COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State has its first off week this week and will not face an opponent this Saturday. Up next, the Buckeyes face Washington on the road Sept. 29. Buckeye head coach Ryan Day, offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the focus of the team this week as they prepare for conference play up next.
You can find the highlights of what was said, along with the full press conference videos below.
Ryan Day
+ On what he learned after the red zone inefficiencies after the game against Ohio, Day said there were quite a few plays in the red zone. On the first and second trips, he did not like the execution. On the third red zone trip, it was a I50-50 ball that had good protection. The fourth one, they needed to keep their feet and eyes up and maybe would have had a chance there. There were also penalties there, one time they didn’t motion someone over, so schematically they were in decent shape, but the details werwe not executed better. That falls back on the coaches and teaching the details.
+After missing last Saturday due to an undisclosed injury, Day said Bennett Christian should have a full week of practice and full game week next week.
+ On Tegra Tshabola and the right guard evaluation, Day said Tshabola did better things on Saturday but had a couple penalties. It’s good to have competition and players fighting to get on the field. Tshabola got better but there’s a standard and
+ They will continue to roll players on the defensive line. Tywone Malone took a step in the game and graded out a champion. “That’s big. We need that position to play at a high level and continue to build depth.”
+ On the off week this week, they will practice Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and take Friday and Saturday off and have a normal game-week routine. The team will work hard on fundamentals and things they need to get better at in all three phases. The next four games will be a challenge, starting with Washington with it being conference play and a road game. August was a physical month preparing for week one against Texas, so it is good to have the players get their legs under them a bit this week and get ready to go on a good run over the next four weeks.
+ On logistics affecting football including handling the off week schedule and travel, Day said it all adds up and the details matter. They looked at every single day of the year last year and what they dud, in terms of yards, workload, high-speed yards, whey they are as a team and individually as well, and then the common sense of knowing what this team needs at this time. How they handle this is important.
+ Bo Jackson is special and has talent. He is checking the boxes and is doing a nice job. The running backs in that room are all a bit different but he’s going to get plenty of carries this year.
+ On Julian Sayin not missing the deep shots, Day jokingly knocked on the wood podium and let out a sigh. Sayin does a good job with the trajectory of the ball and does a good job with his footwork. Sayin found the angles on Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith’s post routes and with having such big and strong receivers, Sayin needs to get it to them quick and with a lot of air, but that takes good footwork, hitching, and timing. “We always say when you take your shots you gotta hit them. That separates your offense.”
Brian Hartline
+ On the ability to use multiple tight ends, Hartline said anytime they can be multiple in personnel it demands different responses from a defense. That room has done a really good job and they are asked to do a lot of things. They are mismatches and putting them in the right positions can be a bonus for the offense, as long as they are used properly. Defenses have to account for them in multiple ways and the more they do each week the more the defense has to prepare for.
+ Brandon Inniss has done a great job and plays at a high level. “His role will change constantly based on defenses, but anything we ask him to do, he does it at a high level.”
+ On improving on the red zone offense, Hartline said execution was part of it but putting players in the right positions is also part of it. There were learning opportunities for everyone involved and they want to score a touchdown every time they are in the red zone. “That’s a great way to get a little better.”
+ On the play calling role, Hartline said it has been awesome and he loves it. He is learning from Coach Day every day. Going into the bye week, there’s a chance to grow offensively and be more consistent. He stands by what he believes in with calls but has a great relationship with Day and when he is wrong then he is wrong, but the thickness of skin is needed. Day has been great letting him do his thing but echoing what he wants to do as well. It’s a good balance.
+ On his trust in Sayin running the offense, Hartline said he has done a great job and has grown. There were learning opportunities every week but he is taking the information and applying it. He is doing a great job but they won’t make any assumptions about what he can do and throw him out there to do whatever. They will progressively expand on that each week.
+ On stressing the importance of the run game, Hartline said Sayin’s best friend as a first-time starting quarterback should be a good running back. The run game and being balanced makes it harder for defenses and opens up the rest of the offense. He is a big fan of play action passes and the run game is essential for that.
Matt Patricia
+ On where the defense is three weeks into the season, Patricia said they defensive players have gone after the studying, improvement, and practice. They are taking ownership of the installations. There was a lot of carry over but also a lot of newness and the players were open minded and willing to learn.
+ On the focus of the defense this week, Patricia said they are preparing to play on the road for the first time and Washington will be a challenge with their offense. The travel will also bring a different schedule and routine.
+ On Jaylen McClain, Patricia says he works well with Caleb Downs in his communication. He has learned from him and follows that model. “Those two and their chemistry together and the linebackers, as well as Lorenzo Styles…. those guys have been really good.”
+ The defensive coaches balance giving game reps in lopsided games to evaluate players in those moments and use that to evaluate their role and defense moving forward. This is unlike the NFL where 70-0 games are not common, so the backups do not get as many meaningful game experience. “Those have been important snaps for us.”
+ It has been fun having so much depth in the defense to put together different packages. Sometimes he has to balance not doing too much to give too many players jobs and roles, but they all work together on that. Getting as much game reps helps everybody.
+ On the decision to coach from the field, Patricia said he has always been on the field in his roles but from his perspective it’s easier for communication and talking to the signal callers and the defensive players. The video tablets and watching the full play from that helps with visibility. Coaching from the field also allows him to see how players feel about certain installations he wants to use in the game, and if he gets the blank stare or double blink, he knows to move on to something else.
+ On Arvell Reese being a good pass rusher and spy, Patricia said he can do a lot of things really well. They try to create uncertainty with an offense and make them question what his role is going to be on each play. He does a great job adjusting to the assignments.
+ On Devin Sanchez as a true freshman in the dime package role, Patricia said he does a good job of handling those high-pressure situations. “He is certainly very gifted athletically and can handle that.” The defense builds on that every week in practice.
+ On Washington’s quarterback being a dynamic runner, Patricia said he’s like Kyler Murray with the first-step quickness and ability to get to top speed fast. It will be a huge challenge. It did help facing Ohio’s Parker Navarro last week but next week needs to be another level.
+ Patricia said it’s such a joy to be around this team. The players love the game and have a youthful and fun energy together. They are as serious as they can be in the meeting rooms and on the practice field, so it’s a nice balance.
Great article. Thank you.