Eric Boggs
Coming off a hard-fought 14-7 victory over Texas, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day met with the media Tuesday afternoon to reflect on the season-opening win and preview the work ahead as the Buckeyes prepare for Grambling State. While pleased with his team’s toughness and defensive dominance, Day emphasized that there is plenty of room to grow.
Day praised first-time starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who graded out at over 80% despite some early drops and missed opportunities. “We felt like he took care of the ball and made some good throws,” Day said. “I’d like to think that if we had made a few plays for him earlier on in the game, maybe it would have gone a different direction, but I don’t think he ever flinched. It was a good start — but there’s a lot of football to go.”
Much of the conversation focused on the defense, which was dominant against a talented Texas offense. Under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, the Buckeyes limited Texas to just seven points and consistently controlled the line of scrimmage. Day credited both the coaching staff and the players for executing at a high level. “When Matt comes in and has some wrinkles and different thoughts on how we want to attack, they all work together,” Day explained. “But at the end of the day, the players have to go put it on the field, and that’s what impressed me the most. Guys like Jermaine Matthews, Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and Sonny Styles were all over the place making plays.”
Even with the impressive win, Day stressed the importance of building consistency, especially with a roster that features several new contributors following the departures of so many NFL Draft picks. “When you have guys who are a little bit more inexperienced, who haven’t done it before, now okay, we’ve won a game, but now we have to get into a routine and start bringing it every week,” Day said. “The goal is to play all the way through January, and to do that, there are so many corrections that need to be made.”
Day also addressed the offensive performance, noting the balance between protecting a young quarterback and finding more explosive plays. “We need to be more aggressive and more explosive on offense,” Day admitted. “There were moments where possessions were limited, and with a young quarterback in his first start, we wanted to be careful with the football. But moving forward, we know we have to create more chunk plays.”
One of the biggest takeaways from the Texas game was the offensive line’s effort against a strong defensive front. Day was encouraged by their performance but acknowledged the unit still has room to grow. “I thought the guys up front played really hard,” he said. “We saw a grittiness and a toughness from that group, and that’s something we can build on. But we need to be more consistent, sustain blocks longer, and execute at a higher level.”
With Grambling State up next, the Buckeyes are heavy favorites, but Day made it clear the focus remains internal. “We’re holding ourselves to a high standard,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who we play — the goal is to improve every week. The guys learned against Texas that they can play with anybody in the country, but now it’s about stacking days and building on that foundation.”
After passing their first major test, Ohio State now shifts its attention to fine-tuning details, gaining experience, and preparing for the long road ahead. Day believes the team’s competitive mindset, physicality, and defensive foundation give the Buckeyes a strong base — but he also knows the work is far from over.
“We came out of that game with confidence,” Day said, “but we know exactly where we need to go and what we need to do to get there.”
