COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State coach Ryan Day emphasized advancement across the board following a hard-fought season-opening winโ against Texas, as the no. 1 Buckeyes prepare to face Grambling State atโ 3:30 p.m. Saturday in their first-ever meeting. Despite the 20-12 victory, Day highlighted areas needing immediate attentionโ before the matchup โwith the Tigers, who are coming off a 55-7 win over Langston.
Day stated, “After you come down from the emotion of the game,โ you get back on the film, you โget to work, youโฃ just realize that โคthere’s so many things that we have to improveโค on. That’sโ what the focus is going to be, irrespective of the โคopponent.”
During a press conference Tuesday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, Dayโ provided an update on defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr., who sustained an injury in the third quarter against Texas. While โคDayโข did not disclose โthe specific nature of the injury, he indicated it is not expected โto be long-term, noting, “I don’t think I can come out and say what exactly it was, โbut they took his helmet away, and we’ll evaluate how that is moving forward. But I don’t see itโ being a long-term injury.” Jacksonโค walked off the field under his ownโ power afterโค the injury, which occurred during his first career start.Offensively, Day acknowledged the team’s struggles, with the Buckeyes totaling โjust 203 yards ofโค offense – โฃtheir โlowest output in a game last season. “We need to be more explosive,” โคDay said. “We need to get to the second level and make guys miss. โWe need to space out the passing game.”โ He also explained that the offense appeared less aggressive due to the quality of the Texasโ defense and theโฃ game situation, adding, โ”When you’re in those moments, you โฃhave to be very, very careful with the football.Possessions wereโ limited.”
Day also โฃexpressedโฃ concern about the team’s start to the second half against Texas, where they โgained only โฃsix yards on their openingโข drive. “I didn’t like the way we played in the first four minutes of the third quarter,” Day โstated. “There’s a lot of things โthat we can execute better, and if we do, the game โcould change real fast.” He ultimately viewed the game as a valuable learning experience, saying, “Great โฃlesson to learn coming out โฃof a win against an opponent like that.Butโ nonetheless, the issues โฃare still there.”