During his Thursday appearance on The Ryan Day Radio Show, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day reflected on the Buckeyes’ 34–10 win over Purdue and previewed Saturday’s matchup with UCLA.
Day said he was pleased to see the Buckeyes eclipse 40 rushing attempts against the Boilermakers, calling that a key point of emphasis in the game plan. Still, he acknowledged there’s “a lot of meat on the bone” as his team looks to improve its overall efficiency down the stretch.
Day praised Ohio State’s defense for playing with confidence and violence under Matt Patricia, whom he called “the head coach of the defense.” He also highlighted strong performances from Bryson Rodgers, Mylan Graham and Ian Moore in West Lafayette.
As the regular season enters its final weeks, Day said the Buckeyes’ focus remains on maintaining intensity in practice, developing depth and keeping the game plan simple so the team can “play fast” on Saturdays.
Following Day's appearance, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin hopped on the microphone with Paul Keels and Jim Lachey.
Ryan Day
On Ohio State’s game plan against Purdue
- “It was good to get over 40 runs in the game. We felt like that was something we wanted to get done.”
- “We put some of the depth in the game, so that was good.”
- “That was the most we’ve played in a while, so that was good.”
- “Efficiency is key. That’s gonna be the name of the game here.”
- “We all know there’s a lot of meat on the bone. We got to get better.”
On Jeremiah Smith’s block in the back penalty
- “The effort was there.”
- Day said Smith did a good job of recognizing he wouldn’t get the football and transitioning to being a run blocker.
- “It was close, but something to learn from.”
On Ohio State’s running backs against Purdue
- Day said CJ Donaldson and Bo Jackson had some good runs against Purdue.
- Day called the running back room “very young” and said the Buckeyes want to get as many reps for them as possible in practice and games.
- “We want everybody to be able to do everything.”
- “All of those guys can catch the ball. That’s gonna be a weapon for us. … We got to use them as the season goes on, but they all can do it.”
On Ohio State’s defense
- “I think they’re fresh. It seems like they’re playing fast, they’re seeking contact, they’re playing violent, they’re knocking back the line of scrimmage.”
- “It was good to see them get their hands on the ball. … We’ve really been working hard on that part because we know at this time of year turnovers are gonna be critical. We’re hammering that on both sides of the ball.”
- “They were a couple of really, really good plays just in terms of running to the football and being physical.”
- “I think they understand situational football.”
- “I think they enjoy the preparation that goes into it.”
- “I think the physicality is there stopping the run and we’re gonna work to force teams to drive the ball down the field, keep it in front, not create X plays and force turnovers.”
On how much time he spends with Ohio State’s defense
- “Not much. Not much. Yeah. Matt and I talk here and there just about philosophically what we’re trying to get done, but he’s doing a great job.”
- “He’s really the head coach of the defense, organizes it all, and he’s got a great staff with him.” Day said Tim Walton, James Laurinaitis, Larry Johnson and Matt Guerrieri help Patricia keep the defense organized.
- Day said the Ohio State defense is playing with a lot of confidence.
On Ohio State’s wide receivers against Purdue
- “I thought Jeremiah played an excellent game. It was good to see Max (Klare) step up. And then Brandon Inniss as well.”
- Day said he was pleased to see Mylan Graham bounce back with a catch after dropping a pass early in the game.
- Day said Bryson Rodgers graded out as a champion against Purdue. “Had some good blocks, had two nice catches, you could see the route-running ability there. Hopefully his confidence is increasing because we need him. He can help us on special teams as well. That will be really important for us.”
- “We’re hoping to get Quincy (Porter) back this week as well, again, hopefully to get more and more depth in that room.”
On the intensity of Ohio State’s practices
- “The goal is for the intensity to increase.”
- Day said Ohio State may cut down on the number of practice periods, but “we never want the intensity to go down at all.”
- “When we’re going good-on-good on practice, we always want the intensity to be the same.”
- Effort, focus, finish, footwork and communication are significant elements of Ohio State’s practices.
On Lincoln Kienholz’s touchdown run
- “That was a good time to hit it.”
- “I thought the whole things was well-executed.”
- “It was good to see him get in the game, and hopefully we can build on it.”
On having a running back bellcow vs. splitting reps
- “There’s some give and take there, for sure.”
- Day said he values running backs finding a rhythm in the game but “it’s a long season.”
- “Sometimes it’s good to kind of play the hot hand and let those guys get the feel of the game and roll, but at the same time it’s good to keep them fresh.”
On Ohio State’s confidence in Ian Moore
- Day said Ohio State’s staff has more confidence in Moore following his first start against Purdue. “There’s no question.”
- “You didn’t really notice him in the game. That’s a good sign.”
- “We all see the potential there. He’s still a young player, still growing and learning, but a good start for him.”
On Ohio State's coaching philosophy down the stretch
- Day said this late in the season can be a time when coaches make game plans too complicated. He desires to let Ohio State’s players play fast.
- “Keep it simple so they can play fast. That’s the game within the game, especially this time of year.”
- “We’re challenging our guys with that every day and making sure we’re doing our part as coaches.”
On UCLA’s coaching staff, players
- Day said Ohio State must be ready for anything and everything against a UCLA team that looks very different from the one at the beginning of the year.
- “I give them all credit. The kids are playing hard.”
- “The players, they’re playing hard. Nico (Iamaleava) is the leader of the group, it seems like to me from afar.”
Julian Sayin
On his first season as Ohio State’s starter
- “It’s been fun just developing and getting more comfortable in the offense.”
- “We’re still striving and still chasing the best version of ourselves.”
- “We’re trying to get better every week.”
On what he learned from Ohio State’s leadership last season
- “It was awesome to see those veteran leaders last year.”
- “I took so much from them, from a leadership standpoint, from a preparation standpoint.”
- Sayin called Will Howard “a pro” and said he learned a lot from him last season.
On Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate
- “Those guys are special players. Having them on the outside, it’s definitely exciting as a quarterback.”
- Sayin said everyone needs to do their job on offense, from him, to the running backs, the offensive line, the tight ends and wide receivers.
- “We need everyone to do their part, but those guys are special players.”
On Ohio State’s quarterback development
- “Coach Day, he’s a really good quarterback coach for us. He teaches us a lot. We take so much from him. He’s hard on us, but we wouldn’t want it any other way.”
- “Coach (Billy) Fessler, Coach (Brian) Hartline, they do a really good job with us.”
- “We’re still getting better each week.”
On Ohio State’s defense
- Sayin said Ohio State “is a very challenging defense to play against.”
- “Coach P does a great job with that defense.”
- “They give us some complex looks.”
- “It’s a very good defense to play against. It makes it hard on us.”
Ryan Day image: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch
