Ryan Day Provides Updates on Buckeyes, Trey Sermon, Return to Play
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day took part in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday to answer questions about his team and how things are going with the monitoring of players. He also talked about transfer running back Trey Sermon, as well as the upcoming NFL Draft and his thoughts on how some Buckeyes would do. Day also answered questions about recruiting and several other topics as well. You can catch all of the highlights below.
Ryan Day Updates
+ With no Pro Day this year, Day has had a higher rate of calls because teams have more questions about the players. “Just fielding a lot more questions about the guys.”
+ There have been calls from the NFL to Day about Joe Burrow. Only a few teams have asked because he won’t be going too deep into the draft.
+ Master Teague getting hurt put them behind the 8-ball a little bit, so when Trey Sermon became available, they made some calls and did some research. The people at Oklahoma had great things to say about him. On the field he’s a great player, but off the field people had great things to say about him. He was Academic All-Big XII. They never had an opportunity to have a face-to-face talk with him, but did plenty of FaceTiming. The team will welcome him with open arms. The running back room has already done that, which goes to show you the culture of the team.
+ Everything came back positive regarding Sermon’s injuries, so they feel good about him this year.
+ “I don’t think that no spring practice is going to set Justin (Fields) too far back.” It affects other guys more, but Fields is a returning starter and there will be a preseason camp, so that will allow him to get extra reps. There is nothing like playing the season, and that’s the experience he has.
+ Right now, you think you’ve got a lot of free time, but you really don’t. There are still phone calls being made. You are more productive and efficient the old way. Plus, different things come up each day and before you know it, your day is eaten up. Watching film as a staff isn’t as efficient either. Not having a spring makes it more difficult to enhance the scheme.
+ He doesn’t see an issue with the early signing date because if a player isn’t sure, he doesn’t have to sign. It’s their choice. “We’ve given them two options, so I’m in favor of keeping it the way it is.”
+ Recruiting visits will be impacted, but as long as it’s the same for everyone he doesn’t think it will be a huge deal.
+ There have been more conversations about altered seasons among the coaches. But that will come down to the different task forces with the medical authorities. Then the coaches can give their input and try to figure it all out. The first concern is public health and the student-athletes’ well being. Then once those guidelines get established, then they can get to work. “I think we’ll come up with a great solution if we put our minds to it.” There are just so many unknowns right now that it’s too hard to move forward. The best thing right now is to keep talking it through.
+ Dealing with this new normal is hopefully a once in a lifetime situation. You just try to do the best you can every day.
+ The coaches continue to have meetings with parents on Zoom. The support staff continues to do everything they were doing before, but in a different manner. Hopefully when they come through this they pass as a unit and have grown from it.
+ Chase Young and Jeff Okudah are very, very high-end NFL players who can play a long time in the league. Great people, great leaders. They play, they’re durable. They don’t miss snaps. “They just play.” “I think they’re both can’t-miss guys.”
+ They’re having a team meeting a noon today. In past meetings they had a doctor come in and explain what COVID-19 is. They will also have sports psychologists come in. Then also some encouragement. Positions meetings are a combination of football, culture, motivation, and encouragement. The coaches have been very creative there. There are also two staff meetings per week. That’s where the updates on players and recruitings and academics occur. “It’s a lot. It’s a lot of calls. It’s a lot of listening. It’s going well.” The programs that can adapt the best will come out of this the strongest.
+ Still no word on CJ Saunders’ sixth year. Would love to have him back.
+ Mickey Marotti and the strength staff are handling putting workouts together for players. Some players are working together, but the first rule is to follow your rules in your state.
+ The NFL Draft is a big part of Ohio State’s recruiting strategy. It shows the development that occurs at OSU. Guys don’t just get drafted, but they excel.
+ They tell recruits all the time that they will get treated at Ohio State the way they are recruited, so you have to be honest in recruiting. You can’t treat players like you used to back in the day when a flip would switch once they got signed and now they’re in for a rude awakening. The transfer portal has countered the rude awakenings.
+ Asked about football coaches taking pay cuts, Day said at times like this, you have to make sure you’re thinking about others. If you have the resources to help, you need to do it. “During this time, we’ve got to do what we can to help those people. Take that money and put it back into the community.”
+ “Anything is worth considering” regarding having a season. Expanding the playoffs is one conversation. He has some other ideas. “We may need to be creative. I think everything’s on the table. The more ideas the better.”
+ The Big Ten coaches have been asked to keep the coaches’ conversations to themselves. He would share that a six-week window for a return to play is a good starting point. Establishing that you can get ready to play in six weeks, then you can build the models from there.
+ They monitor the rehabbing players bi-weekly.
+ Jeff Okudah made a big jump between years two and three. A lot of guys do. Jeff Hafley really helped him.
+ JK Dobbins’ future is really strong because he can do a lot of things. From what he is hearing, he’s got a chance to be the first running back taken. He’s versatile. He can run the zone scheme, he can run the cap scheme, and he can pass block.
+ Asked about a season where you just play conference games, “Any football is better than no football.” They will do whatever it takes. They will adapt and they will play. “We’re okay with adapting.”
+ What is the ideal health scenario that he wants before the players come back? Day said he’ll leave that up to the experts to provide the guidelines. “We’re ready for a new norm.”
+ Even when everything gets back to normal, they will still continue to use some of the tools in recruiting they’ve had to rely on. This has brought the team closer together because everybody misses each other. “I keep telling the guys I miss you guys.”
+ Asked who is going to be a draft steal, Day said he can’t tell the NFL where to pick guys, but to say there are many better cornerbacks than Damon Arnette, he’d like to see it. KJ Hill same. DaVon Hamilton, Jonah Jackson, same thing. Those guys are going to be on rosters for a long time.
+ It’s hard to teach techniques right now without being able to rep it, but you do what you can.
+ Trey Sermon can do a lot of things. Good feet, break tackles, pass protect, catch the ball. He has a high football IQ. “We’re fired up he’s a Buckeye.”
+ Playing in front of no fans? Any football is better than no football. “We need to look at all options.” The biggest challenge will be if it’s not safe for the fans, how is it safe for the players and coaches. It would be eerie to have the opposing sideline be able to hear you yelling across the field.
Entire article:
https://theozone.net/2020/04/ryan-day-updates-buckeyes-trey-sermon/
