Saturday was the first time Carter had met Day in person, though the two had spoken over the phone several times beforehand.
“Talking with coach (Ryan) Day, in person, just sitting in his office and talking with him about me and how I fit in that program was really good,” Carter said. “He told me he liked me as a young man and an individual, and how my game is and how I’d be able to make an impact there and how the school would be able to make an impact on me while also building my brand as an athlete.”
Carter also met with Jim Knowles on his visit, but the pair had been building a relationship ever since the Buckeyes offered him in September. OSU’s new defensive coordinator stopped by Smyrna High School (Smyrna, Tennessee) earlier this fall to evaluate Carter in person and the pair communicate about three times per week.
“It's been great,” Carter said of his and Knowles’ relationship. “We’ve just been able to build a relationship over these past couple months. And really just diving in, getting to know each other, understanding him outside football also. He's a great coach and a really smart man and one of the best in the game. To come over to Ohio State and turn the program around defensively as far as being in the top 10 in the country, you know he knows what he's talking about. He’s a great coach, and when you have great athletes and put them together, it can be dangerous.”
