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Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day Discusses First Spring Football Practice

By March 2, 2020 (11:21 am)Football

After the first spring practice of the football season, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day spoke to the media to discuss the practice, as well as where his football team is as a whole at this point in the season.

  • On the start of the quarterback battle between freshmen Jack Miller and C.J. Stroud: “They came in here for a reason early … it’s a great opportunity to get that going.”
  • Day on keeping the same hunger that he did last year in his first season: “It’s just the expectations, first off that you have for the program,” and also the expectations that he has for himself. “You know what the expectations are here.”
  • On looking toward the transfer portal for depth: “You always have to keep an eye on it.”
  • On the injuries Ohio State has right now: “Just got a few guys nicked up but they will be back soon.” Said that the team is really smart on how it deals with injuries this early in the offseason.
  • Said cornerback Sevyn Banks has had a strong couple of months and that he is someone that is expected to step up for the Buckeyes this season.
  • Said Stroud, Miller and Gunnar Hoak are rolling with the second-string unit currently, and will eventually roll with the first strings once Justin Fields has had enough reps.
  • On the return of Shaun Wade: “Shaun coming back was huge … Shaun, in my opinion, should be considered the top corner coming back in all of football.”
  • Said the team is still waiting on the NCAA on if wide receiver C.J. Saunders will be able to come back for a sixth year. Also said he may have a better idea on his eligibility in April.
  • On Cade Stover and Cormontae Hamilton moving to tight end and defensive tackle, Day said they are moving the two around to places that match their skill set more, and that Stover’s basketball background came into play for his potential to play on tight end. Said he sees a strong future for both of those guys.
  • On Stover and Hamilton: “In the end it was their decision, it wasn’t ours.”
  • On the freshman wide receiver core: “Talented. They’re talented.” Said he thinks all four have the potential to play very early on, and said they have been “better than expected” thus far.
  • Day looks at the fall practices as simply an extension of the 15 spring practices. “That’s just practice 16.”
  • “Where are the leaders? Who needs to be the leaders? And then where is everybody else?” are questions Day says he is hoping to answer sooner rather than later.
  • On the running back position after losing J.K. Dobbins: “That position, when it comes to the fall, is going to have to step up in a big way.”
  • Day said there are no circumstances in which Jahsen Wint and Amir Riep can rejoin the team.
  • Day on the possibility of offensive lineman Paris Johnson starting: “If he’s the best player, then he’s going to play.”
  • Day said his kids were the most excited about his contract extension because they wouldn’t be the new kid in school for awhile. “That’s the idea, that we’re here for a long time.”

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