Last week was moving week in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, according to Ryan Day, and things are moving in Ohio State's position battles.
Despite Ethan Onianwa being the early frontrunner, Austin Siereveld, one of the only players Ryan Day has said will start for the Buckeyes on the offensive line, is now working "exclusively" at left tackle. Minnesota transfer Phillip Daniels is now getting the bulk of snaps at right tackle as Onianwa swings between tackle and guard.
"More information" has been gathered on Ohio State's quarterback battle and the coaching staff is nearing a decision between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz, but no firm updates were given by Day about who is ahead.
Day also fielded questions about the Buckeyes' safety battle and Ohio State's first big scrimmage of preseason camp, which occurred on Saturday.
- On how Saturday's scrimmage went: "I think we're growing, I think we still have work to do. ... Coming out of the weekend, I felt like we were able to identify some guys that built some depth, some position battles are going to go on. This is a big week for us."
- Day said that he's seen some other guys step up at defensive tackle. "They know how important it is to step. I feel like we're finding some guys that we can win with." Day added that he still needs more consistency from players who have shown some flashes.
- On where Julian Sayin has grown the most since the spring: "Decision-making... anticipating as opposed to reacting. ... He and Lincoln are getting a lot of reps, so they're improving."
- Day is getting "more information" on where his quarterbacks stand, but no final decision has been made at quarterback. "There were positives on both ends and there were negative on both ends. ... We're getting more and more information that we need to make a decision. Where it's at now, we'll continue to let it play out."
- On the offensive line battle: "Ethan's playing tackle, moving to guard. Tegra is playing guard, but he can move out to tackle as well. ... The idea of a primary and a secondary, I think is really going to play dividends down the road. ... We're seeing Austin take a lot of snaps at left tackle, and we're seeing Phil take a lot of snaps at right tackle."
- Day said "we'll see" who starts between Phillip Daniels and Ethan Onianwa.
- On the safety battle between Malik Hartford and Jaylen McClain: "We'll see how this week goes, but we're seeing growth from those guys on the back end."
- Day said it's hard to tell whether Ohio State is ahead or behind of where it needs to be on a given day, "Some days you feel like you know, some days you feel like you don't know because there's so many new faces. ... I think we are different, different guys, different personality. Edgy. Competitive. But a lot of these guys haven't played a lot. ... The first game will come and go, and we'll identify what the issues are coming out of that game, we'll get great feedback there."
- Day said "I think you need guys like Gabe, you need guys like Ian to really step up ... we are really deep. The most important thing is that the depth is stepping up and playing at a high level. ... The starters, the leaders, they have to take on the role as starters and they have to produce.
- Day was very grateful to add another great schematic mind in Josh Boyer. "Fortunate that we can add him this late, and such a quality guy."
- On Jermaine Mathews Jr.: "He's playing with emotion and he's not letting emotion play with him. ... If he sees something, he calls it out ... he's become one of our leaders, maybe a little bit unexpectedly. He leads with his heart."
- Siereveld is working "exclusively" at left tackle now, Day said.
- Day is now a Buckeye through and through, and says he hasn't lost sight of what first brought him into coaching. "My job is to be the head coach and just drive it and keep pushing and make sure we take care of young men. ... We're still developing young men ... the character of the guys in our locker room is something we take very serious. ... My children really don't remember anywhere else. They remember moving to Ohio, and we've been here going on nine years."
- Day wants the Shoe to be so loud it forces Texas into a silent count. "It's gotta be the loudest it's ever been."
