Ohio State's offense is surging, and one of the reasons is improved offensive line play.
At his weekly Tuesday press conference, Ryan Day stated that the offensive line and its individual pieces have gained more comfort and development with each passing week, adding that left tackle Josh Simmons can be "as good as he wants to be."
Day also provided injury updates for a number of key players and discussed the emerging identity of Ohio State's offense.
Following Day's session, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles took to the lectern to break down the role Cody Simon plays when Tommy Eichenberg isn't on the field, how Sonny Styles looks replacing Lathan Ransom and where his defense is at overall midway through November.
Ryan Day
- On how he'd characterize the identity that's developing on offense: "I think you're just seeing the combination of the run game, ball on the perimeter ... offensive line is making progress every week."
- Donovan Jackson is starting to play better as the year goes on, Day said. "Everyone is looking to play their best game right now. It's the combination of run game and pass game, everyone has to do both ... he's into his next year of maturity."
- On the offensive line gelling together: "There were probably a lot of things along the journey that has taken us to where we are right now. ... But I do think they're more and more comfortable every single time that we're out there."
- Day said the versatility of Ohio State's skill players on offense is another advantage it holds. "Those guys can do multiple things and any time you see that, it can bring a lot of different variables to the table. ... All those things help you when you're trying to attack a defense."
- Xavier Johnson is a big example of that versatility, Day said. "He's a mismatch in a lot of different areas, and that's our job as coaches, to put him in those situations."
- In addition to good "leadership" and a great "work ethic," McCord earned his Ohio State offer as a recruit with great physical tools. "You saw his productive play on the field, you saw his size, his arm strength, his intelligence."
- McCord's faster starts have led to faster starts from the team, McCord said. "I think the last couple of games he's started out finding the rhythm early on."
- Ohio State is hoping to get Devin Brown back this week, Day said. "He's alright, just a bit of a setback there in the warm-ups."
- Day enjoyed the play of Lincoln Kienholz when he got on the field. "In the couple of snaps that he was out there, it just didn't look too big for him."
- Day said there's a chance Lathan Ransom could return this year, but it won't be in the next few weeks.
- There's no update on the status of Mike Hall, Day said, after he only played a couple of series against Michigan State.
- Emeka Egbuka's health is improving, per Day, but he'll keep working to get his explosion back. "He's getting stronger and stronger each week."
- Tommy Eichenberg will be back practicing this week and Ohio State hopes to have him back on the field soon.
- Matthew Jones played a bit of center against Michigan State, giving Ohio State another option at the position. "It was good to get him some work at center ... there were some good snaps there."
- While Carson Hinzman might be a step behind Ohio State's other offensive linemen in his development, Day feels he'll keep getting better across the board. "I think he's the youngest, so from where he started to where he is now, he's made a bunch of progress. ... He's handled some difficult environments so far this year. ... We think he's got a bright future ahead of him."
- On how Perry Eliano has prepared the safety position to replace Lathan Ransom: "You can't go pick anybody off waivers in college football, you have to build depth. Certainly we're going to miss Lathan, but our guys are confident with the guys in the room."
- Sonny Styles' versatility and athleticism have also helped patch things up at safety, Day said. "We don't want to overload him, but at the same time, he can do a lot."
- On Jelani Thurman's play in garbage time against Michigan State: "It was great to see him out there. You can see his athleticism, size, power. He's got really good hands."
- On why Marvin Harrison Jr. should be a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy: "I know there's a lot of great players out there. I get to see him every day, I think he is the most outstanding player in the country. ... He wants to be great, I know that. You can just tell that and his actions back that up, and his production speaks for itself on the field."
- Day looks forward to the challenge Minnesota will present and says the team can't look ahead to Michigan. "P.J. does a great job ... they're going to come in here and play hard. ... We're going to have to prepare for it like any other game."
- "It's just been a messaging point to the team that, 'Hey we're getting better every week and we've got to be at our best at the end of the season."
- On where left tackle Josh Simmons is: "He's certainly progressing. You can see the talent. Just unbelievable clips, just feet, hands, pop hard. ... He can be as good as he wants to be."
- Jermaine Mathews Jr., Malik Hartford, Kienholz and Thurman were among the biggest freshman standouts alongside Calvin Simpson-Hunt, per Day.
