Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day speaks to the media Tuesday. Credit: Sandra Fu | Managing Photo Editor
Four weeks ago, No. 1 Ohio State entered its first bye week, with the uncertainty of facing three? Big Ten opponents on the road.
The start of conference play has been no challenge for the Buckeyes, as they have outscored foes 134-25 through four games.
Still undefeated and the best in the nation, Ohio State enters its final bye week of the regular season— and its final regular season five-game stretch on the horizon— starting on Nov. 1 against Penn State.
Head coach Ryan Day said the stakes are only getting higher.
“All these games, all these decisions, everything we’re doing is going to be just ramped up and amped up at a higher level,” he said
Here are the takeaways from Day’s Tuesday press conference at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Bye week preparation
Day recognizes the need to take advantage of the week off.
“This is a good time to take a step back and realize that we need to get certain things fixed, [to] address some things,” Day said. “And then, take a picture at the run that we’re about to make and what we need to get done during the run, because once Sunday hits, it’s right on Penn State.”
Julian Sayin’s 393 passing yards and four-touchdown day against Wisconsin earned him four national awards, most notably the Big Ten Conference Offensive and Shaun Alexander Freshman player of the week.
Day said it’s important for the redshirt freshman to take the right steps forward.
“He’s got to grow from that and continue to build,” Day said. “We’re just halfway through the season, so we have a lot of football left. But the No. 1 thing we’ve got to do is continue to take care of the football, lead the team [and] command the game.
“Each week he’s grown more and more, he’s built confidence and I think his teammates believe in him now.”
Run game struggles
In the Buckeyes’ shutout of the Badgers, Sayin and wide receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith dominated the field, as the pass-catchers combined for 15 receptions, 208 yards and two touchdowns.
The run game, however, left something to be desired. For the second straight week and third game this season, the Buckeyes averaged under four yards a carry, running for 98 yards on 28 carries Saturday.
Although the Buckeyes’ offensive line has only given up three sacks, Day was not pleased with the run blocking against the Badgers.
“Tthere was a stretch in the third quarter where there were like four runs that went for nothing,” Day said. “On a couple of them we didn’t identify right, but for the most part it was technique,”
