Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Says Ohio State Defense Had "Gutsy" Performance, Failed Attempt to Convert on Fourth-Down Punt Was Not a Called Fake

It was a clunky conference road win for Ohio State on Saturday.

Rutgers settled for field goals in the red zone three times and threw a 93-yard pick-six from 3 yards outside it as Ohio State trailed at halftime in a game that was still within one score for several minutes during the fourth quarter. Still, the Buckeyes covered an 18.5-point spread and won 35-16 in Piscataway.

Following the contest, Ryan Day spoke with the media on the performance of the team's defense, running back TreVeyon Henderson and an odd first-half punt that looked like a fake but wasn't, according to the coach.

On whether the team's 93-yard pick-six changed the game: "I think so. There was a point there in the second half, we put the defense in a tough spot ... the defense hung in there."
On Ohio State's botched punt on 4th-and-5 in the first half: "It was not a fake punt, there was a miscommunication on that and that cannot happen."
Cade Stover didn't play on Saturday, though Day said there was a shot he could have. "He could have played, but we just felt that wasn't the right thing to do for him. ... He's going to say he can go, but there was a decision made to hold him back."
On the defense: "It's a team game, but the first half, just gutsy. Tough. Hanging in there. ... Those guys are playing hard across the board."
Ohio State's offense had some hiccups early. Day said the team had to be willing to be methodical. "At halftime, we realized we've got to be patient enough to run the ball all the way down the field. ... Then we also have to check the ball down and take the underneath stuff, I thought Kyle did a good job of that in the second half."
On TreVeyon Henderson: "When you get him to the second level, he's dangerous. ... He is a mismatch and a very explosive player."
Day said the objective in a road game like Saturday's is just to "win." "(Rutgers) doing a great job, give a lot of credit to Greg (Schiano) and his players."
On the Buckeyes as a whole: "This team finds a way. They don't panic. They keep swinging, they keep fighting."
"You just never know how these games are going to go. ... That's just what championship teams do ... they find a way to win."
On whether he feels the offense is coming together: "We did do a better job on third down (in the second half) and that made a difference. ... But yes ... we had to be patient enough to work the ball down the field. ... You're starting to feel all of that come together on the field."
Day praised how Gee Scott Jr. and Patrick Gurd stepped up in place of Stover.
On the two drops that knocked Ohio State's passing game out of rhythm: "We're not used to seeing that the last couple of years ... but we always say, 'Throw it better, catch it better.'" Still, it's an area the team will address this week, per Day.