Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Talks Areas of Focus for Week 2, Effects of New Clock Rules, Continued Growth at Quarterback

Being the side of the ball that Ryan Day is most involved with, the coach took time to discuss what areas the unit is working to improve during his weekly press conference Tuesday.

Day also touched on the impacts of the new clock rules, updated the team's plan at quarterback and when the offense can start implementing more aggressive game plans.

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles also addressed the team's media Tuesday, discussing his unit's performance against Indiana, the rotations at linebacker and safety and what how the team responded to seeing a triple option attack.

Here's a full rundown of what they had to say:

Ryan Day

• On the offensive line: "I felt like they needed to play better. In the run game, I think we were only 50 percent efficient running the ball on first and second downs ... getting back to work this week."
• Day feels the main issue for the team is execution, not feeling the consequences of failing in situational football and getting behind schedule.
• It felt as though the team was on the sideline more than normal with the new clock rules, "It seemed like the game moved slower." It places extra importance on each possession, Day said. "We have to focus on executing early even more than in the past because of the new rules."
• On Marvin Harrison Jr.'s lack of production Saturday: "Teams are going to take him away, too. When that happens, that's where other guys have to step up."
• Day said that McCord had some throws he wants back but some highs too, which is typical of other quarterbacks making their first starts recently. "It was good enough to win in this game, that's the most important thing ... the whole offense, it won't be good enough to reach our goals moving forward."
• Sonny Styles offers the defense a lot of "flexibility" Day said, and different personnel groupings can rotate in alongside him.
• In terms of whether to run or pass on third- and fourth-and-short, Day said his decisions Saturday had to do with the confidence he had in each phase.
• The plan at quarterback is the same this week as last week, Day said, though his aim will be to get Devin Brown more reps in relief of Kyle McCord against Youngstown State.
• On when the team will look to be more aggressive: "It's the art of coaching, is figuring that out ... trust over time, it has a lot to do with the quarterback and the offensive line. The more trust we have in them, the more we can let it rip."
• Day praised Chip Trayanum's versatility and said his ability to run, block and threaten in the passing game brings a lot to the offense. "There's a lot things you can do with that ... when you do all those things, there's a lot of stress you can create on a defense."
• Tight end is the "most developmental position in football," per Day, and said that's why it's taken some time for Gee Scott to get on the field. But his improvements have gotten to a place where he deserves to be, Day said.
• More on the new clock rules: "You feel it, you do. So you've just got to have a plan for it."
• On the defense: "You're seeing length, you're seeing speed and just playing more decisive."
• On how long it takes for the game to start to slow down for a new starting quarterback: "It's different for each guy ... I think both guys feel like they can run the offense. Both guys feel like they can play ... they just haven't done a lot of it. So I feel like that's the missing piece."
• Day feels Youngstown State will bring its own set of challenges for the Buckeyes: "They're going to come in here and play really, really hard. These are Ohio guys, a lot of them, that bring a lot of pride ... we're going to focus on matching that intensity."
• On the passing of Ohio State public address announcer Bob Kennedy: "He will be sorely missed, and certainly did leave a lot behind and did a lot for Ohio State."
• Xavier Johnson will "be a big part" of Ohio State's offense in 2023, Day said, adding that he didn't get on the field as much as the team would have liked against Indiana.
• Josh Proctor's opportunity to start at free safety came about through a high level of play he maintained in practice: "He's been consistent. That's something that's always been a focus for Josh, is his consistency. No one ever questioned his effort."
• Day added that Proctor has "earned the right" to start at free safety going forward. He noted that Malik Hartford and Ja'Had Carter will still play at the position.
• On Cade Stover: "(Route running) has been a huge emphasis for Cade. He wants to be versatile ... he's a big target, that's good for a quarterback." Day feels Stover can help the team most on third-down as a player who will be one-on-one in coverage a lot.
• Josh Fryar was the only offensive lineman that graded out a champion from Saturday, Day said.
• As the offensive line goes, Day wants better execution but feels the unit's mistakes were coachable. "I don't see anything on film that isn't correctable."
• Carson Hinzman's first start at center went "OK," per Day. He's excited to see how Hinzman progresses.

Jim Knowles

• Knowles said the team practiced against the triple option "five plays" in practice, at most. "We were able to make adjustments quickly ... they understand the system so when I said something, they got it."
• Denzel Burke and the secondary's performance had been seen in practice, but Knowles was happy to see it continue into game reps. "You have to see it show it in the game, but if you're doing things right as a coach, practice mirrors the game."
• On Proctor: "I thought Josh played well. We have always had high hopes for him. Talented, looking for that consistency as coach talked about. He showed that toward the end of preseason work."
• On Hartford: "He's a young, talented player ... he's just around the ball."
• Knowles also expanded on why the rotation was what it was at free safety, and why Ja'Had Carter didn't play: "Tough decisions. Guys are in a battle and they're all good, quality players. That's coaching. You just evaluate all the plays, all the reps."
• There about "a dozen" defensive players that graded out as champions against Indiana.
• On what he didn't like from Saturday: "I thought we were solid across the board, but there were a couple third downs where we gave up a completion or they start doing all the triple option stuff ... you get slightly off a gap ... I just would have liked to see us stop a couple more third downs."
• Knowles wants to see the defense perform against conventional offenses after seeing the triple option Saturday. He also wants to see more pass rush reps when quarterbacks are truly dropping back.
• Davison Igbinosun's pass interference penalty isn't deterring Knowles and his staff from telling him to play though receivers. "You don't hold him back at all. We want him to be physical, we want him to be aggressive, we want him to lay hands on people. Now you just coach up the technique."
• The team didn't rotate at linebacker as much as Knowles would have liked Saturday, Knowles said. "I wish I could have done that. You get a limited number of plays, then you get a triple option, which is a complicated offense, particularly if you haven't played against it."
• On the play of the interior defensive line: "They made plays. They made plays in the run game for those zero, 1-, 2-, 3-yard gains ... these guys are making tackles for three yards or less in the run game, that's a really good thing."
• Knowles still wants to see how Proctor performs against a downfield passing attack. "His strong point is being aggressive, playing downhill as a safety. So that's definitely something I want to see."
• "There are indications that we're moving on the right path."
• On how the defense feels knowing it carried the day Saturday: "It's hey, we did our job. Nobody's going to have a parade and say, 'Hey you did your job.' But it does build confidence for future opponents."
• On the defensive line rotation: "Loved it. Guys stay fresh, we're going to have to rush the passer, and when you're taking a lot of shots in the run game, you've got to stay fresh."