Ohio State coach Ryan Day on season-opener: 'The guys are fired up'

Ohio State coach Ryan Day previewed the Buckeyes’ season-opener vs. Nebraska on his weekly radio show Thursday morning.

“The guys are fired up,” Day said on 97.1 The Fan. “It’s been a long time coming.”

Ohio State is a heavy favorite to win the conference, but Day said he’s trying to get his team to only focus on beating Nebraska on Saturday.

Ryan Day's radio show on 97.1 The Fan has begun. "The guys are fired up. It's been a long time coming." Said it will be crucial for OSU to set aside the high expectations and just play.

— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) October 22, 2020

Day also confirmed the injury to freshman defender Kourt Williams.

On the other side of the ball, Ohio State will have to answer some questions at running back with JK Dobbins now playing in the NFL. Day spoke about Master Teague and Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon during the show.

“They have a lot in common,” Day said “They’re big, powerful running backs. They have great vision.”

Teague rushed for 789 yards last season while Sermon has 2+ years of starting experience with the Sooners. In 2018, Sermon rushed for a career-high 947 yard and 13 touchdowns.

As for who will back up Justin Fields, Day said that will be an ongoing battle throughout the season. Gunner Hoak saw limited action a year ago, but completed all six of his pass attempts. Freshmen C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller are also in the mix.

Day said he expects the battle to be Justin Fields' backup will probably continue throughout the season. "There's a lot that comes with playing quarterback at Ohio State. There's a big burden there."

— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) October 22, 2020

The Buckeyes have won five straight matchups vs. the Huskers and are 7-1 all-time in the series history.

Kickoff off for Ohio State’s opener vs Nebraska is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX.