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