Updates: Ryan Day Radio Show, Lightning Round - Indiana Week

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day took part in his weekly radio show on Thursday and then spent 10 minutes answering questions from reporters during his “lightning round” session. He discussed various aspects of his team, what they will be facing against Indiana, and the road ahead through November. The highlights of everything he had to say can be found below.

Lightning Round

What do you need to see from Dallan Hayden and Chip Trayanum to get on the field? They had a decent week of practice so they’re going to get them some snaps this game.
When you recruit receivers you look at the kind of body they have and that tends to tell you what they can do on the field. Emeka Egbuka has strength and power and size, so they can use him in the run game. He can be a real weapon there.
What has he seen from the offensive line this week in practice? This is a very prideful group. A bunch of guys that want to be right and want to do well. They had a good second half of practice yesterday but they have to put it on the field.
From the beginning, Marvin Harrison came in with the mindset that he wants to be great. He has talent, but his discipline, skill, and work ethic have separated him. He may speak up more as he gets older because he deserves it, but he just goes to work every day. Emeka Egbuka has done the same thing.
They felt that Marvin Harrison would be their X this year. Emeka Egbuka was their most versatile guy and could play multiple spots. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was going to be their slot, and Julian Fleming’s ability outside suited him there, but he is also capable in the slot.
What does he prefer to see in practice when the team is practicing short-yardage situations? When the offense goes against the defense, you’re looking for the one-on-one situations because ultimately that’s what it comes down to. The guy who is lower, the guy who gets movement, those are the guys who are going to be successful. There was a point in the game last week where they didn’t do that. They didn’t move people.
There isn’t just one thing that makes Emeka Egbuka productive. He does so many different things and he understands the game and has good spatial awareness. He has speed and hands and everything you look for, but he has more.
If the Buckeyes aren’t winning their one-on-ones or if there is always just one person not getting the job done on the offensive line, then that means the offensive line isn’t getting the job done. The offense isn’t getting the job done. Everybody has to do their 1/11th or else it doesn’t work.
They know that they are graded by what happens in November.
Jesse Mirco becomes more and more of a weapon in the tighter games. When it’s a close game and it becomes a field-position game, he’s been effective. When you can gain 10, 20, 30 yards on a punt, it is huge. The punt team has been very good as an entire unit this year. They are going to continue to need him over the next month.

Ryan Day Radio Show

The team had to be anxious to get back on the practice field on Tuesday, right? “Some more than others,” he laughed. Have to keep that competitive stamina alive. Really good practice yesterday.
The players found a way to win last week and it was a good experience. CJ Stroud had to win the game with his legs. You try to wait to use those but Stroud has told Day the past two games that if he needs to run, he’ll run.
They don’t necessarily talk too much about sliding down because you can lose yardage doing that, but CJ Stroud does a good job of finding a “soft spot” to dive forward.
They have to do more things in the running game to handle the extra defender, whether that is cracking him, running over him, reading him, etc.
Teams are now using the wildcat the last two weeks against you, is that something teams are seeing with your defense? Don’t think so. Penn State used it in short-yardage situations. Northwestern went to it because they couldn’t throw. Larry Johnson mentioned this could happen later in the week so Jim Knowles put something in to prepare for it.
How bad was the wind? You looked at the weather report and didn’t think it could actually be that bad. So they had to change their game plan. “Very unique situation. We also learned a lot.”
Emeka Egbuka “has done a lot for us.” Not having Jaxon Smith-Njigba available has thrust Egbuka into a lot of situations that he maybe was planning on doing this year. When you run the ball like they do with Egbuka, you have to be big enough and strong enough to handle it. He is tough and physical.
There was some good and bad with the receivers in the run blocking against Northwestern.
Are you getting more comfortable with Dallan Hayden and Chip Trayanum? Yeah, it’s time to get those guys going. Last week was just a situation where every play mattered. “I think we’ve got to rely a little bit this week on our depth.”
What goes into tipping off plays in the running game? If you line up in the pistol or under center, defenses can really check to one side or a pass/run play like they do when you’re in shotgun with a back off to the side.
Taron Vincent graded out at a champion and one of the players of the game last week. He takes on multiple blockers on most snaps. That gets ignored by a lot of people but not at Ohio State. He had some more one-on-one situations last week and he made plays.
JT Tuimoloau is playing at a high level and has gotten a lot of confidence.
Good to see Denzel Burke in on a bunch of tackles and getting his nose dirty last week.
Miyan Williams’ hand is feeling much better now than it did a week ago.
You have to play very conservatively in games like last week because one bad snap can lose the game for you.
Jesse Mirco’s 77-yard punt would have rolled out of the stadium if it could have. He did a great job against the wind as well. He and Mirco drilled different wind situations in Thursday’s practice. Day would tell Mirco that the wind is in his face on one batch of snaps, so he’d punt as if he was going against the wind. Then there’d be snaps where he’d have to show Day how he was going to kick with the wind.
Indiana is always a very good team. They do well schematically. They play very, very hard. They get their starting quarterback this week. They are expecting IU to play tempo offensively against them. “So we’ve got to do a good job of getting lined up and communicating and getting our feet cleared.” Ohio State tries to go faster than the opponent in practice.
Are there disadvantages to keeping defensive linemen in the game for longer periods of time? It all depends on the game and the personnel groupings. They are playing strong and holding up. There’s a good rotation going on right now.
He didn’t watch any games last Saturday night. He watched the Ohio State game to try to figure out what went happened. “I just didn’t have a great taste in my mouth going to bed that night.”
You want to be playing your best football in November so you have to keep upgrading. “We’re in position to go and reach our goals here…but now you have to continue to push through.” Everybody wants to talk about what’s coming next, but you can’t look ahead.
Looking forward to playing back in Ohio Stadium. Only two home games left.
Mitch Rossi has been versatile and been great for them. He has some classes on Wednesdays so they move up the short-yardage practicing for him while he’s there.
Every Wednesday they have military personnel come out for practice. Then after practice the team shakes hands and thanks them. There is also military personnel around on pregame as well.
Thursdays are family days. “It’s good to see some new faces.” By week 10 you get tired of seeing the same faces. Thursday nights you get see children and moms and grandmas and there’s candy for the kids and then a family meal after the practice. Being a Buckeye affects the entire family. The stakes are high and the families live and die with everything you do.
Joe Burrow was back this week. There is an open-door policy for former Buckeyes because they want those guys around and invite them to be part of the program. This is a players’ program.
Tommy Eichenberg is tough, reliable, durable, and productive.
Special teams is where it starts for young players and all of the best players on your team. You understand how to become a good player by being on special teams working on leverage and fundamentals. Parker Fleming does a great job of showing how all of the special teams drills carry over to the position you play.
The No. 1 goal every year is to beat Michigan. There are things they do during the week that Day won’t speak to, but they have to take care of Indiana first.