Ryan Day left Washington with more than a win. He left with proof that Ohio State can embrace adversity and lean on its defense to beat one of college football’s most dangerous offenses.
After the Buckeyes' 24–6 win over the Huskies, Day praised his players for their preparation, resilience and willingness to sacrifice for one another as he appeared on The Ryan Day Radio Show on Thursday.
Day told co-hosts Paul Keels and Jim Lachey that Ohio State's trip to Seattle could have been a trap. Washington had won 22 straight games at Husky Stadium, but Day said the Buckeyes' preparation paid off.
“Traveling across the country, dealing with that, was actually a great experience for us,” he said. “It brought us closer together. We woke up and played with great energy.”
Much of that energy showed up on defense. Against quarterback Demond Williams Jr., running back Jonah Coleman and receiver Denzel Boston, the Buckeyes’ front and secondary both shined.
“Really, really well done there,” Day said. “Good situational football.”
Day credited defensive coordinator Matt Patricia for mixing coverages and keeping Washington off balance.
“The guys are believing in it. They’re bought in. They’re playing with really good confidence," Day said while praising leaders such as Caden Curry, Sonny Styles and Davison Igbinosun for setting the tone.
Following Day's appearance, Jayden Fielding jumped on the broadcast with Keels and Lachey to discuss his relationship with long snapper John Ferlmann and punter Joe McGuire, as well as how Ohio State recruited him out of IMG Academy.
Ryan Day
On Ohio State's trip to Washington
- "Traveling across the country, dealing with that, was actually a great experience for us."
- Day said the experience brought the team "closer together."
- "Woke up and played with great energy in the game."
- "Certainly a lot of things to grow from."
- Day said Ohio State "did a lot of work" to prepare for the West Coast travel.
On Ohio State's defense against Washington's offense
- "I thought it was a good plan going in."
- Day said Demond Williams Jr., Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston presented a "challenge" for Ohio State's defense.
- Day said Ohio State's defensive line and secondary performed well in the matchup. "Really, really well done there."
- "Good situational football."
- Day said Ohio State's defensive performance "builds confidence."
On Matt Patricia's defense
- "I think Matt does a really good job of changing up looks."
- "The guys are believing in it. They're bought in. They're playing with really good confidence."
- "When you see success, it builds confidence."
- Day said Caden Curry, Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, Jermaine Mathews and Davison Igbinosun "are putting in the hard work and seeing it pay off."
- "We got a long way to go, but you're seeing the confidence and you're seeing these guys play for each other. That's important to see at this point in the season, the team coming together and being stronger as a group because now more than ever, it's easy to worry about yourself, whether it's your playing time, your NIL, your situation — all of these different things come into play. The best team is gonna win, so we all have to sacrifice. It's important to see guys gelling together as a unit."
On Ohio State's defensive line racking up stats against Washington
- Day said Ohio State's pass rush and pass coverage "work hand in hand."
- Day said Ohio State's defensive line produced because "they corralled Williams" which "led to a huge amount of TFLs and sacks because they understood how it works."
- Day praised Larry Johnson for the mindset he instilled in Ohio State's defensive linemen to "play as one."
On Ohio State's penalties against Washington
- "It's about discipline."
- "We know we're the ones in control of that."
- "When we see something like that, we make sure to call it out and get it addressed."
On Ohio State's game plan to beat Washington
- Day said the Buckeyes leaned on the team's defense to beat the Huskies, which Day noted had won 22 consecutive home games entering the Ohio State matchup.
- Day said Ohio State "controlled the ball on offense for the majority of the game," explaining that the Buckeyes dominated the time of possession despite only having six possessions in the contest.
- Day said Ohio State has to continue to improve its red zone offense and put more than three points on the board when it gets inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
On Ohio State's preparation for Washington, execution in the game
- Day said "every day is an opportunity to earn trust" for Ohio State's players. He said the Buckeyes must continue to work hard with each rep, "whether it's in practice or in a game."
- Day said 18 of Ohio State's 22 starters graded out a champion against Washington. "That's not easy."
- "When you watch the film, our guys played hard."
On Julian Sayin
- "I thought he did a good job. The No. 1 goal is to win. He took care of the football. He threw some really nice balls, was accurate again, did a nice job scrambling."
- Day said Sayin made a "veteran move" when he put Ohio State into field goal range with a 10-yard scramble. "We were able to make the kick, which at that point I think put us up 14 points. That's really good football. Those are things he's gonna continue to learn on. Every time he's out there, he's learning more and more."
- "He's seeing it. He is. He sees what's going on. He's very intelligent. He's getting stronger and stronger every day, so that's encouraging. He's building confidence in himself, and I think his teammates are getting more and more confident with him behind the center."
On Ohio State's wide receivers as blockers
- "They're working hard on the perimeter to create touches for their teammates."
- "When you see our guys, they have to be complete players."
- "That shows they're not only willing to be great teammates, but it increases their value."
On Aaron Scott Jr., Ohio State's special teams
- Day praised Scott for his performance on special teams against Washington.
- "When you look at the guys who are playing special teams, they find a way on the field."
- "If you can't find a way on special teams here, it's very, very difficult to get on the field."
- Day said Ohio State's special teams must continue to improve as the Buckeyes navigate the Big Ten schedule.
On Jeremiah Smith
- Day praised Smith for his hard work in putting his teammates in a position to succeed.
- "When you see him blocking, when you see him running routes, even when he's double-covered, he knows how important he is."
- "When he's in a game, he makes all other 10 guys better. That's the sign of a great player."
On walk-on wide receiver Nolan Baudo
- Day said Baudo addressed the team before practice on Wednesday.
- "He had a great motivational speech. He's kind of the glue. Man, he's gonna make a great coach if that's what he decides to do. ... You can see certain guys that would make great coaches. A lot of them, they understand the game and, more importantly, they know how to connect with people."
- "Some of these guys are smart and decide they don't want to get into coaching and that they actually want to do something a little more normal."
Jayden Fielding
On his relationship with John Ferlmann and Joe McGuire
- "Me, John and Joe have been inseparable."
- Fielding said the three Buckeyes call themselves the "Three Amigos."
- "Trust them off the field, trust them on the field, you can trust them anywhere. Those are my guys for the rest of life."
On Ohio State recruiting him
- Fielding said Ohio State's recruitment of Carnell Tate led to him becoming a Buckeye. "Shoutout to Carnell."
- Fielding said Ohio State watched him kick for the first time when IMG Academy played Bishop Sycamore in Canton.
- Fielding said Ohio State needed someone who could perform well on kickoffs, and he had exceled in that area at IMG Academy.
