Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Eager to See Team's Stories Told, Will Howard Says “Sleep is For the Weak,” Cody Simon Believes Ohio State Exemplified “Everything Good” About Team Sports

By Andy Anders on January 21, 2025 at 9:37 am
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One sleep later, the luster of Ohio State's College Football Playoff national championship victory has yet to lose any shine.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, quarterback Will Howard and linebacker Cody Simon – the offensive and defensive players of the title game – met with the media for an early-morning news conference after a night of celebrating. Day is eager to have his team's story told, shouting out a number of them including Donovan Jackson, Lathan Ransom and Ty Hamilton.

Howard had an appropriate jubilation with his teammates Monday night, saying "sleep is for the weak" before expressing his great gratitude to be an Ohio State quarterback. Simon said that the Buckeyes exemplified everything good about team sports and that there's no coach he'd rather put his trust in than Day.

Ryan Day

  • In his opening statement, Day reflected on his feelings this morning. "Just waking up this morning grateful that I had an opportunity to be with this team. ... All the hard work, it was worth it. I'm proud of these guys and they'll go down in history. ... We're gonna take some time to celebrate, enjoy it, because these guys deserve it."
  • On the story that's been told by his team: "For all those fans that are out there and are going through difficult times in our lives ... I hope there's some inspiration here. ... We kept fighting and we overcame those odds."
  • Day said there were too many underrated stories to just single out one for his team. "If you just pick one, you'll be taking away from somebody else. Like Donovan Jackson, I could talk about him 45 minutes. ... He went from guard to tackle and became one of the best tackles in the country. ... Lathan Ransom, I could take forever about Lathan Ransom. The last time he played in the Rose Bowl he broke his leg ... you talk about someone who's obsessed with winning. ... All these stories need to be told."
  • On Jeremiah Smith: "He's a special talent ... what we envisioned this season came true. ... I'm really proud of what he did."
  • Day said Ohio State's team was a true family through the CFP run. "There was a mix of emotions there, but at the end of the day, to be there with your family ... if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have been able to make this run. ... What they provided for me in terms of strength, I just can't say enough. ... This (team) has become family. ... We were with each other 24/7 this last month and a half."
  • On how it feels to have his name join the list of Buckeye head coaches who have won a national title: "It's an honor ... every year I've learned more about myself. ... I feel like we were knocking on the door several times leading up to this game. ... The throw and catch to Jeremiah at the end, I felt like we were leaving no doubt with this thing."
  • "I let out a scream and I threw my headset, I don't know where that came from. I don't even remember doing that."
  • Day said there will be "great opportunity" for his assistant coaches but he'll work hard to keep them at Ohio State. "This coaching staff has done an unbelievable job. ... Jim (Knowles) I think is the best defensive coordinator in the country. ... Chip (Kelly), so thankful for him, what he's allowed me to do with this team."
  • On whether he ever struggled with self-doubt during the CFP run: "Some people might have doubted, but we didn't and I didn't. ... We didn't flinch and these guys never flinched. ... There's nobody in that Woody that really ever doubted each other and we just kept pushing."
  • On the difference between this team and others he's had: "I think it's experience. ... When you look at the maturity of our team, we were able to physically sustain 16 game, mentally sustained 16 games and emotionally sustain 16 games."
  • On Howard's NFL draft stock: "The way he commands the team and how much work he puts in. ... 90% of the plays we called had two or three plays in it. ... Whichever NFL team gets Will in the draft is getting a pro on day one."

Will Howard

  • On the story of Ohio State's season: "We, collectively, get to tell the story of this season because there were ups and downs, trials and tribulations but we got to win this big one at the end. ... We have some unbelievable individual stories, but then it's this team."
  • Howard said he's celebrated appropriately with his teammates. "Sleep is for the weak. ... I'm excited to go home to Columbus and do this again. ... This was our last game together and that's sad to think about. ... It's a little bittersweet but I'm so thankful that we were able to end it the right way."
  • On being the national championship quarterback for Ohio State: "It's humbling. ... The fact that we're sitting here today as national champions, it's surreal. ... We're gonna be brothers for life because of this."
  • On Day: "I owe so much to this guy sitting next to me. ... Probably the best coach I've ever been around. I've never seen someone work a game like Coach Day does. ... I've never been coached this hard. ... If it weren't for me coming here to Ohio State and getting developed ... I really wouldn't be the player that I am right now."
  • On his NFL draft stock: "I am just so ecstatic that we won this thing. ... We'll worry about that when it comes up ... but I've been developed here like I've never been developed before ... I've gotten so much better here. ... We'll worry about the NFL whenever it comes up."
  • On his late-game long throw to Jeremiah Smith: "It's when you tee up the driver and it feels real nice, 300 down the middle. ... We knew they were going to potentially play us in man ... all I had to do is give 4 a chance and let 4 be 4."

Cody Simon

  • Simon said Ohio State exemplified everything good about team sports. "The humility and the resilience of not just the seniors but everyone on this team. ... (The seniors) came back for the love of the brotherhood and the culture. ... Everything good that comes out of a team game and a team sport, our team has shown it this year."
  • On Day: "There's no one I'd rather trust than Coach Day and I wholeheartedly believe he's the best coach I'll ever have. ... We all trusted in the leadership in Coach Day, I can't say enough good things about him. ... No one ever doubted him on our team."
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