Ohio State's seen a lot of changes over the past month from new enrollees to four new assistant coaches, and Ryan Day and his new assistants took to the radio waves on 97.1 The Fan to discuss what's different with the Buckeyes.
Here are the highlights from what each coach had to say.
Ryan Day
On the staff's work recruiting
- "A lot of hard work's been put in. A lot of travel. A lot of time."
- Day notes it's a lot of time away from their families.
- "Certainly Mark Pantoni and his staff have done a great job year in and year out, and it was the same this year."
On the guys on campus
- "All the reports that we've got back have been excellent," Day said of the early workouts.
- Day notes it's tough because they recruit the class, sign them, then immediately go on the road recruiting and aren't in town when the early enrollees arrive on campus.
- "The type of kid that we've been recruiting is excellent."
- Day notes some guys will be homesick in the next few weeks, but they always have a plan in place for that.
On players who could participate immediately
- "In today's day and age, that's part of the process is guys who do want to play."
- Day notes that enrolling early allows them to see the field earlier.
- "It gives them an opportunity to get on the field as freshmen because by the time September comes we don't really think of them as freshmen."
On which position groups will make big strides in the spring
- "I mean, I hope they all do," Day said.
- Day notes that the offensive line will need to work with Paris Johnson moving outside and Justin Frye taking over. "That'll be a big adjustment for them."
- "We're going to need to build depth there," Day said of the receiver position.
- "Tight ends are going to be important," Day said of losing Jeremy Ruckert.
- "Looking forward to seeing the defense just in general coming together as a unit."
On C.J. Stroud coming back
- Day notes it's huge to have a returning starter with a big season-opening matchup with Notre Dame.
- "We start off the season fast with the Notre Dame game. Having a veteran quarterback is a lot different than having someone who's never. thrown a college pass before."
- Day notes there are still a lot of things Stroud can improve on, noting his leadership and changes to his body.
- "He has great potential to really become a great quarterback."
- "I think he'll tell you there's still a lot of meat left on that bone."
On recruiting the transfer portal
- Day notes Ryan Cavanaugh's job is to scout the transfer portal.
- "I think it's really important to bring in the right type of people."
- "Just to add somebody in and throw them into the mix – that's just not how we've done things."
- "Our culture is what matters the most."
- Day notes that Justin Fields, Trey Sermon, Jonah Jackson and Noah Ruggles all fit the culture.
On having stability on special teams
- "That's one of those things that in big games it shows up."
- Day notes a lot of times special teams is the difference.
- "That's an area that we will be able to count on."
Tim Walton
On if he ever thought he'd be back as a coach
- "Actually, I got a chance to see coach Cooper the other day," Walton said.
- "It's a blessing to be back and coach for your alma mater."
On recruiting after being in the NFL
- Walton said he had to start recruiting immediately when he accepted the job.
- Walton notes recruiting is a little different than in the NFL, but not that much.
- "It still comes back to relationships," Walton said. "Recruiting is fun because it's all about the relationships."
- "It's about the development of young men."
On recruiting Ohio State as a former player
- "It definitely helps, but the school sells itself. I mean, who wouldn't want to play for the Buckeyes?"
- "If you're a competitor, you want to have a chance to compete at an elite level week in and week out."
- "I'm excited for the chance to sell the history and the tradition here."
On recruiting nationally
- "It's the best of the best. We're all over the map."
- Walton notes that the goal is to win a national championship and "to do that, you have to bring in the elite of the elite."
On Denzel Burke starting as a true freshman
- "Yes, I've gotten the chance to know him pretty good so far and I'm excited about him."
- Walton called Burke "a student of his work."
- "I'm looking forward to continuing to work with him and developing him."
On being part of the defensive staff
- "Obviously, Jim is running the defense."
- Walton said his job as an assistant coach is to "echo" what Knowles says.
- "I'm looking forward to getting involved with the corners."
