What Ohio State coach Ryan Day said about Penn State ahead of Saturday’s game
Ohio State coach Ryan Day knows Penn State will come into The Horseshoe on Saturday with something few other teams would.
Confidence.
Penn State has historically played Ohio State tough. In the last two meetings, the Nittany Lions pushed the Buckeyes to the brink. In 2018, Ohio State won 27-26 despite PSU boasting a 12-point lead midway through the final quarter. And, in 2017, Ohio State won 39-38 despite trailing by 15 points in the fourth quarter.
So Day didn’t hesitate when asked if Penn State would enter Saturday’s game with a determined mindset.
“Absolutely, yeah,” Day said. “I mean, and the year before, they won. Right? So, absolutely, they have a very, very good team and obviously they felt like they should have won both of those games. So, yeah, they’re going to come in here with a tremendous amount of confidence.”
Day offered high praise for the Nittany Lions (9-1), calling them a “talent-equated” team with the Buckeyes. It’s the first time he’s labeled an opponent that this season.
Granted, that shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Ohio State blew out Maryland, 73-14, and Rutgers, 56-21, in its last two games. But it’s also had some quality opponents, such as Wisconsin.
“This is a talent-equated game,” Day said. “We all know we have been in some games that we have had more talent than some of the other teams we have played. This is a team that talent equates.
“So, when that happens, it goes back to discipline. It goes back to fundamentals. It goes back to toughness — all those things that come into play when your talent no longer matters.”
Day went on to praise Penn State LB Micah Parsons, CB John Reid, QB Sean Clifford, TE Pat Freiermuth and WRs KJ Hamler and Jahan Dotson. You can read everything Day had to say about the Nittany Lions below:
(On what sticks out about Sean Clifford and what makes him unique)
I don’t know what makes him unique as a passer. I think as a quarterback he has a good combination of escapabilities, good spacial awareness, can get himself out of trouble, accurate throwing the ball, you can tell he’s competitive and tough and well-prepared and a good leader.
(On whether Ohio State’s increased emphasis lately on passing came about because of the game against Penn State and how good the Nittany Lions’ run defense has been)
No, not really. No, it was just something that was a focus coming off the bye week as we just wanted to do a little bit better job throwing and catching the ball and also in some of those games we want to get the throws in a little bit earlier in the game, if we think it’s going to go the way it’s been the last couple weeks. So, typically in games that get a little lopsided, we have to run the ball a little bit more in the second half. And so when you look back on those games you want to make sure that guys like KJ (Hill) and guys like Ben (Binjimen Victor) and those guys are getting touches, so that’s a little bit calculated going into those games.
(On how important QB Justin Fields will be, and whether he’ll have to put the offense on his shoulders, if the Penn State run defense has another elite showing)
Yeah, of course, he has to, that’s what he has to be ready for that’s what he’s working for all week is to be in that game and come down and win the game in the fourth quarter like JT Barrett did, like Dwayne Haskins did the year before. That’s the game we’re in. So it’s going to take everything we have.
(On whether Ohio State is fully aware what’s at stake in the game against Penn State, in regards to a spot in the Big Ten title game)
Well, I think our team knows what’s at stake, we have talked about that. But now it’s time to just focus on Penn State. This is a talent-equated game. We all know we have been in some games that we have had more talent than some of the other teams we have played. This is a team that talent equates. So, when that happens, it goes back to discipline. It goes back to fundamentals. It goes back to toughness — all those things that come into play when your talent no longer matters. So those are the things and we got to do a good job putting a good game plan together, let the guys play, and then prepare them to go, and then the team that’s more prepared will win the game.
(On how this might be Ohio State’s first true test this season and whether the Buckeyes are ready for fourth-quarter adversity)
I think in the Wisconsin game we were only up three points there in the third quarter, and I think that was the one time I can look back and say, yeah, we were, we had adversity at that point and we responded. So I feel good about that. Now whether we do or not that’s going to be based on what happens in this game and that’s why you play the game to find out. But I do, I look back on that moment as a point where our backs were against the wall and we did respond.
(On his overall impressions of Penn State and what sticks out about the Nittany Lions)
First over, James (Franklin) is an excellent coach and does a great job with the program and motivating everybody involved there. He has done that for a long time. He knows how to win the big games. He knows how to prepare guys in all three phases. I think the coordinators are excellent. I think Ricky Rahne and Brent Pry do a really good job schematically creating a lot of problems, but also being fundamentally sound. And then they have the players on offense.
I think Clifford’s playing really well, (KJ) Hamler is one of the more dynamic players in the country, I think (Jahan) Dotson is as good a wide receiver as there is in the Big Ten and (Pat) Freiermuth and some of those other guys are really talented as well. So I think you got a skillset over there of guys that can really hurt you. And then on defense Micah Parsons is as talented as there is again in the conference. They do a good job up front with their front; they mix those guys in. Sean Spencer, D-line coach, does a good job of rolling those guys in and out; they got a lot of depth there.
And then really those guys that played a lot of football, I mean (cornerback John) Reid has played a lot of football, there’s a lot of guys in the back end who have some experience there. So when you combine the experience with the good coaching and the fundamentally sound schemes that they pose a major problem for us and so it’s going to be a big challenge.
(On the last two games against Penn State, where the Buckeyes have trailed in the fourth quarter, and what the communication dynamic is like in those instances)
Those games were no different other than the fact that we were down and looking to come back. I feel like in the last couple years we felt like we had good stuff we just weren’t executing great. In the first game we turned the ball over. The second game we hit the tight end in the head with the ball, it was a great throw, and that was a turnover in the game. It was just some of those things that went on in that game and we just felt like we had the right stuff, we just had to hang in there.
So we talked to our guys about that, even this week, we got to come out to a fast start, the first game the opening kickoff return for a touchdown, we kind of put ourselves behind the eight ball in those games and then, but to answer your question, it’s just communication, just trying to figure out. Like, do we need new plays or are the plays working and we’re just not executing them very well? When you go against good defenses, things like that happen.
(On calling this a “talent-equated” game earlier and how the mindset changes going against a talented roster like Penn State)
I just think every play matters, every yard matters, every series matters, you just have to make sure you understand how important every play is in a game like this more than anything else. Because — and maybe some of those other games it’s like, well, if you didn’t get it that series we’ll get the ball back here pretty quick, we’ll be OK. That’s not the case in something like this.
We mentioned it just coming off of the game on Saturday. You turn the ball over like we did and they score a touchdown, that could be the difference in the game. That was the difference in the Indiana game last week. So we just have to be mature enough to understand how important every series, every play, is and that it might just be one play that changes the game. I can’t really say that maybe we have been in a game where that’s been the case this year. So understanding that as coaches, but understanding that as players is going to be huge.
(On what it’s like game-planning against Penn State and what jumps out on the tape)
Yeah, it’s a lot of hours, it’s a lot of work, no stone’s unturned and it’s our job as coaches to give the guys a good plan to let them play fast and be schematically sound. But what jumps off the tape is how strong and physical they are. They do a good job of making sure that they’re fresh, they roll guys, and they got an edge to them.
(On whether he believes Penn State can come in with more confidence because it pushed the Buckeyes to the wire the last two years)
Absolutely, yeah, I mean and the year before they won, right? So I mean, absolutely, they have a very, very good team and obviously they felt like they should have won both those games. So, yeah, I mean they’re going to come in here with a tremendous amount of confidence.
This story was originally published November 19, 2019 at 3:24 PM.
