The first trumpets of Ohio State football season sounded into the Lucas Oil Stadium air on Tuesday.
Ryan Day met the media for the first time since June 18 to discuss the Buckeyes' preseason preparations, glowing about the experience on Ohio State's roster after so many of its stars returned.
The offensive line remains the top area of focus entering fall camp, and Day is looking for Brandon Inniss, Jayden Ballard, Bryson Rodgers and Kojo Antwi to step up for wide receiver depth. Day also dived into some of the stresses Chip Kelly relieves for him at offensive coordinator and called him "one of the best offensive minds in the history of college football."
A couple hours after his time at the lectern, Day met with the media for an additional 45-minute breakout session. There he dove into some more schematic questions now that Kelly is in tow, options at running back and other freshmen who have flashed.
- Day started off by thanking Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti for his leadership and "great conversations."
- Speaking of leadership, Day wanted to give some praise to new Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork. "As we've transitioned from Gene to Ross as our athletic director, it's been great to spend time with Ross. ... We're very, very excited that he's going to be our leader in the athletic department. ... I think he's got a really bright future at Ohio State."
- Centered around the 12 players who came back despite having NFL draft stock, Day said he's loved what he's seen form his team this offseason. "It's an exciting preseason for us. It's been a great summer. ... It was very difficult to name three guys to come (to Big Ten Media Days). ... You can see the look in their eye. It's a special group."
- Day said cornerback Denzel Burke has a chance to be "the best cornerback in America" this year.
- Emeka Egbuka is realizing his full potential now that he's healthy, Day said.
- Lastly among those speaking for Ohio State on Tuesday, Day talked about Jack Sawyer's leadership in getting a lot of other players to come back because the team has "unfinished business."
- On the offensive line: "The O-line is the area that we've been really locked-in on. I think coming out of the summer, their bodies look different. ... This team is gonna go as the offensive line goes. ... I think that some guys have really stepped up. I think Josh Fryar has had an unbelievable summer." Carson Hinzman, Tegra Tshabola, Luke Montgomery and Seth McLaughlin are all options at right guard, Day said.
- On where he feels the team is at in receiver depth: "We're kind of top-heavy there, then where is four., five, six and seven." Day added that the team can "feel" Brandon Inniss when he's on the field and that senior wideout Jayden Ballard is someone "we need to step up." He also referenced Bryson Rodgers and Kojo Antwi in the same vein.
- While Ohio State isn't shying away from its national title ambitions, Day said the team has to focus on the here and now to eventually reach those heights. "Any time you're at Ohio State, there's always going to be chatter, there's always going to be noise."
- On how having Chip Kelly to run his offense changes his approach on GameDay: "Going into each game we'll have a gameplan in place. Chip has a job, to run the offense, my job is to see what's ahead on the horizon. ... Chip's one of the best offensive minds in the history of college football, in my opinion. ... In terms of managing the game, it will allow me an opportunity to be on both sides of the ball and special teams."
Breakout Session
- On how the summer went: "There's a great energy around this team. They know what they want. There's an energy, there's a purpose. ... Nothing's going to be given to us."
- On how close the quarterback competition is: "We wanted to get through the spring ... the first few weeks of fall camp we'll get a better idea of where everybody in."
- Day added that "experience does matter" when it comes to Will Howard.
- While Day doesn't want to set expectations for Jeremiah Smith before he plays a snap, it's easy to see why he can be great. "It's easy to see how talented he is. I think the thing you recognize is how good he is at the not-talent things."
- One of Ohio State's top focuses this offseason has been making sure games aren't left in the hands of officials or a fluke play or two. "Leave no doubt when you're on the field."
- Day is working with Chip Kelly to scheme up what system is best and what plays can be go-tos for the Buckeyes' offense. "We've got playbooks up to here, we've got film going back a long ways ... What's the best fit for our guys and then what's our fastball?"
- On running the football: "We knew we needed a quarterback who can run. At least have the ability to run. ... It's exciting. The running backs are excited, the offensive line is excited. ... We know to win the games we have to win, we're going to have to do that."
