Ohio State's Ryan Day, Jim Knowles Preview Saturday's Game At Maryland

"We have an opportunity to go 11-0 this weekend and still not have reached one of our goals."

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles met with the media for roughly an hour on Tuesday afternoon to recap the 56-14 win over Indiana and preview Saturday’s game at Maryland.

More News From Sports Illustrated: College Football Schedule | TCU Might Be the Only Protection From a Power 2 Playoff Picture | Three Football Players Dead in UVA Shooting | ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ Going to Montana State for Week 12

You can watch the press conference in the YouTube videos or you can read a full bullet-point recap of everything Day and Knowles had to say below:

Ryan Day:

• Day started off his press conference by offering his condolences to the Virginia football team and university community over the shootings in Charlottesville over the weekend. “It’s tragic, senseless and pains me to understand how things like this can happen.”
• Day said offensive tackle Josh Fryar graded out a champion and played well in his start in place of starting right tackle Dawand Jones, but noted he also has room to improve in area. “I thought we took a step in the right direction.”
• Day compared November to March Madness. “You have to embrace that and what it means to bring it every single week.”
• Day said wide receiver Xavier Johnson’s experience in the running backs room allowed him to jump in without an issue on Saturday. “Him being able to provide depth there has been huge.” Said his work on special teams has really helped him become versatile. “He’s embraced it.”
• Day said the focus this week is on Maryland, even though they know what’s coming the week after. “We have an opportunity to go 11-0 this weekend and still not have reached one of our goals.” He pointed to the 2018 game when they survived a 52-51 overtime game.
• Day credits offensive tackle Paris Johnson for balancing football, school and his foundation, which was honored with the Armed Forces Merit Award last week. “It’s the balance he found growing up. HIs mom certainly had a big part in that.”
• “It’s an exciting time to be a wide receiver at Ohio State.”
• Day said he doesn’t have an update on the status of injured wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Called him “one of the best receivers in the country and one of the best slot receivers I’ve ever been around,” but it’s hard to say what he would add to the offense at this point in the season.
• Day said there’s nothing specific that he needs to see from the team that tells him they’re “ready” for Michigan. “I don’t think there’s anything where we’re going to say, ‘We’re ready to play this game.’ We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing.”
• “Do I think we’ve played our best football yet? I don’t. We can do better in all three phases.” Said they have to if they’re going to accomplish their goals this season.
• Day said there was a time when former wide receiver Chris Olave was struggling and wanted to return home to California, but that other players put their arms around him and then he had the breakout game against Michigan later in his freshman season.
• Day said he hasn’t put much thought into the possibility of playing Michigan twice in a row once divisions are scrapped, but he did compare it to how NFL teams play divisional opponents multiple times, including potentially in the playoffs, and your game plan can change.
• While Day said he was unaware of the recent NFL Players Association recommendation of replacing turf like Ohio State uses in Ohio Stadium, spokesperson Jerry Emig said there have conversations within the athletic department about it. Add it’s tested twice annually.
• On the return of cornerback Cameron Brown, who missed several games with an undisclosed injury but started and played well against Indiana. “You can see when Cam Brown is healthy what he can do.” Said he’ll need to contribute at a high level in order to reach their goals.
• Day said they hope wide receiver Kamryn Babb can play a bigger role, but that his body will ultimately dictate that. “I hope it’ll be a lot, but I just don’t know.”
• Day said that some players may be on a “pitch count” against Maryland, but that what they heard today injury-wise from several players is “promising.” The Buckeyes were notably without Jones and cornerback Denzel Burke on Saturday.
• Day said he would be “shocked” if running backs TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams and Chip Trayanum were not all available against Maryland. “Hopefully we’ll have at least two of them.”

More News From Sports Illustrated: College Football Schedule | TCU Might Be the Only Protection From a Power 2 Playoff Picture | Three Football Players Dead in UVA Shooting | ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ Going to Montana State for Week 12

Jim Knowles:

• Knowles called defensive tackle Ty Hamilton “a cold-blooded gentleman.” Said he’s quite and has a good smile, but he’s tough on the inside. “He’s earned more playing time.”
• Knowles said the cast on linebacker Tommy Eichenberg’s left hand is “part of the game, but the toughest guys don’t let it limit them – and he’s one of them.”
• Knowles said Brown’s play on some deep 50-50 balls “lifts up the defense and breeds confidence.” Said those are plays they might not have made earlier in the season when he was sidelined.
• On Hamilton and fellow defensive tackle Taron Vincent: “It’s one thing to hold the point, but to have the athleticism to disengage from the block and make tackles, that’s the next step. Both of those guys are doing really good things in that area.”
• Knowles said Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best wide receiver he’s ever been around. “You have to try to double him, but he’s made catches against us in practice in a bracket … If he knows what you’re doing and C.J. (Stroud) knows what you’re doing, they’re going to make plays.”
• Knowles said he’s encouraging defensive end Jack Sawyer “be more reckless” at the Jack position. “I’ve got to find ways to cut loose and let him be free.” Said he might be piling too much on and giving him too much to think about.
• Knowles said he's confident in the defense because they're doing what they're supposed to against the teams who lines up against them. “You have to take it week to week with whoever you're playing and have great habits that turn into a lifestyle.”
• Knowles said Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is a really good scrambler and playmaker. “I think everything flows through him, and he’s dangerous.”
• Knowles said Hamilton has played “extremely well” and “deserves that opportunity,” but that him playing more is also the result of a lingering injury with Michael Hall. “He’s really fought through some things.”

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