The Ryan Day Radio Show returned for another episode on Thursday.
This week, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day joined Paul Keels and Jim Lachey to discuss the Buckeyes' performance against Akron and where the team can improve entering the Western Michigan game. After Day's appearance, Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis joined the show to talk about Sonny Styles, C.J. Hicks, Arvell Reese and more.
Here is a bullet-point recap of The Ryan Day Radio Show:
Ryan Day
On moving on from Akron to Western Michigan
- "On to Week 2 here. Had a good week of practice."
- "I feel like our guys came out of the (Akron) game with some things to work on. There were some good plays, some really good snaps... then other things we got to improve on."
- "Certainly want to get to a fast start here on Saturday night."
- "Time to get to work."
On Ohio State playing clean, having no penalties
- "I want zero mistakes."
- "We want to be really, really clean."
- "We got no tolerance for those kinds of mistakes."
- "Overall, it was OK, but we could be better."
On having in-helmet communications this season
- Day said having in-helmet communications will be a learning process for Ohio State. "There are things that come with it, for sure."
- "I thought the communication during the game was solid."
- "You get 10 total per game. We do five on offense and two on defense. ... You can't have two on the field unless it's a kicking situation."
On Sonny Styles
- "Coming here early for him was great. Having the opportunity to go from safety to linebacker gives him a wider view of everything going on."
- "His football IQ is very, very high."
- Day said Styles having reps at safety, Will linebacker and Mike linebacker will "pay off down the road for Sonny."
- Day said Styles is at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center all the time and is constantly looking for ways to improve. "He works hard."
On Ohio State's linebacker depth, Gabe Powers' pick-six
- "Those plays matter. You heard me talk about that this week."
- "We're pushing these guys."
- "On Gabe's interception, you saw the whole sideline explode. ... We want these guys putting pressure on the opponent, non-stop, no matter who the opponent is."
On Emeka Egbuka's controversial incompletion in the end zone
- "I guess (the refs) felt the ball was moving when he came down."
- "I thought it was a heckuva catch."
- "I thought he caught it."
On Ohio State's scout team
- Day said Eddrick Houston has stood out in practice the past two weeks on the scout team, sharing that Houston treats each rep with urgency.
- "That's what we're looking for, that attitude. It makes a difference when they see themselves on the field."
On winning the games within the game
- "We want to be dominant in every game."
- "Every week, you have to dominate the line of scrimmage."
- Day said special teams will always be important for the Buckeyes.
- "We got a long way to go. Bigger challenges are ahead."
On Ohio State's defense, where it can improve
- "Improve in everything – everything they do."
- "Jim Knowles has got a list three pages long for what we want to improve on."
- "It's across the board."
- "We got a long way to go on this thing. That was just the start."
On Arvell Reese
- "He can do a lot of things for us."
- "I feel like last week he kind of had a breakthrough and really put a bunch of work in here."
- Day said Reese was in the building at 6:30 a.m. all last week to improve.
On Ohio State forcing turnovers
- "It's big."
- "It's like stealing a possession when that happens."
- Day said he wants Ohio State's defense to force more turnovers as the season continues.
On Will Howard
- "I think it was a good start."
- Day said Howard made good throws in the red zone, made some good scrambles and made some other good decisions.
- "Now, when he gets in there Saturday night, no longer is it new to him."
- "Hopefully, the game will continue to slow down for him."
On Ohio State's excitement for the Western Michigan game
- "Fun is winning. Fun is having success. Fun is executing."
- "Our guys are excited to get back out there."
On Ohio State's pregame routine
- "The Blackwell is great. It has been unbelievable for us," Day said, but he explained that "not being on campus" helped the Buckeyes because it created a quieter environment the night before the game.
- As for Ohio State wearing team-provided sweatsuits and not dress suits before games, Day said, "We want to look exactly the same. We want to look like a team."
- Day said he doesn't want his players worrying about how their suit looks before a game and instead wants them to focus on the game itself.
On Jeremiah Smith
- "He's mature for his age. He's working really hard. Put another good week of practice in."
- "How big he is, how strong and powerful he is. ... This is someone, for a freshman, that is very physically mature."
- Day said Smith's second touchdown – a 9-yard score off a slant route – was great execution between Howard and Smith. "The throw and catch was off the charts."
On Carnell Tate
- "We have different styles of wide receivers, I feel like, in that room."
- "I think Carnell has really good length."
- "He has good hands."
- "Great to see the run after the catch."
On Ohio State's punt return game
- "We've been working hard at it."
- "Brandon (Inniss) gives us the ability to make some guys miss. He's also a good decision-maker. We need him to continue being a good decision-maker."
- "We put a good group out there."
- "We're gonna continue to work on that."
On Brandon Inniss
- "We all believe in Brandon."
- "He has playmaking ability. He has short-area quickness."
- "He's a heck of a football player."
On Western Michigan, coach Lance Taylor
- "He knows good football. He is a good coach."
- "I thought they played Wisconsin well."
- "This is a good team. They're powerful. They're stout."
- "We know they're gonna be a good team."
James Laurinaitis
On Ohio State's linebacker room against Akron
- "I was proud of the way the room responded."
- Laurinaitis praised Sonny Styles, C.J. Hicks and Arvell Reese for the way they stepped up with Cody Simon unable to play against Akron.
- "Hopefully, we get our Block O guy back this week."
On how Ohio State's coaching staff has meshed this year
- "It's been great."
- Laurinaitis said he's had a great relationship with Tim Walton since Walton was his defensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams in 2013. Laurinaitis also noted that he has great relationships with Matt Guerrieri and Larry Johnson.
- Laurinaitis thanked Jim Knowles for allowing him to have "autonomy" in the linebacker room last year.
On Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton
- "They make so many plays."
- "I think Sonny and Arvell and Cody have to give Thank You cards every week to our D-tackles."