- Ohio State's depth at quarterback helps open up the ability to run them, per Day. "When you have a room of five quarterbacks, you can be a little bit more aggressive."
- Day says he thinks the 12-team playoff is "great for college football," saying more teams will be in the race down the stretch of the season. Depth will be important for schools, he added.
- On how it feels to call the right play in a big spot: "There's a lot that leads up to it, all the preparation. It's exhilarating when you get it done."
- Caleb Downs will begin his career exclusively as a safety, but he could mix in at safety and get looks at running back, as Day has indicated in the past. "At the time, that was more about Caleb. ... He has the ability. Do we want to put that all on his plate right away? It's certainly something that he's interested in."
- Day has been impressed with Julian Sayin's mental and physical quickness at quarterback. "He's a fast processor. He's very, very twitchy ... from the waist up."
- While Day is happy with how Ohio State has progressed on the NIL front, he says there's added value for players being part of brand as big as the Buckeyes in a city as big as Columbus. "The value of being an Ohio State football player in Columbus is tremendously high."
- Day reflected on how Jack Sawyer and Cody Simon helped bring so many veterans back and feels the primary motivation for people returning was unobtained goals. "The term for me was unfinished business. ... Each of them kind of made their decision on their own, but communication was a big part of it."
- Day said McLaughlin and Hinzman have both had great summers. He feels Hinzman can have a "great career" at Ohio State and last year might have just been a bit too early in his development. "I think they've both had really good offseasons."
- More on Hinzman last year: "He fought every day. ... And he's changed his body."
- On how Ohio State will split backfield reps between TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins: "Coach Locklyn is ultimately going to be responsible for how we rotate. But both guys will get a lot of carries."
- On Locklyn: "It's been great to watch in a short period of time his passion for the game. ... He demands his players to play hard, you can see that right out of the gate. His players love him."
- Day said McLaughlin hasn't had any consistent snapping issues thus far this offseason.
- On the veteran locker room: "That's just what makes this team so exciting. Getting all these guys around with their experience."
- Ohio State plans to stay "aggressive" in recruiting in the transfer portal, and Day is confident in the pitch he can make with the team he coaches and the city it's located in. "It's a great time to be at Ohio State. We have a lot to sell."
- More on the expectations for the year: "You owe it to the guys that came back. They came back for a reason. ... We're thinking big and these guys are thinking big ... but that's not the focus. ... These guys are having a great summer."
- Day said the 120-man roster is what "works" and coaches feel comfortable with in college football and "adjustments" would be required to get to a proposed 105.
- Day expects there to be a versatile role for a healthy Egbuka in this year's offense. "There's not much Emeka can't do."
- On other freshmen who are standing out outside Jeremiah Smith: "The two running backs are going to have to play. ... On defense, Eddrick Houston has probably flashed the most but it's hard to get on the field with our depth at defensive end. ... Aaron Scott, as the spring went on, he flashed more and more."
- Fryar is an "option" at guard, but it doesn't seem like that's where he'll play this season,. "Right now he's our right tackle."
- On revenue sharing and NIL: "I think we all need to come together to have some uniformity."
- Beyond Downs, Brandon Inniss and Egbuka are players Day could see carrying the ball out of the backfield if needed.
- As injuries go, TC Caffey is expected to be the only player not ready for fall camp.
- Day feels NIL collectives will remain in the process until there is enough enforcement – from a third party, per Day – to set proper NIL guidelines in place. "I still think they're going to be a part of this until there's some structure with cap and things."
- Day drew a parallel between the uncertainty of Ohio State's first construction of Ohio Stadium and the current state of college football. There's uncertainty in both situations, but in both, there's a great community surrounding those entities, he said.
- Regardless of whether it means 17 games could be required to win a national championship, Day said he loves and will always want to play in the Big Ten Championship game.
- On whether he has any thoughts about the new college football video game: "RJ (my son) plays it and I tell him what to run."
