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Ryan Day ‘excited’ to see Ohio State’s new-look defense
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Defense was a liability in Columbus last season. Yes, Ohio State finished 13-1 with a B1G title and a Rose Bowl championship, but some poor defensive efforts cost the Buckeyes a shot at the College Football Playoff.
So, when Ryan Day was named the head coach, he had to make some hard decisions. He made some serious changes on the defensive staff, bringing in guys like Jeff Hafley, Greg Mattison and Al Washington. The goal was to simplify things on that side of the football, hoping to have a more productive year.
Now, with gameday just a few days away, Day is excited to see what this fresh Ohio State defense looks like on the field.
“I’m fired up to see what it looks like,” Day said. It’s not going to be perfect (but I’m excited).”
Ohio State had poor defensive outings last season, particularly in the season opener against Oregon State, a road loss to Purdue and a high-scoring affair against Maryland. It was the biggest critique of the Buckeyes.
Day admits that he doesn’t have much involvement with the defense, having limited experience coaching that area. He trusts the guys on his staff to make the right call and steps in when he sees fit. Still, Day knows what’s most important for the Buckeyes this season.
“The first thing is tackling,” Day said. “We have to tackle…It’s all about being tough.”
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Missed tackles piled up for the Buckeyes last season, particularly in the three games mentioned above. Simplifying the defense should allow players to play a lot faster and, hopefully, get back to form tackling and bringing guys to the ground.
Ohio State certainly has the talent to have one of the top defensive units in the B1G. But it’s going to have to do the little things in order to get to the level Day wants the unit to perform.
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