Big Ten play rolls forward.
As Ohio State prepares to welcome Minnesota to the Shoe for a nighttime clash, Ryan Day met with the media for his weekly Tuesday press conference. One player on Ohio State's roster quite familiar with the Golden Gophers is right tackle Phillip Daniels, who transferred from Minneapolis to Columbus this past offseason. After winning the starting job this offseason, Day said Daniels has given the Buckeyes "an edge" with his competitive nature. Day also offered similar comments when asked about Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun.
On punt return, Day says wide receiver Brandon Inniss has been explosive the last two games and the Buckeyes trust he'll clean up his ball security going forward. They're sticking with him for that reason. The coach also dove into where defensive tackle Eddrick Houston can improve after struggling and losing his starting spot early in the season.
- Day said that Ohio State cranked up the noise in practice to prepare for the crowd noise in Husky Stadium. "We had monster speakers out there and made it really loud and hard to communicate. ... We were able to handle the chaos of it. .... I thought our guys handled the environment well."
- On Minnesota's run defense and the Gophers overall: "They historically have played very, very physical against the run and will continue to do that. ... They're well-coached and play really, really hard and have good players. ... It'll be a challenge."
- On cornerback Davison Igbinosun: "There's a lot of growth. Davison has always had an edge to him ... a competitiveness... and he's aggressive. ... He had to learn technically what he needed to do to improve (at committing fewer penalties). ... He's gonna bring it every day. ... How you practice is how you play and he's a great example of that."
- On what he's seen established about his team through four games: "You're seeing maturity. There's no way to see it other than that. ... To play the way that we've played up to this point shows maturity, and that was a big emphasis point for us this summer."
- Day thought Sayin's throwaways were a sign of great decision-making. "We can live with 2nd-and-10, we can't live with 2nd-and-17. ... I liked the way he extended plays. ... That's all great teaching moments for somebody who's only had four starts. ... Great learning experiences for him, understanding how that works."
- Day said he wants versatility in his roster spots, and as such, it's unlikely he'll roster a fullback. "I think you're seeing us play with a 'fullback' in the backfield, but we feel like that skillset can be handled by our tight end body types. ... It would be a consideration for sure, but I think the thing about it is, you have to bring versatility. ... If you're a tight end and you can only block ... or you can run routes but you can't block, you don't bring much value."
- On Phillip Daniels: "He's made great progress. ... We love the intensity, we love the passion, we love how hard he plays. He gives us an edge. ... This will be a big week for him, playing against his old team. But the guys appreciate what he brings every day. He brings a work ethic and a toughness."
- On the development of the 2022 class from guys like Caden Curry: "It's good to see them stick with it. ... A lot of doubt can set it. So you're seeing some of the guys who hung in there come out the back end. ... KJ played with great energy. ... Caden Curry, Caden is someone who's played a lot of football here ... but now he's a key contributor. ... If you hang in there and you just continue to put in work and keep resilience up, you're gonna get maximized."
- Day said that Brandon Inniss needs to hold onto the ball, but the Buckeyes are sticking with him on punt return. "If Brandon didn't fumble that ball, I don't think anybody getting that question. ... We're gonna get that fixed. ... That being said, I like the way he hit (that return). I liked the way he hit the one the previous game. ... Hang onto the ball, we're not having this conversation."
- On Eddrick Houston not getting off to the start he or the team wanted: "The biggest thing is, keep putting one foot in front of the other, avoid all the distractions. ... Now more than ever, there's a lot of distractions. ... Staying focus throughout a whole practice, staying focused throughout a whole game ... is very, very important. ... When you're a young player, there's a lot of things you have to work through." Day added that "the game doesn't care about your families" and for a young player that's struggling, it's important to lean on friends, family and faith off the field.
- On Bo Jackson's looks in the slot as a receiver: "Bo, when he was young, I thought he was gonna be a receiver ... he can do multiple things."
- On Sonny Styles: "If he doesn't like something, he calls it out. ... He's very, very intelligent. ... You're seeing the different looks that our defensive staff is putting out there with the game plan. ... Because Sonny is in the middle of it all, it's working."
- Rob Keys is heading up special teams for the Buckeyes but various position coaches and coordinators have units they help with. "Everybody is involved. What we do is we meet here Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. with everybody involved. ... We've got an army of people involved with special teams."
- Day liked the coverage on Washington's field goal fake and Inniss' return before the fumble, but didn't like Washington's long kick return on special teams. "Special teams have to be an advantage for us.”
- Aaron Scott Jr. has been the first player to the 30-yard line on kickoff coverage 13 times in a row, Day said. “Aaron Scott's gonna start playing more football around here.”
- Ohio State's running back trio is developing, Day feels. "We need all of them, and I think they're all growing in different areas."
- Day didn't like that kicker Jayden Fielding had to make a saving tackle on kick return, but appreciated the effort. "That's why the kickers are involved in everything we do, mat drills, the weight room. ... He got run over slow, but he got him down."