- Day left McCord in the game a little longer than some may have expected because he wasn't sure what Kienholz would look like in his first career appearance. "You don't know what you're going to get until you go out there, it was probably the middle of the third quarter and I felt like there was a lot of football left. ... If Devin was available, he probably would have been in the game a little bit sooner."
Jim Knowles
- On what other defensive tackles can fill in for Hall: "I think Hero has made a lot of progress. ... He made a big play last week, a third-down stop on a running play. ... Jaden McKenzie has got a lot of experience too."
- On what Sonny Styles brings to the deep safety spot that Ransom might not: "Lathan had really gotten better, was getting better all the time. I feel terrible for him to be out right now. But Sonny, he's taller. He has range. He has a lot of experience, we were able to gain him that cover experience at the nickel position. ... I just think he's got a lot of versatility. Made some real plays last game blitzing for him."
- Knowles feels the defense is better equipped to handle injuries than a year ago. "We're better set up. We have more versatility and more experience, and guys just understand the system so they can fit in different places."
- On the challenges of defending Minnesota's run game: "I think they're the best fourth-down conversion team in the country. They stole that play from my Eagles, they stole that tush push thing. ... I think they do a great job of managing the game, controlling the ball. ... We have to stay efficient, stay ahead of the sticks."
- Ohio State might shift Sonny Styles around, giving Ja'Had Carter a role deep. "Sonny is going to be in different places. We need Ja'Had."
- Knowles is comfortable with Cody Simon starting at the Mike linebacker position. "Cody not only plays well, but he manages the game like Tommy (Eichenberg) does. ... We need them both as we come down the stretch here."
- On Malik Hartford: "I thought he wasn't as wide-eyed as he was the first time (starting). That's difficult for a freshman at the safety position ... I thought he had his emotions under control. ... He's one of those guys ... he has it where he's just always around the ball in practice."
- Ty Hamilton is among Ohio State's defensive tackles that have been making plays against opposing rushers, Knowles said. "I've been saying it all year, our defensive tackles have been making more plays in the running game that makes your defense better."
- Knowles said that Eichenberg's "single grunts" turned into "two or three grunts" when he was held out Saturday.
- Ohio State is among the top teams in the country in sacks or takeaways, but Knowles feels that it has a top-five defense in the country because it has focused less on those things this year. "I adapted to the talent, the situation, the program, doing what's in the best interest of the defense, the team to win games. ... I've been there, I've been top five in those categories, I don't think we were very good. ... It's not flashy ... but we need to keep working on those things that work for us and not go after the flashy play."
- Knowles felt the team adjusted well to a few big runs by Michigan State early. "The adjustments in the college game are everything because things change so much week to week, the variety of offenses that you see and everything. ... The fact that we can make those adjustments successful on the field happen in real-time, that's a big deal."
- On whether his defense is playing its best football in November: "I'd say so. We gave, I think it was, two explosive plays last game. So I would say yes. But you have to keep getting better, that's the thing about football."
- Simon handles Eichenberg's quarterback-like defensive responsibilities when he's not on the field: "They have very similar football intelligence. Cody has paid attention from the time I've arrived here and asks questions all the time. ... He's got the same kind of mind, the same football vision."
- On what the Buckeyes' seniors have meant to him: "They mean everything. Particularly when you come in as a new coach, it's the older guys, the veterans, if they buy into what you're saying, then you have a real chance to get the things implemented that you need to do."
- Eichenberg's few-words, action-based mentality has shaped Ohio State's defense in some ways, Knowles said. "We've become really business-like, really accountable, really focused. Not a lot of debate. Here are the facts, here's what's happening, how do we fix it, let's go out and kick ass because that's how Tommy is."
- Knowles shares in some of the frustrations of opposing defensive coordinators in trying to contain Harrison. "That whole thing is difficult for me to handle in practice. I remember one time in practice, we had a bracket on him and he went through both guys and caught the ball."
- On who the next linebacker is after Simon and Steele Chambers without Eichenberg. "CJ (Hicks). CJ made a nice play next week, shot the gap, did a great job. CJ's always right there. He's learning and growing, he's a great kid."
- Knowles isn't as concerned with Ohio State barely missing a shutout against Michigan State as his players might be. "Those are what I like to call luxury problems, it is what it is."