Justin Frye
On his relationship with Ryan Day
- "There's a transition every time you take a new job – a learning curve."
- Frye notes that the growing pains are easier because of the relationship.
- Frye also notes that Day knows him and knows what to expect about him, and that helps too.
On coming back to the midwest
- Frye notes that the transition is easier since he's from here.
- "We love the west coast," Frye said. "But now being around family and being around people here that just the excitement."
- "Everything about this place is palpable."
On having known players
- Frye notes it's great to have a room full of many guys who've seen game action.
- "Having experience – you want to have that every year."
- "We've got a lot of snaps with some really good players, so that's exciting."
On practicing against Larry Johnson
- "It's awesome."
- Frye notes that it helps in recruiting: "You're going to practice against players that are better than the players you face during the game most of the time."
- "I'm excited about that."
On Carson Hinzman
- Frye notes that he said "He's from where?" noting that it's hard to take a guy out of Wisconsin from the Badgers.
- "He's a competitive kid, he's from the middle of nowhere," Frye said. "There's some built-in adversity."
- "Just what a great kid," Frye said. "It's really exciting."
Perry Eliano
On Cincinnati's 2021 season
- "Obviously it was a magical year."
- "It helps to have really good players that buy into what you're doing."
On getting the call from Ryan Day
- Eliano said he actually found out from Luke Fickell that Day was interested because Day talked to Fickell first.
- "Obviously, Coach Day is a professional. He did things the right way."
- "From the first conversation, me and coach Day had, great chemistry, good flow."
- "We believe in the same things. Things moved pretty fast."
- "I definitely was excited. I feel this place is the best place in the country."
- "I've always admired The Ohio State University from afar."
- "I'm just fired up."
On Jim Knowles' defense
- "It speaks for itself."
- "I'm excited because these young men have the opportunity to come in and – they have to play well."
- "We have to make sure that we play well and that we have a great grasp of the defense."
On Ohio State's current safeties
- Eliano notes that he had an opportunity to meet with them before he hit the road recruiting.
- "They're a hungry group. They're a group that understands they have to play better."
- "Every one of those guys wants to start – and that's what you love."
- "The thing that I notice is their hunger, their desire to be the best every day."
On recruiting for Ohio State
- "There's definitely a difference when you've got the Block O on your chest."
- "It feels great. You're in rare air."
- Eliano says it's great to know that you can tell kids they will compete for a national title every year.
- "You step into a school and they see that Block O, it's refreshing.
Jim Knowles
On talking to Ryan Day about joining Ohio State
- "You start the process with a simple inquiry where coach reaches out, and you don't really know where it's going to go at that point."
- "You're talking about a highly successful coach that you respect but didn't know."
- Knowles compared the process to dating – "You start kind of slow."
- "He's a connector. He's really easy to get to know and he has an interest in his staff and his players as people."
On how long it took to bring up Michigan
- Knowles says The Team Up North came up once he took the job.
- Knowles said Urban Meyer was walking through the facility, popped his head in his office, introduced himself and told him "better beat That Team Up North."
Describing his defense
- "Today's game of major college football – and even more so in the NFL – is variety."
- "You need to be multiple to react. Your players need to be trained to think in all kinds of situations."
- "In your package, you better have enough answers for anything that can come up."
- "I never want to be at the end of the game feeling like I put the players in a bad position or they weren't prepared for something.
- "It happens maybe for a play," Knowles said of being caught off guard. "But you need to have a package where you can change right there. Going into the locker room at halftime and making these sweeping adjustments, that's not realistic. If you're doing that, you're in trouble."
Of combining minds with other defensive coaches
- "It's a process."
- "Coach Johnson – he's the GOAT. Tremendous respect for him."
- "Literally, you just sit in the room, and you go step by step and inch by inch."
- Knowles said sometimes you have to keep yourself from getting too detailed.
- Knowles says he wants to take what he did at Oklahoma State, make it better and make it fit Ohio State.
- "It's a pretty intricate and long process."
