Following Ohio State's wins over Akron and Western Michigan, an "Improvement Week" and three practices in preparation for Marshall, head coach Ryan Day appeared on The Ryan Day Radio Show with Paul Keels and Jim Lachey.
This week, Day discussed Brian Hartline, TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State offensive line and more while on the program. When his appearance ended, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka made a handful of comments on the broadcast.
Here are all the news and notes from The Ryan Day Radio Show on Thursday:
Ryan Day
On Ohio State's "Improvement Week"
- "Good to get going. Last week, we got a lot done. But we're excited to get back into game week and back on the field on Saturday."
- "I don't know if, in three practices, we checked every box. ... But it was more of a focus that week. ... We didn't take the week off. We treated it like we had a game on Saturday."
- "We still worked through it. It's just Week 3. There's a callous and toughness you need to build up as the season goes on."
On Ohio State's preparation for Marshall
- "We just want to continually be the most physical, intense, hardest-playing team in the country."
- Day said he loves seeing Ohio State's players celebrate with their teammates on the field and on the sidelines when the Buckeyes score a touchdown or make a great play.
- "When you get away from a game, you have to get refocused back on that."
On Ohio State's special teams
- "I feel like there's more engagement across the board."
- Day said Matt Guerrieri runs the punt team, Brian Hartline and Keenan Bailey run the two return units and James Laurinaitis runs the kickoffs. Rob Keys "does a good job" leading the special teams meetings, Day said.
- "I'm involved with it, which has been great."
- "Overall, the effort has been great. We just need to clean up a few things."
- Day said Brandon Inniss "popped as a returner" as in Week 1 and Lorenzo Styles Jr. "did a good job" with his effort and execution in Week 2. Inniss and Styles were named Ohio State's Special Teams Player of the Game for Akron and Western Michigan.
On Zen Michalski and George Fitzpatrick
- "We're continually challenging those guys to come on."
- If both Josh Simmons and Josh Fryar were unable to play in a game, Day said Zen Michalski would be Ohio State's left tackle, and George Fitzpatrick would be Ohio State's right tackle.
- "We're looking for depth at that tackle position."
- "They've been steady."
On continuing to build depth against Marshall
- "Playing depth is important."
- Day acknowledged that the temperature in Columbus will be around 90 degrees for the noon kickoff. "It's gonna be hot on Saturday, but it's been hot (here)."
- Day said Ohio State will look to rotate players if and when it's possible against Marshall.
On Marshall's offense
- "They're gonna do what they do."
- "They're well-coached."
- Day said Marshall has "talented players on the perimeter" that the team's offense will look to target early and often on Saturday.
On Marshall WR Christian Fitzpatrick and RB AJ Turner
- "They have talented players. They do."
- "Quick, fast, powerful."
- "They're gonna make some guys miss. We have to be aware of that. We have to be aggressive."
On Will Howard's 10-for-10 start against Western Michigan
- "He got into a rhythm."
- "We want to set the tone early in the game."
- "How you set the tone for a game is important. And then how you finish."
On having balance on offense through two games
- "The balance. I think that's part of the completions. You see guys open. ... I think we're putting guys in conflict."
- "You have to establish the run."
- Day said there's a domino effect when Ohio State establishes the run. If TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins can get going on the ground, then that opens up plenty of options for Howard in the passing game.
On TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins
- "All three backs have been running hard."
- Day said Henderson reaches top-end speed soon after he receives the handoff from Howard. He added that Henderson has run hard this season and looks ready to pop off a long run in the coming weeks.
- "Quinshon has been running downhill hard."
- "James (Peoples) has done a nice job as a freshman."
On Carlos Locklyn
- "He's got a great energy about him."
- "He's got juice."
- "Never had a bad day in his life."
- "Carlos has done a great job. ... He's got great energy."
On TreVeyon Henderson rising Ohio State's all-time rushing TD list
- "I think that's the type of conversation we had in the offseason. ... This is the type of stuff that does matter."
- "The names on that list matter to the people of Ohio."
- "As he climbs up there, he's putting himself next to some big-time names."
- "I'm proud that he's on that list. I know he's gonna keep climbing on it."
- "He's a three-down back now, for sure."
- "He's a weapon out of the backfield, for sure."
On Ohio State's wide receiver room, Brian Hartline
- "When you look at our wideouts, you notice the physicality of them. They're strong out there."
- Day on how he evaluates a wide receiver coach: "By the way (their players) block and the way they run their routes."
- "Brian has really done an unbelievable job with this group."
- "You're seeing the wide receivers play at a high level."
- "Every year, he's getting better and better as a coach. I think he's the best in the country at what he does."
On Ohio State's defensive coaches
- Day said the chemistry on Ohio State's defensive staff stands out to him.
- Day said Tim Walton, Matt Guerrieri, James Laurinaitis, Larry Johnson and Jim Knowles have "no egos." They all work well together.
- Regarding Guerrieri, Day said the first-year safeties coach loves his players well and his players know how much Guerrieri cares for them.
On Jaylen McClain and Aaron Scott Jr.
- "You can tell by the demeanor. ... The speed, the violence."
- Day said McClain and Scott have learned what it looks like to be a defensive back from Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, Jordan Hancock, Lathan Ransom and Caleb Downs. "This is how you act as a DB. You have to be competitive. You have to be gritty."
- "They'll continue to build as time goes on."
On what filled his schedule last Saturday
- During the off week, Day said there were college football games he focused on more than others. Day declined to name which games those were because he didn't want to "make headlines."
- Day said he enjoyed the opportunity to watch teams across the country.
Emeka Egbuka
On how it has felt to walk out of the Shoe this year
- "We don't take any time in the Shoe lightly."
- "Every time we walk through that stadium, it's a huge blessing."
- "I wouldn't trade it for the world."
On having a 26-game catch streak
- "That's cool."
- "I didn't even know that stat."
- "Hopefully, we can keep it rolling against Marshall."
On time running out in his Ohio State career
- "Man, time really goes by fast. It's hard to think that I'm a senior already."
- "I'm trying to cherish every moment I get in the Shoe."
- When asked how it feels that there are just six home games left in his college career, Egbuka said, "Those six games will go by fast, unfortunately, so I'm trying to cherish all those moments."
On his relationship with Brian Hartline
- "It's been tremendous."
- "Coach Hartline has definitely been a big aid in my development here at Ohio State."
- "He's also a perfectionist, much like I am."
- "We have a certain standard we expect out of each other."
