• New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.

B1G CCG: THE Ohio State University vs NW’ern: Sat, Dec. 19 in Indianapolis, Noon on Fox

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes




RYAN DAY
  • "The one thing that has been a little bit different in terms of recruiting is that nobody's been visiting." He says going into signing day this week, it's been "a little bit less hectic." Also mentions they've done a "great job of keeping the lines of communication open" with recruits and their families.
  • Asked about style points, Day says he doesn't think there's any other sport in the world where winning isn't the only thing that matters. But he doesn't want to pay attention to that. "We'll just focus on that, one play at a time, and then at the end of the game we'll look up and see where we're at."
  • Asked if the players who missed last game would be back, he says he jinxed himself last time he talked about that: "I'm going to plead the fifth on this one."
  • Day says Northwestern has some "really talented guys on defense" who have "played a lot of football."
  • "I feel strong about our team. I think we've been through a lot." He says there's nothing more rewarding as a coach than seeing a team overcome adversity and become tougher throughout the season.
  • He wishes the bottom half of Ohio State's roster got a chance to play more throughout the season. Notes that many of them saw their most action against Michigan State.
  • On what Ohio State wants in its first recruit in a class: "You want to have somebody that not only has the respect of the other recruits because of their ability but also how they handle themselves." Calls them the Pied Piper of a recruiting class.
  • If the 2021 recruiting class has had to lead more on the trail : "Yeah, because they've had to. The leadership has already been great."
  • Asked about coaches who take shots at Ohio State's resumé: "Everybody has their team's back ad they want to fight for their team and that's great. I'm not going to get caught up in the emotion of it all. ... To be undefeated and to win the Big Ten championship, that speaks for itself."
  • "This team can play with anybody in the country, and that's a fact."
  • Day says the Buckeyes take an iron-sharpens-iron approach: "If you can play with these guys, you can play with anybody in the country."
  • He says once players who tested positive for COVID-19 clear their cardiac testing, they then get back to weight room workouts. Then they ease them back with 30 percent of their reps followed by 50 percent of their reps in practice. "It's a progression over about a week."
  • On what impresses him about Peyton Ramsey: "I think he's a winner."
  • Day says it would probably take a while to get over the Michigan game cancellation in any other year: "But we're actually getting used to receiving bad news and having to move on quickly."
  • He says they've been "really dominant in a lot of spots" and have also had to learn about themselves in other times.
  • On the number of targets to Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson: "They've done a really good job with their opportunities. I don't think it's anything about him picking a receiver."
  • About Pete Werner: "I think he's playing as good as anybody in the country at linebacker. ... He's a man. He maybe didn't come in here that way, but he's leaving a man."
  • Day says they'll start to get with some of the seniors and figure out if any of them are staying at Ohio State next season after this weekend's game.
  • Seeing Dawand Jones, Max Wray and Matthew Jones step up in a "big, big way" mattered a great deal, he says.

  • He says you have to control what you can control and not focus on things like the cancellation of The Game.
  • If he ever pays attention to the Heisman Trophy race and whether he might not have been able to play enough games to win it: "No, because I tend to focus on the things that I can control."
  • Fields says they've had extra time to prepare for Northwestern, so he thinks the Buckeyes have a good idea of what the Wildcats will do defensively.

  • Why is Ohio State playing for a fourth straight Big Ten championship this week? “If I could put it down in one word, that would be the brotherhood ... it's hard to describe unless you're in it ... it's real. We do this for each other. We don't do it just for ourselves or personal accolades. When you go out there and play for the guy next to you and not yourself, you play harder. You play better.”
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0


Northwestern’s coach said Sunday night that he voted for Ohio State’s Ryan Day to be this year’s Big Ten Coach of the Year, and said he thinks Day and his staff “have done just an absolutely terrific job” coaching the Buckeyes this season. But while Fitzgerald has long held Day in high regard, he gained even more respect for Day this offseason when he and Ohio State took a leading role in the fight for the Big Ten to play football this fall.

“We had a lot obviously that was on our plate as head coaches, and his leadership in the offseason and his commitment to work his tail off to get this season up and going, I’ve always respected Ryan incredibly well, at the utmost level, and to see what he did all summer long was awesome,” Fitzgerald said. “We were all as coaches trying to assist in the Big Ten in every way that we could, and Ryan I just think was relentless. He was in constant communication.

“I just appreciate, respect and applaud Ryan for his relentless effort. That’s not to shortchange what all the other coaches did too, but I think he knew the value of the Ohio State head football coach being relentless, and I think a lot of the credit for us getting going was a lot on him and Dr. (Jim) Borchers and all the folks there at Ohio State.”
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top