The final week of Ohio State's spring practice, and therefore its spring game, is on the horizon.
One of the main storylines this offseason is the direction of the Buckeyes' offensive line and the position battles therein. Offensive tackle Ian Moore is one of the main challengers to be a new starter, and as Ryan Day met with the media on Monday, he said that the third-year lineman "certainly has gotten better" and is challenging for a starting job up front.
Elsewhere, as Ohio State's wide receivers continue working on yards after the catch, Day expects to rotate more of them than in years past due to how many players have stepped up there this spring. He also provided injury updates to the running back position, with Bo Jackson, Isaiah West, Legend Bey and Anthony "Turbo" Rogers among a slew of other targets.
- Day said that perhaps the first series or two of the spring game will be thud tempo, but then the rest of it will be full contact. "Great opportunity for all of them to grade out and finish the right way."
- On Legend Bey: "He is getting back (from injury). I don't know if he'll be back on Saturday." Day added that it was a hamstring injury to Bey.
- Day said, like any freshman, Bey is working on the discipline of his game, but he's shown a lot of flashes already. "Has talent, has explosiveness, he has vision."
- On how the quarterback position has looked: "It's been solid. Every day you come off the field and you get challenged. ... Every day is a new day, that's how you have to look at it if you're a quarterback. ... I feel like the room is strong. I feel like we have an opportunity to build some depth behind Julian (Sayin). ... They're one play away from playing in these games."
- Day affirmed that Arthur Smith is the head coach of the offense and said it's been great to have another knowledgeable voice to bring a new perspective. "Being reflective in the offseason ... there's a lot of different ways to do things. And I thought it was the right time to allow Arthur to come in and give his perspective on the offense and where he can see it going. ... His opinion is very important to me."
- On why Ohio State players have their names on the back of their helmets now: "Because we had 51 new players (laughs)."
- Sayin has progressed in his leadership this offseason, but it's never enough in the pursuit of excellence. "Always want more. Always. That being said, you do feel a lot of progress being made, in the huddle in particular."
- On how he feels exiting spring: "We gotta wake up early, we gotta get to bed early and just attack every single day. ... People who go to multiple practices are commenting on how hard we're practicing. ... But I know where we need to go. So I'm not content or satisfied with anything."
- Day said that it's good not to have the spring transfer portal window to avoid roster uncertainty and avoid another round of NIL negotiations, but there's also the downside of one less time to fill any remaining holes on the roster. "There's pluses and minuses to everything."
- On who he's seen stepping up as a communicator at safety: "Volume exudes confidence, so it's everybody. ... That communication is an area, we put up on our board our goals for the spring, and one of them was communication. ... Still a long way to go."
- On Ian Moore: "Ian has done some really good things, so that's been great. And I think he understands now going into this year, he's got some time under his belt ... he certainly has gotten better, and he's got an opportunity to play himself into a starter role here."
- On how the receivers have improved in yards after the catch: "There's been some really good catch and runs, but we gotta find some of those hidden yards in there. ... Something that's definitely an emphasis point."
- Day said that Ohio State will "probably" rotate receivers more than in years past with how guys have stepped up this spring. "If guys deserve to play, they're gonna play."
- On what he most wants to see Saturday: "Just another point of evaluation on all the guys. ... We'll have to throw the ball some, which is good for the quarterbacks." Said the biggest thing will be seeing how the players handle the environment.
- In addition to Bey, Bo Jackson and Isaiah West, Anthony "Turbo" Rogers is likely to be out for the spring game, leaving the Buckeyes with only three available running backs for the spring game. (Ja’Kobi Jackson, Favour Akih and Stanley Jackson Jr.)
- On whether Jeremiah Smith being offered $10 million to transfer is "crazy:" "I'm not sure what's crazy anymore. ... It's a challenging time, but we're trying to figure it out, and this is unprecedented times for sure. ... We're not going to change our philosophy.
