain the starter at tight end, and Day said he’s “important” to the team. Gee Scott Jr. has stood out in practice as well and Day is hoping to get Joe Royer back out as well. “Gee’s really shown that we can trust him in certain things right now.”
