Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Says Right Guard and Kick Return Positions Aren't Settled, Caleb Downs' Preparation is “Remarkable”

Tegra Tshabola and Austin Siereveld have continued rotating at right guard, and the Buckeyes aren't yet settled on a permanent solution, Ryan Day said in his weekly press conference on Tuesday. Jayden Ballard, Brandon Inniss and Emeka Egbuka have all gone back deep to return kicks, but that position is also in flux with a bounty of options.

Day also praised the play of the offensive line, wide receivers and Caleb Downs in the Buckeyes' 38-7 win over Michigan State while previewing their upcoming tilt with Iowa. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles also met with the media to break down Ohio State's progression on both sides of the ball.

Ryan Day

• Day opened his press conference by thanking the fans who traveled to Michigan State to watch Ohio State play and congratulating former Buckeye offensive tackle Chris Ward on his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
• On Iowa: "Huge challenge. This is a challenge for all of us. ... You guys know who they are, they have not changed their identity in a long time. ... We're gonna get challenged in a lot of areas. ... They're physical, they're well-coached, they're fundamental."
• On Caleb Downs' football IQ: "Caleb made some huge plays, especially in that middle eight (minutes) there. First off, his preparation is remarkable. ... There's also a certain level of calmness back there when he's back there with Lathan."
• Ohio State still isn't settled on a permanent choice at right guard between Tegra Tshabola and Austin Siereveld. "There was nothing on the film that set one ahead or behind. They both graded out similarly. ... We'll see how the preparation goes this week and decide as we get closer to the game."
• On Iowa's defensive front: "It doesn't matter what year you watch them, it's the same (type) of guys inside. ... They run to the football. ... You just look year after year, it's similar in terms of the 
• While Day says there are still things to work on for Sonny Styles after his move to linebacker, he thinks he's settling in. "I think he's made that transition pretty rapidly."
• On Emeka Egbuka's block on Jeremiah Smith's 19-yard touchdown run: "He was fired up on that play with Jeremiah scoring. He's 20 yards away blocking a nickel ... to me, that's winning football. ... He does all the dirty work."
• Day said he can't imagine coaching as long as Kirk Ferentz has, giving a simple "no" when asked.
• On Pro Football Focus grades: "I think it comes down to who's actually doing the grading. ... I think it's hard for them to know exactly what (a player's) responsibility was. ... I think, generally, it's in the ballpark."
• The Buckeyes will continue to "move some pieces around" at kick returner after Egbuka handled duties against the Spartans. "The good news is we do have some different options to go with."
• On Ohio State's fourth-down aggression on Saturday: "Some of that has to do with where we are on the field. ... Every game, based on the score, based on how things are going, we've got to take those things into consideration."
• Day said it's difficult for defenses to shade specifically to Smith because of all the weapons Ohio State has on the field, but "people know who No. 4 is when he's on the field."
• On whether the slow ramp-up of Ohio State's schedule has been beneficial: "We're so in it right now it's hard to tell ... but I think it's a bit of a different feel than the last couple of years."
• Howard's accuracy on intermediate throws has improved from last year. "For us to see him do it here for us is different. Those are big. Then the protection was huge. The guys up front did great in protection."
• On the team's improved blocking and what "toughness" means in that area: "I think it's a coach's job to make things that aren't simple simple. ... We can't have these guys thinking too much. ... Let them play, let them use their athletic ability. ... The effort's been good so far, we're practicing that way and it's showing up during the game."
• On what's difficult about Iowa's defense: "They're typically veteran players. ... They understand the defense, and this is a great example of a defensive coordinator who keeps it simple. ... They know what their weaknesses are, they know what their strengths are."

Chip Kelly

• On the team's pass protection against Michigan State: "They did a really good job. ... I think all phases were clicking. They had an extensive third-down package, I thought our guys handled it really well."
• "Every decision we make is based on what the defense that week shows you. ... How do you run plays an make sure they're successful? That's what the extensive game planning is each week."
• On the challenge of facing Iowa's defense: "They teach their system and they develop players, I really think they do an unbelievable job of developing players. ... They are fundamentally sound, they are really, really well-coached. I think it'll be the best-coached defense that we face all year long. ... They make you earn everything that you get. ... It's a challenge that you get really excited about."
• On Howard's performance: "I think he's done a great job Week 1 to Week 4. ... The game is so much different for the quarterback than it is for any other position. ... I admire Will's toughness ... he never makes the same mistake twice. ... I think he's done a good job protecting the football. ... His completion percentage has gone up in every game, excited about where he is there. ... He's used his legs a little bit."
• Kelly said that "there's always more" at his disposal in the playbook, but it's again about scheming for that week's opponent.
• Kelly said that it's a delicate balance weighing the benefits of making a fourth-down against the drawbacks of not making it when making a decision.
• On where Howard can develop: "Complete every pass."
• On whether Ohio State has a proper distribution of run and pass. "We're not caught up in, 'It has to be balanced.' ... We talk about it, and we want to be balanced ... but there are some games where the tight ends may catch the ball more than the running backs catch the ball. ... We're not going to force it ... and that's the benefit of having as many weapons as we have."
• Kelly says sometimes too much emphasis is put on the scheme in a team's success, and that will be the case again against Iowa. "This game has always been about the players and always will be about the players. ... There's gonna be a lot of one-on-one battles. Their interior linemen are amazing. ... And that just comes down to fundamental football."

Jim Knowles

• On how Sonny Styles is transitioning: "Very pleased with Sonny. I think he's being put in a lot of different situations, playing Sam, playing Will, playing Mike. ... Sometimes when you see him or some of our players being off on a play or being out of position, that goes back to me and their coaching and their training. ... How many times in practice was he put into that position vs. that play? That's how you have to be accountable as a coach. ... He's employing a myriad of different techniques."
• On how he decides whether to play three linebackers: "It really is personnel based and trying to get the people in there. ... It's not that Jordan can't handle it, he can handle the run game. ... We're trying to get the best matchups."
• Knowles said there have been some surprises from opposing offenses early in games. "The craziest thing about our profession is, you can work on things all week and then show up in the game and they're not there. Like, 'What the hell?'"
• On his level of frustration against Michigan State: "We've started slow the last couple of weeks and I blame myself for that. ... There are thousands of permutations of what can happen. ... The preciseness and the exactness of the preparation, it happens a lot to coaches that in the beginning of the game, you get some unpredictable things. ... You always default to your training, so you have to look at those plays where you failed on those plays and say, 'Why?'"
• On his defensive backs forcing fumbles: "We spent all of spring and all of training camp training for those two (fumbles against MSU). ... Lathan Ransom is lethal with that and I want him to keep it up."
• Ohio State leads the country in pressures when only rushing four. "Never satisfied, but they are executing what's called."
• Knowles says he can handle the fine-toothed-comb criticism that comes with coaching at Ohio State. "My father was a Philly cop. I got more than nitpicked, I got nitwhacked."
• Knowles said the benefit of mixing in some off-man coverage is denying big plays, but he does want to ramp up the aggression. "The corners, off, press, that's a constant thought, constant adjustment. We've been solid on explosive plays, you can't forget that because that wins games. ... The answer to your question is, do we need to press more? Yes. But it's a balance."
• On Cody Simon's fourth-down stop against quarterback sneak: "You can't rep that."