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Ryan Day talks play-calling, defensive changes and more after Ohio State’s first spring practice
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Football has returned in Columbus.
Ohio State held its first official spring practice on Wednesday as the Buckeyes begin preparation for the 2019 season. When practice came to an end, there were plenty of questions for new head coach Ryan Day.
Day, who is in his first spring as the head coach, spoke with the media following practice, addressing several topics surrounding the Buckeye football program. There were a few takeaways from his first media interaction this spring.
Even as head coach, Day plans to continue calling the offensive plays for Ohio State this fall. According to Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors, Day is allowing Mike Yurcich and Kevin Wilson to call plays this spring but he will return as the head play-caller once the season kicks off.
Ryan Day said his plan is to be the offensive play caller this fall, though he will allow Mike Yurcich and Kevin Wilson to call offensive plays this spring.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) March 6, 2019
Day has shared those responsibilities in the past while an assistant on Urban Meyer’s staff, mostly with Wilson.
Also a major topic of conversation was Ohio State’s defense, a unit that fell well short of expectations last fall. But Day says there are going to be some major changes on that side of the football in 2019.
“The defense is going to look different,” Day told reporters. He said that he wants offenses to have to work the ball down the field and wants to implement a simpler scheme for players to utilize their athleticism.
It’s been just one practice, but Day said he likes what he saw from the defense.
“The defense was really swarming to the ball,” he said.
Defense seems to be the key area of concern heading into 2019 for the Buckeyes, especially after such a disappointing season last fall. But making schemes easier for the players should be a huge help on that side of the football, at least early on.
But after one practice, it’s impossible to know how well players are adjusting to a new system. It’ll likely take all of spring to get a good understanding of how well the Buckeyes are grasping the new ideas.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB