Presser Bullets: Chip Kelly in Booth for 2024, Ryan Day Does Not Plan to Watch Netflix's Connor Stalions Documentary

Position battles have been settled as Ryan Day declared Tegra Tshabola the starting right guard and Sonny Styles the starting Will linebacker on Tuesday, though Jim Knowles said C.J. Hicks will rotate evenly with Styles and starting Mike linebacker Cody Simon. 

Day added that offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will be coaching from the booth this season for Ohio State. Day doesn't plan to watch Netflix's Connor Stalions documentary.

Knowles talked about more benefits of having a veteran defense while Will Howard also met with Buckeye media for the first time after being named starter and said he feels he has a lot of "say" in Ohio State's offense.

Ryan Day

• Ryan Day started his press conference by naming Tegra Tshabola the team's starting right guard. "Tegra has earned the right to start." Ohio State will roll players at the position though, he added.
• Sonny Styles will start at Will linebacker. "Sonny has separated himself for sure and will start at Will linebacker."
• On what he wants to see from Will Howard Week 1: "We want him to run the team and be clean. ... Be sharp, take care of the football. ... In particular, in that first game, it's run a clean operation. It's taking care of the football, it's cadence."
• On the offensive line depth: "Early on the little illness that was going around the offensive line was frustrating, but coming out of preseason camp we feel like we built some depth because we have to. ... We are going to try and get as many guys in the game as possible, grade it and keep evaluating."
• Tshabola's experience and reps off the bench will be beneficial in his growth, Day said.
• Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn hasn't decided who will start at running back, though the tandem of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins will each get plenty of carries, as will freshman James Peoples.
• Day confirmed that Peoples is Ohio State's third running back. "He's gonna play a bunch of snaps."
• On the impact of iPads on the sideline: "I think the communication in-game will be very, very important in identifying what's been going on the last series. ... You have an ability to tag certain plays on your side of the ball. ... You're going to see a little bit more in-game adjustments than maybe previously. But other than that, football is football."
• Howard's done a great job shouldering the expectations that come with Ohio State, Day said. "He's put a lot of work in this preseason. ... He's got a good look in his eye this week and he's ready to get out there."
• Devin Brown is Ohio State's backup quarterback, Day said.
• Ryan Day wants to establish a hard-playing identity from the first game of the year. "If our identity is going to be the hardest-playing team in the country, we've gotta really put that on film."
• On the approach to the first three cupcake opponents: "You have to really focus on the process of it and what are we doing. Our opponent should matter (in how we prepare). What is the standard? Grade over 80% and be the hardest-playing team in the country. ... You're not allowed to have a bad day around here. You're not allowed."
• Day pointed to the legacy of Archie Griffin in reflecting on how his team has impacted the community this offseason. "I think this team is close. When you look at what they've done together as a group, it's powerful. ... You're seeing things like this and some of the community outreach ... these are great, great people."
• Quality control coach Rob Keys will oversee Ohio State's special teams with Day, while each assistant is assigned a unit. Safeties coach Matt Guerrieri will be on punt, linebackers coach james Laurinaitis on kickoff with Brian Hartline and Keenan Bailey manning both return units. Each assistant is involved in special teams, Day said.
• On general manager Mark Pantoni: "His role has increased and it's become more and more important and I think he's the best at what he does."
• Chip Kelly will be in the coach's box on gameday, Day said.
• Jeremiah Smith will start at wide receiver on Saturday.
• Day said the offense isn't near where he expects it to get to, but there have been encouraging signs. "We'll see after the first couple of games. ... I do feel like we've had some really good days of practices, we've had a couple of really good moments in some scrimmages."
• More on Howard: "This is just the beginning, but he wants to be a great player. And he knows that if he buys into this offense, buys into this culture, buys into this team, he's going to do that."
• Helmet communication will mostly be between Kelly and Howard, Day said.
• Day does not plan to watch Netflix's documentary on Connor Stalions.
• "Leave no doubt" is the team's main slogan entering 2024. "Leave no doubt is something that when you look back at where we've been ... you can't leave it to one drive. You can't leave it to one play. You can't. You have to leave no doubt. ... We have to do that. That's probably the one this year that we've grabbed onto the most."
• On the pricetag of Ohio State's roster: "They're here because they want to be Buckeyes. They're here to win championships. They're here for each other."

Jim Knowles

• On the benefit of a veteran defense: "The ability to play fast. ... On-field adjustments that they can make because they understand the defense. But really just want to see them playing fast."
• On Cody Simon: "Conscientious team guy who will do whatever it takes. ... Always putting the team first. This is the kind of guy we all want to represent us."
• C.J. Hicks will still be heavily involved in the defense, Knowles said, to the point that he's considered first-string. "I consider C.J. a one. You can see a combination there. You can see Sonny playing Mike and C.J. playing Will and Cody taking a rest. ... All three of those guys are considered ones and should play equally."
• On the opportunity the defense feels to establish itself as dominant again: "You have to prove yourself every week. And yeah, maybe statistically we played OK, but we didn't win every game. And they are determined that, if we have to win the game 3-0, 'Hey, we can win a bowl game 3-0.' ... They want the fans, the media, the rest of the team to know that when they go on the field, they can be counted on."
• In-helmet communication has changed the way players are coached some. "When you teach now, you have to prepare your players and your on-field play callers and adjusters that I won't necessarily be able to make all the right calls for you. ... Could be that you're gonna have to make a couple of on-field adjustments for yourself."
• Ohio State's safeties are all learning both strong and free safety, Knowles said. "Cross-training is a good word. When you get to the game there are times you may have to do. ... When you're training safeties, it's good to train them in everything. ... As you get to game week, it becomes more defined."
• Knowles added that having players be more versatile and able to slide between positions helps in disguising coverages.
• On what he's seeing in year three in Columbus: "You always take the tools that you work with and it's the job of the coaches to get the best out of what you have. ... Here at Ohio State we're working with veterans who are also extremely talented."

Will Howard

• On how he's developed his leadership of the team: "That's what the spring was for, what the winter was for, I'm gonna get to know these guys. ... When we started up summer workouts, that's when I felt a little more comfortable settling into that (leadership) role."
• On how eager he is to play in the Horseshoe: "I'm so excited. I can't overstate that, how excited I am. ... The Shoe and the atmosphere here, it's different, man. ... I'm really excited just to experience all of it. ... I think the thing I'm most excited for is running out in front of 110,000 at the Shoe and just soak it all in."
• Georgia Tech's Week 0 upset of No. 10 Florida State is proof that you can't take weeks off in college football. "You can't overlook anyone."
• The transfer to Ohio State "lit a new spark" in Howard. "I've mentally prepared myself for this for a while. ... This step that I've taken has just been a blessing in every single way. Just the opportunity and the challenges that I've had to go through here have already made me better as a player."
• Howard is embracing his job as "run-game coordinator" on the field, and he'll be responsible for checking in and out of plays when needed. "It's my job to say we have a good play called or we've got a pressure coming from the field, we don't want to run into it. It's my job call out of that. ... We're the ones on the field. ... When you're the quarterback, you're always noticing something."
• On in-helmet communication: "There's little things that you can do with the headset and I think if you can use it to your advantage and be efficient with it, it's going to be a real advantage for us."
• Howard said it's a "blessing" to have the weapons that he has at his disposal in Columbus. "I mean no disrespect to the guys I played with, because I played with some really good players ... but I think here it's a little bit different. ... The mindset I've had to develop more is, he may not look to the general public like he's open ... but that's a play he can make."
• On the difference of being named a starter midway through preseason camp: "You have a little more say in things. ... When you're competing for a job, you might be a little more hesitant to say, 'Hey, I don't like this concept coach.' ... I just feel like I have a little more ownership in some of the play calls and some of the stuff we're doing."