With just two weeks to go until the first game week of the season, Ryan Day joined the Buckeye Roundtable crew on the Ohio State IMG Sports Network once again on Monday night to continue looking ahead to the Buckeyes' late October start.
The latest updates from Day on how Ohio State's continued preparation is going:
- On Saturday's practice at Ohio Stadium: “It was good to get to the stadium. It was good to feel what it's going to be like. We put in some of the crowd noise, and played some music, and we talked to the guys that they're going to have to handle a new environment.” Said they referred to Saturday's practice as “preseason game No. 1,” and they're going to do another one at the Shoe this Saturday.
- “I'm pleased with where we're at. I think we've got a ways to go. We're not where we need to be right now. But we're off to a good start.” Said the players have shown they have the capability to compete at a grade-A level, now they have to show they can sustain it every week.
- Day said one of the biggest adjustments the Buckeyes have had to make over the past week is getting used to the physicality after they just started practicing in pads on Wednesday.
- On backup quarterbacks C.J. Stroud, Jack Miller and Gunnar Hoak: “All three of those guys are doing well. When they got into the stadium and it got live, there was an adjustment phase. But they'll get it.” Said he expects them to make mistakes, but the key is to learn from those mistakes and take the next step in their development. “Very encouraged. Very impressed with their approach,” Day said, but it's getting real now, so they have to keep taking steps forward.
- On moving Pete Werner to Will linebacker and Baron Browning to Sam, Day said the Buckeyes are “trying to find the right mix ... We really think we're onto something here with Pete and Baron, and we think they're gonna have great seasons.“
- Day hinted that the team has avoided major injuries so far in camp, but said he would not answer how the team is holding up physically after the first few full-contact practices because “I don't want to jinx anything.”
- Day said Ohio State is hoping to figure out some form of at-home COVID-19 testing for coaches' families so that coaches don't have to be away from their families.
