Despite averaging just 3 yards per carry, Ohio State kept a balanced offense in its loss to Michigan.
Ryan Day said in his postgame press conference that the Buckeyes couldn't simply "abandon" the run. He felt Ohio State's failures came down to those failures to run the ball, special teams miscues and turnovers.
Some boos came down as the Buckeyes failed to take control in the second half of their 13-10 loss, their fourth straight in the rivalry, but Day said he understands peoples' frustrations.
- On the prevalence of the run: "We struggled to run the ball. ... We have to establish the run, especially in this game. ... That ultimately, with the turnovers and the missed field goals, was the difference in the game."
- On the field goal misses and Jayden Fielding: "I'm not there right now. I'm still trying to digest everything that just happened. ... I thought the effort was there, but the overall execution wasn't good enough. Especially on offense."
- Day said he doesn't have much of an answer for how the team moves on yet. "Obviously, extremely disappointed and angry. I'm not there right now, fresh off the game. ... I thought we were prepared to play well in this game. You could see some of the things that happened on the offensive line, shuffling around came to a head today."
- After Ohio State's two-minute drive that scored before halftime, Day said the team tried to play with some tempo but wasn't getting first downs to sustain the pace.
- Day said the doctors said Will Howard was OK to re-enter after a second-quarter hit that knocked him out of the football game.
- Day felt Howard forced the issue on his interceptions and doesn't doubt his willpower. "There's a fine line of trying to make plays and win the game. ... That's the balance of trying to win the game playing quarterback."
- On the defense: "They had a couple runs in there, they escaped on a couple scrambles. ... I thought the defense kept fighting their tails off, kept competing. ... I thought they continued to fight the entire game."
- On the boos in the second half from the crowd: "Everybody wants to win this game in the worst way, and nobody wants to win it more than we do. ... I don't blame anybody for being upset, I'm upset more than anybody."
- On why Ohio State didn't take more shots in the red zone through the air. "You can't just force that. You've gotta be smart in what you're doing."
- Day said the Buckeyes simply couldn't rely on the pass too heavily. "You can't just abandon the run. ... It was windy today and we didn't have a ton of time back there."
- On the fight after the game: "I don't know all the details of it, but I know that these guys were looking to put a flag on our field and our guys weren't going to let that happen. ... Obviously we're embarassed we lost, but there's some prideful guys on the field that weren't gonna let that happen."
