Texas week is here.
Ryan Day's weekly Tuesday press conferences are back with the start of the season, and there were plenty of topics for him to address with the No. 1 Longhorns on the docket for Saturday. Some of Ohio State's position battles are still being kept close to the vest, but he did name Jayden Fielding and Joe McGuire as the Buckeyes' starting kicker and punter.
Crowd noise impacted the Indiana and Tennessee games last season, and as such, Day called for the Shoe to be the "most hostile environment in the country" when Ohio State takes on Texas. Both coordinators, including newly minted offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, will be in the coaches' box against Texas.
- Ohio State is still trying to sort through exactly what its short-term and long-term approach is as it pertains to the House settlement. "Constant conversation about where we're at."
- Day expects both of Ohio State's incumbents at kicker and punter – Jayden Fielding and Joe McGuire – to start on Saturday. He had no updates at punt or kick returner.
- On the approach with breaking in Julian Sayin: "We'll try to get him into a rhythm. ... We're excited for him. You're seeing him, every day, get more and more confident."
- Day said Ohio State is going to let the week play out before finalizing the offensive line, but added Phillip Daniels has had a great preseason camp and will play at right tackle.
- It's an "exciting time of year," and the goal is have a clean Week 1. "We're excited to play these guys. ... It's going to give us a great barometer coming out of this first game. ... When you look at our season, what are your goals, should be to win the opener. ... Once this game is over, we'll figure out what we did well, what we need to improve on."
- Day said it's important to have a Plan B in a game of this magnitude. "You got to have contingency plans in place for what you may see. ... You have to be ready for everything."
- On what it was like for Day the first time he called plays: "I don't actually remember the first game that I called. I remember the first year, I was at Temple. ... One thing that I feel strongly about is, the more organized you are, the better game you call. ... You don't just go up and randomly call plays. All of these situations have been thought out very, very well."
- Day listed Kayden McDonald, Eddrick Houston, Will Smith Jr., Tywone Malone Jr. and Jarquez Carter as defensive tackles who are ready to contribute for the Buckeyes Saturday. "We're gonna roll those guys pretty good. I feel like we've developed some depth there. ... I feel like we made progress at that position."
- On Carter: "He's got twitch and I think, whether it's in game one or down the road, these guys are gonna help us."
- On whether he has veto power on play calls: "Yes."
- Day learned from Urban Meyer to challenge coaches about their scheme and play calls and wants to hear confident responses back from coaches when they have a play call he doubts but they know will work.
- Day said his team's identity will figure itself out throughout the season, but "We're ready to go play. We can't wait to get on the field and get this season started."
- While he draws on previous experiences with new quarterbacks, Day said that each player requires his own approach and no two are the same. He added, "We have to make sure we're avoiding distractions better than Texas."
- On how much he looks at the film from the College Football Playoff semifinals and film of Arch Manning: "You look at everything. ... But ultimately it comes down to what our guys can do, especially in Week 1. Certainly, I have the utmost respect for the Manning family. ... Ambassadors for the game, great players. ... But that has nothing to do with this game and playing Texas. ... He's got a great future ahead of him."
- On the plan to get Jeremiah Smith touches after Texas limited him to one catch for 3 yards in the Cotton Bowl: "When you look back on that game, those penalties really hurt us. ... We have to do a better job than we did in that game. ... Ultimately, we have to have a balance. And if you have a balance, then you've got a chance to attack teams. ... We have to win the game, and when Jeremiah is touching the ball, good things are happening." Day wrapped up his point by saying, it's the coaches' job to scheme ways to get Smith touches, but a balanced game plan is needed and whatever plays will win the game are what should be called.
- Ohio State has a plan for which coaches will be in the box and which will be on the field, but declined to share the plan.
- The Buckeyes went through a mock gameday and game on Saturday, the most detailed he's ever orchestrated, he said.
- On the 2023 recruiting class driving the team: "We are young, but we're also mature in certain areas. ... I think about last year's team, they all decided to come back. ... When they walk out the door, there's a big hole that's left. ... And those guys understand that. ... This is gonna be their story."
- On his message to Sayin: "You can't have expectations, and I think I probably wasn't good in that area (when I played). ... Take care of the ball, win the game. ... That's the most important thing and that's the job of the quarterback. ... Then ultimately, you gotta go trust your training. ... When it's time to go let it rip, let it rip."
- Day called for a loud Shoe. "I know it's a noon game, but we need everybody in that stadium early. We need them loud. ... When they have the ball, we need them as loud as they possibly can to be the most hostile environment in the country."
- Day confirmed that Brian Hartline will be in the box as offensive coordinator.
