One week made a load of difference for Ryan Day.
Before Ohio State faced top-ranked Texas in the season opener, Day was all business in his mid-week press conference. Now that the Buckeyes have defeated the Longhorns, Day had a calm, relaxed demeanor as his team prepares for Grambling State, the school's first FCS opponent since it faced Youngstown State in 2023.
Despite Ohio State's obvious advantages entering the weekend, Day said Wednesday that the Buckeyes have lots to clean up this weekend against the Tigers.
"It's just a start," Day said of the Buckeyes' win over the Longhorns. "We got a lot of work to do."
Here's a bullet-point recap of all Day said during his Wednesday press conference:
- Day said Larry Johnson spoke to the team on Wednesday about Grambling State's championship history. "We talk a lot about tradition at Ohio State, and Grambling has great history as well," he said.
- Day said Ohio State wants to be more explosive on offense. He said Julian Sayin has to lead the charge in that area. "We're going to continue to put things on his plate, push the envelope and go from there," he said.
- On what stood out about Arvell Reese's performance against Texas: "His production in a big game, in that spot." Day added: "His versatility allows us to do different things with him. Great start for him. He's a guy who practices that way. ... We're gonna continue to need him. He's gonna be a huge part of our defense this season."
- Day praised Matt Patricia for his defensive game plan against Texas, but he reminded reporters and fans that Ohio State can't rest on its laurels. "This was one game, whether we won or lost. ... But in order for us to go win our goals and win a championship, we're gonna have to play great defense. We know that."
- Day added of the defense and the entire team: "It's just a start. We got a lot of work to do."
- On Will Kacmarek and his blocking: "Very valuable. Now that he's healthy, it's great to have him there. He's a tough guy. He does a lot of dirty work. ... This is a guy that we're counting on and feel like we can count on."
- Day said Tavien St. Clair has worked hard since he arrived in January. Day said that "in an ideal world" St. Clair would get plenty of reps against Grambling on Saturday. He said the same was true for several other Buckeyes looking to get some in-game experience.
