After Ohio State's 21-7 win over Northwestern last weekend, Ryan Day took to the airwaves to recap the game and preview his team's matchup with Indiana on Saturday.
Here are some of the highlights from The Ryan Day Radio Show on 97.1 The Fan.
Ryan Day
On the practice week
- "It's Week 10. You have to embrace the Week 10 feeling. What's special about a Week 10 practice? Nothing, but we have to make it special."
- Day said it is at this point in the season that every football player is battling through bumps and bruises – some more severe than others. With that said, Day understands Ohio State needs to be the tougher team every week to win football games in November.
On the players stepping up against Northwestern, C.J. Stroud
- "It was about the players. For those guys to find a way to win like that was a good experience for them. C.J. had to use his legs... It was great to see him make those plays. They were explosive plays."
- Day said Stroud played several sports growing up that has made him more comfortable using his other athletic traits than throwing the football, like his running ability.
- Day said every Ohio State player had to do something that made them uncomfortable to come away with a win against Northwestern in the rainy and windy conditions.
On the offensive line
- Day said there were good things the offensive line did on Saturday. Still, he thinks there are "definitely some things to work on" moving forward that can be corrected against Indiana and Maryland before facing Michigan in the final regular-season game.
- "No excuse. There's a lot of things we need to get better at."
- Day said Ohio State needs to have balance offensively and must be able to run the football effectively to win games. When the Buckeyes run the ball well, it opens up several aspects of the offense for Ohio State to capitalize on and score points.
On beating Northwestern last weekend
- "The expectation is to win."
- Day said Ohio State swallowed its pride against Northwestern and did what it could to win the football game on Saturday. He noted that it wasn't pretty, but the Buckeyes proved they could have a less-than-ideal performance and still win a game by two scores.
- Day said the coaching staff and players had a good idea of what the weather would be like in Evanston. However, he admitted that the weather "didn't look as bad" on his phone compared to what he experienced when he stepped off the bus outside Ryan Field.
On Emeka Egbuka
- "Emeka has done a lot for us. Not having Jaxon (Smith-Njigba) available has thrust him into situations he wasn't expecting this season."
- Day said Egbuka is "well-deserving" of being nominated as a semifinalist for the Paul Hornung Award, given to the most versatile player in college football.
- "A big part of Emeka's game is his versatility and speed, but it's also his toughness and blocking."
On Egubka, Marvin Harrison Jr.
- “You don’t realize that they’re still sophomores. They’re so mature.”
- "Marvin has really grown into becoming a great receiver and one of the best receivers in America."
- Day said Harrison has set a tremendous example for the other receivers with his work ethic and desire to win. He noted that Harrison is still young, making his leadership even more impressive. He thinks players like Kyion Grayes, Caleb Burton, Kaleb Brown and Kojo Antwi have learned much from Harrison in a short time.
On the running back room
- "It's time to get those guys some reps and get them going."
- Day said Ohio State will "rely on depth" against Indiana and try to use TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams, Dallan Hayden and Chip Trayanum on Saturday to make sure each ball carrier is fresh and can get their feet underneath them. He added that Williams' hand is "a lot better this week" but said he struggled with it last weekend against Northwestern.
- Day said Ohio State's "offense is multiple" and provides many different looks that opposing defenses need to respect. He said the Buckeyes use the pistol formation to run the football because the defense has to be prepared for the run to go either direction.
On Indiana
- Day said Indiana's offensive identity is to play fast, and he expects the Hoosiers will keep that up against Ohio State this week. After 10 weeks, Day said Indiana is "not going away from it now."
- Day said Ohio State's practices had featured three offensive huddles that alternate onto the field one after one to replicate Indiana's no-huddle speed and keep the Buckeye defense on its toes.
On Ohio State finishing games, winning the fourth quarter
- "We're winning the fourth quarter. The sign of a good team is one that wins in the second half."
- Day mentioned Ohio State's games against Utah in the Rose Bowl, the season opener against Notre Dame and the Penn State game as times when the Buckeyes finished the game strong, won the fourth quarter and won the game. "I think you've seen us win games in different ways, which hopefully pays off here in November."
- After being tied 7-7 at halftime against Northwestern, Day said, "the plan was to win the third quarter." When the Buckeyes made some stops and eventually scored on Miyan Williams' 29-yard touchdown run, he felt his team was back in the driver's seat.
- "Every time we step on the field, we want to score a touchdown. That's who we are. But we want to wear down teams and win the fourth quarter."
On Ohio State playing its best football in November
- "You want to play your best football in November."
- "We say our three goals are to beat The Team Up North, win the Big Ten Championship and win a national championship," and the Buckeyes can't do any of that without a good November, Day said. He reiterated that Ohio State must play its best football in November.
