Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Georgia’s Kirby Smart Preview College Football Playoff Matchup

“There’s not much more to talk about it. We’ve had a great month, the guys have done a really good job, so now it’s time to go play the game.”

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart conducted their joint press conference in Atlanta on Friday morning, marking their final media availability prior to Saturday’s College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl (8 p.m. on ESPN).

The following is a bullet-point recap of everything Day and Smart had to say:

Ryan Day:

• Day said the Buckeyes have had a great week and thanked the Peach Bowl officials for how convenient everything is in terms of the location of the hotel, practice and events compared to other bowl sites.
• Day said this will be the most physical game the Buckeyes will play this season. “That’s what this game is all about, running around and hitting people.”
• Day noted how the College Football Playoff is the highest level of college football and the Buckeyes understand that and have been practicing and preparing to play their best.
• Day said junior offensive tackle Paris Johnson is a “tremendous young man” and talked about the letter he wrote to Buckeye Nation in The Players’ Tribune. “I’m proud of him, and thought it was well-written.”
• Day said this is the exact situation the Buckeyes expected to be in at the beginning of the season. “Here we are.”
• Day said Georgia’s defense is “complete.” Mentioned the statistics and just the overall level of talent they have on that side of the ball. “That’s the biggest challenge, so we have to execute at a high level.”
• Day said they embrace the expectations that come with playing at Ohio State. “You build that culture of passing down a legacy to the younger guys, and that’s been going on for a long time at Ohio State.”
• Day said running back Miyan Williams “will be ready to go” after dealing with a stomach bug earlier in the week and finally practicing on Thursday.
• On having two Big Ten teams in the playoff, as Michigan will take on TCU in the Fiesta Bowl: “I think it’s very important for the conference.” He believes the level of play has improved in the conference since he took over the program. “Week in and week out, you have to bring it.”
• Day said the Bulldogs don’t just assume they’re going to get in-state recruits. “They work really hard at it and no stone is unturned.”
• Day said something the preach to recruits is finding a program that’s going to develop them in all areas of their life, not just football. Said prospects sometimes get caught up in “Disneyland recruiting,” thinking everything is magically going to work out no matter where they go.
• Day said they’ll keep the game-day routine the same as what it is in Columbus, as well as what they’ll do today in terms of meetings, walkthroughs, etc. “It’ll be a long day getting ready for this game.”
• Day said losing to Michigan but still having a chance to win the national championship has given them a “a little more appreciation” for things. “That allowed us to have great energy and great focus and an edge during the month of preparation.”
• Day said they’ve been able to make Mercedes-Benz Stadium their own this week, but that it’ll be a different atmosphere once the fans are packed in there tomorrow night.
• Day said the leaders on the team have done a great job of stepping up over the last month, but “there’s not much more to talk about it. We’ve had a great month, the guys have done a really good job, so now it’s time to go play the game.”

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Kirby Smart:

• Smart noted how he’s been in the Peach Bowl several times as a player and coach, and echoed Day’s sentiments about the convenience of the bowl.
• “That’s why you go to Ohio State or Georgia, to play in games like this.” Said he’s excited for the players to participate in a game of this magnitude.
• Smart said that they tell younger players to find an upperclassmen who does things the right way to emulate. “The standard doesn’t change. Players change and your identity might change, but the standard doesn’t”
• Smart was asked about the Bulldogs doing yoga during practice on Thursday. “I think it’s important from a recovery standpoint.”
• Smart said he was “so upset” when the Bulldogs lost out to the Buckeyes for quarterback C.J. Stroud. “I certainly enjoyed getting to know him and having a relationship with him.”
• Smart is “still hopeful” that injured wide receiver Ladd McConkey and right tackle Warren McClendon will be able to play on Saturday.
• On Ohio State tight end Cade Stover: “He’s one of the best tight ends we’ve played all year.” Added that talent “oozes off the tape” at the skill positions on the offensive side of the ball. “A very talented team.”
• Smart said there’s nobody weeping for them having to play in the playoff while other teams are out recruiting or dealing with the transfer portal. “Nobody feels sorry for us. We get advertisement galore on ESPN.”
• Smart said he’s proud of quarterback Stetson Bennett for sticking with it throughout his career when things got tough or didn't go as he anticipated. “He wanted to prove that he could play at Georgia, and he wrote his own story by doing that.”
• Smart said he doesn’t look at the playoff as an opportunity to prove something to recruits, but an opportunity to play well for the current players. “It’s important to do it for the guys on the team.”

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