Champions Press Conference: Ryan Day, Will Howard, Cody Simon Talk Title The Day After

ATLANTA — It is a national championship tradition — the morning after press conference. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, quarterback Will Howard, and middle linebacker Cody Simon all took part in a question-and-answer session on Tuesday morning, just hours after securing the title with a 34-23 win over Notre Dame. The highlights of everything that was said can be found below.

Ryan Day

Just waking up this morning grateful to be able to be with this team. “Everything that came with this season was worth it.” These players will go down in history.
“Our team can serve as a story for others. What makes Ohio State great is its fan base. For all of those fans who are going through difficult times, to hang in there and fight the way that our players did this season, I hope it serves as an inspiration because that’s exactly what happened here.” Keep fighting.
If you define your happiness by results, then you can find yourself focusing on those things, “but I don’t.” He’d be proud of these guys regardless but now they get to be remembered forever. “To me, that’s all that matters.” When that is your focus, you realize that when awful things happen, you look at those as opportunities. “Nothing great was ever achieved without going through adversity along the way.”
“It can be argued that this was the best run in the history of college football.”
Jeremiah Smith is a special talent. Brian Hartline has done a great job with him. What they envisioned for him came true, “but maybe a little bit more.” He needs some rest now. He needs to get away from football for a while because of the work he put in this year. “It’s clear to see that he’s a generational talent. He’s a special player, but he’s a great person.”
He wouldn’t let himself envision what he’d do if they won. It was a mix of emotions after the game. Having his family there. Without them, he wouldn’t have been able to do this. But when you talk about family, you’re also talking about this team. This team has been together 24/7 for a month. To see those guys enjoying each other and smiling after all the work, couldn’t be happier for those guys.
How does it feel to have your name on the list of Ohio State coaches who have won national championships? It’s an honor. This job is not for everybody. He’s learned more about himself each year. They have knocked on the door several times. The 2019 team, the 2020 team. They were close but they couldn’t get it done. This team was special. They left no doubt. The throw to Jeremiah Smith, that was leaving no doubt. It’s an honor to be among the names of Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel, and Urban Meyer.
It was both relief and happiness. All of the above. “You just want to let out a scream.”
For the players, now they can have some peace, “and that’s important.”
On keeping the coaching staff: They will have opportunities to go other places and do other things, but they’ll try to give them that opportunity at Ohio State. This coaching staff deserves opportunities to grow. Jim Knowles is the best defensive coordinator in the country. His staff is unbelievable. Chip Kelly, what he has meant to Day has been huge. Justin Frye put together an offensive line week after week. Everybody knows Brian Hartline is the best at what he does. All of the coaches on this staff were loyal. After you win this, everybody has opportunities, but they’re gonna fight like heck to keep everybody here.
Was there ever a moment when you struggled with self doubt? “Some people might have doubted, but I didn’t and we didn’t.” The outside noise never made them flinch. This is a special group of guys. You always want to be the hardest-working guy in the building as the head coach because you want to do everything you can for the players.
The difference between this team and past teams that fell short? Experience. “This is an experienced team. They’ve played a lot of football.” They were physically, mentally, and emotionally able to withstand playing 16 games.
Nobody understands how much Will Howard can take on as a quarterback. On 90% of the plays this year, they gave him two or three plays to check in or out of. He is a pro.
On next season, the pressure will be lessened: Try losing the first game and see how that goes. Day told the guys coming back for next year that they need to soak in what the seniors have done. “We do have a talented group coming back.” Spring practice probably won’t look the way it normally looks this year.

Will Howard

What should the story of this team be? It speaks for itself. The seniors all have their stories. They overcame a lot and won the big one in the end. Day told them that their story is being written but it also needs to be told. There’s too many unbelievable guys and people in the building that need their stories to be told.
How much sleep has he gotten? “Sleep is for the weak.” They got back to the hotel last night and just hung out with each other. He’ll sleep on the plane. Now they’ll go home and enjoy some time with each other for what will be the last time. “I’m not gonna get the chance to wear the Buckeye uniform again.”
Coming here, the expectation and goal was to win the national championship, but it’s still surreal to be here today. “We’re gonna be brothers for the rest of our lives because of this. We are bonded for life. It’s more than blood now, man.”
“I owe so much to this guy (Day) sitting right next to me. He gave me a chance here. He bet on me.” The best coach he’s ever been around. He thinks of every possible scenario that can happen. “I knew I was gonna get coached hard. That’s what I needed.” “None of us ever doubted that he was the right guy to lead this team.”
On the throw to Jeremiah Smith: Like when you tee up the driver and it feels really nice, 300 yards down the middle. They had a third and long, so they thought they’d have a chance. “All I had to do was give 4 a chance and let 4 be 4.”
On his NFL prospects: Last year, he wasn’t in the best place he could be, so coming to Ohio State was the best opportunity he had to better his level. But he’s not thinking about that right now. He’ll worry about it later in the week. “I’ve been developed here like I’ve never been developed before.”

Cody Simon

The humility and resilience of the seniors and everybody who came back for the love of the brotherhood is the story of this team. Determination, thankfulness, faithfulness. Everything good that comes out of a team sport.
He got a couple of hours of sleep last night. The greatest moments of his career have been the moments with his teammates. The moments in the locker rooms, the weight training, being in the cafeteria. “You create so many unbreakable bonds through this journey.” There are moments of these playoffs that have changed his life.
Nobody ever lost any type of faith after the losses this year.
“There’s no one I’d rather trust than Coach Day.” He will always be the best coach he’ll ever have.

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