- With Ohio State not playing well against Northwestern at the start of November, Day said he "didn't go to sleep with a good taste in his mouth."
On playing at home again this weekend
- "Looking forward to doing the walk, the Skull Session and being at home again."
- Day said Ohio State has a good routine for home games, and he looks forward to getting back into that against Indiana and in two weeks when the Buckeyes host Michigan on Nov. 26.
On former players visiting the Woody Hayes Athletic Center
- Paul Keels said he saw former Ohio State quarterback and current Bengal Joe Burrow at the facility as Cincinnati is on a bye week this week.
- "This is their home. This is their place to belong before it was mine. It is an open-door policy for us."
- Day said Ohio State always talks about "the past. the present, the future" of the program and believes that being informed of the Buckeyes' history, its current stature and the future of the team are all important to success right now.
On Tommy Eichenberg
- "I think if you try to recognize a Big Ten linebacker, it's Tommy Eichenberg."
- Day said Eichenberg "has been playing at a high level" this season and is doing a great job as the "leader of Ohio State's defense."
- Day said Eichenberg and Steele Chambers have been hogging some of the snaps for the Ohio State linebacker room but believe they have earned it. He thinks the other linebackers have "cut their teeth" on special teams and have excellent at keeping a team-first mindset.
On preparing for Michigan with every practice
- "We always keep a focus and make sure our number one goal is to beat them."
- "Our number one goal is to beat them. ... It's always right in the back of our mind, but we gotta make sure we take care of business Saturday."
- Day said the Buckeyes have things they do in practice to keep the Wolverines at the forefront of their minds. Still, they make sure to put the idea of beating the current opponent as the top priority during a game week or else his team could slip up and make the Michigan game lose meaning.
Kevin Wilson
On Indiana
- Wilson, a former head coach of Indiana, said the Hoosiers will give Ohio State "a good battle" and thinks they always come ready to play against the Buckeyes.
- "We're looking forward to it."
- "We need to play better than we did last week."
On Cade Stover
- "I think our guys for the last several years have done a great job of being a great teammate."
- Wilson said Stover is "one of the best Buckeyes we got" and lays everything down for his teammates in practice and games. "He shows up every day. He comes to work every day."
- Wilson said Stover doesn't speak much, but when Stover does, "he speaks genuinely" and has the team's best interests in mind.
On finding balance offensively
- "Balance is when you have to run it, you can run it, and when you have to throw it, you can throw it,"
- Wilson said most teams try to stop Ohio State from running the ball and make them pass. Despite how good Stroud and the receivers are, Wilson said opposing defenses want to make the Buckeyes one-dimensional and force the Ohio State offense to do what they want by forcing it into long-yardage situations.
Ryan Day’s Thursday Press Conference
- On Dallan Hayden and Chip Traynaum: “We’re gonna try to play some depth this week at running back.”
- On Emeka Egbuka’s ability to run the ball: “One thing we recognized with Emeka was his strength and his power and his size. One of the things that Meka brings to the table is his power and his ability to run and his versatility and his strength.” Day compares him to the NFL’s Deebo Samuel. “He’s been a warrior for us this year.”
- On the wind against Northwestern: “It’s been very windy here the last couple weeks,” so the Buckeyes have practiced in windy weather. Day says Mason Arnold “hasn’t played a ton for us” but “we’re gonna need him here” at long snapper. “I thought they handled the elements well.”
- On the offensive line, Day says “nobody wants to play better than them,” but “they gotta go put it on the field. Day says it’s a “prideful group.”
- On Marvin Harrison Jr.’s work ethic: “His discipline and skill and work ethic has allowed him the opportunity to see the way he’s playing right now.” Day says Harrison might “speak up a little more” the older he gets. “He just goes to work. Guys see it.” Day calls him “one of the better receivers in the country.”
- Day says the offense and defense aren’t often scheming against one another in practice, but trying to improve their fundamentals overall, particularly in short-yardage situations.
- Day says “there was an edge” to Ohio State’s short-yardage run practice sets this week, and that Ohio State wore pads on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Day says “there isn’t just one thing” that stands out most about Egbuka. “He’s kind of got a lot of those traits. … Everything you look for.”
- “Everybody has to take ownership” of the shortcomings in the run game.
- On being “on schedule” on defense: “I don’t think it really matters right now, on schedule, not on schedule. What matters is that we meet our goals.”
- Day says “tighter games, (Jesse Mirco) is a weapon for us.” Day says the Buckeyes have already had to “play field position” in multiple games this season, and “Jesse’s done a nice job.”
