COLUMBUS — Ohio State head coach Ryan Day met with reporters following the Buckeyes’ 35-28 loss to Oregon. Day answered questions about what went wrong and what he will need to do to fix it. Defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs answered questions as well. A handful of players also spoke after the game. The highlights of everything that was said can be found below.
Ryan Day
+ Started by thanking the crowd and he’s disappointed the team couldn’t give the fans a win. Oregon controlled the game. The Buckeyes were always playing catch up.
+ Have to get on the film and figure out where the execution problems were.
+ What was the issue on defense? “I gotta figure it out.” Oregon was running some cracks and the next guy on defense has to fill.
+ Josh Proctor’s injury looked “not good out on there on the field.”
+ When you’re in the heat of the battle you have to get things addressed and fixed. At the end, the defense got two stops and the offense didn’t do anything with it. “There’s enough blame to go around here.”
+ The offense was a little out of whack today and they couldn’t convert on fourth downs. They have to get that fixed as an offensive staff. They weren’t balanced today.
+ Seemed like the same play a couple of times that Oregon hit them on and they need to clean that up.
+ Is he satisfied with Kerry Coombs? They make decisions as a staff but ultimately it comes down to him.
+ Does the one-high safety defense need to change? Any time you run into a situation like this you have to ask why you’re having issues and address it.
+ After a loss you find out who your leaders are. That’s when you have to show resolve and resilience.
+ The missed fourth down plays were huge. “I’ll take the blame…” on the first one.
+ The defense had some good moments at the end but it was nowhere near good enough. They have talented players but they have nothing to hang their hat on right now. This defensive system is supposed to limit big plays and if it’s not, then there is an issue that needs to be fixed.
+ He was told the hit on Chris Olave at the end was reviewed.
+ He wishes he had a couple of calls back. On the last drive he could have run the ball more. He felt like they had a lot of momentum throwing the ball. But if you find a balance, there’s less second guessing.
CJ Stroud
+ “Beginning of the game I feel like we came out strong.” They just couldn’t finish early on. He needs to be better. The game plan is always solid. He doesn’t ever question that. “Whatever plays they put out there we have to execute.”
+ He felt really comfortable early in the game. He was thankful to be able to play this week because it was a tough week for him.
+ His interception was rushed on his part.
+ He’s dealing with some nicks and bruises from the Minnesota game.
+ “I really have to keep being a leader in the room.” Haskell Garrett told the team after the game that the season is not over and they’re not going to point fingers.
+ Is his shoulder okay? “I was healthy enough to play.” There was no pain in his shoulder once he got going.
Thayer Munford
+ Oregon wasn’t doing anything up front that they hadn’t seen before. “We all know we need to get better.”
+ He put himself in a bad position on his holding call. It was also a bad call on the ref’s part.
Teradja Mitchell
+ The defense needs to keep its head up and get better. Have to keep working. The scheme is fine.
+ He has to keep the defense together. “That’s something we’re looking forward to.”
+ The scheme is the scheme, but at the end of the day you have to have the want-to and the buy-in.
+ They need to win more on third down. That’s the only way to get the ball back to the offense.
+ They have to make sure everybody is doing their one-eleventh and playing within the scheme.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
+ CJ Stroud has a big heart and he’s a competitor.
+ CJ Stroud and Ryan Day and Brian Hartline were telling him that catches were going to come to him. “It’s hard to celebrate my individual accolades after a tough loss like this. It feels good but I want to win.”
Haskell Garrett
+ “We’re known as the Rushmen so everybody is on notice that they have to get the ball out of their hands fast.”
+ On his message that the season isn’t over, “We’ve got a long season. This isn’t COVID anymore. They’re going to take this as a lesson.” They’ll get on the film tomorrow and put it behind them after making corrections.
Kerry Coombs
+ The plays where they lost leverage, the receivers were cracking linebackers and they have to get off that. He isn’t blaming the players. That’s on him.
+ Is he the issue with the defense? The defense is his responsibility. “I have to do a better job.” The kids prepared well and played hard. “It’s disappointing.”
+ Are they playing too many players? “We don’t believe we’re playing too many players.” He’s not going to put it on an individual player. It’s still early in the season and this is where you find your guys out. “We have good depth and good talent.”
+ Is he feeling heat? “I’m disappointed. That’s how I feel. I hate losing. You don’t come to Ohio State to get beat.”
+ Is being a coordinating too challenging for him? It’s his responsibility to make this defense better. They are actively doing that every time the defense comes off the field. “That’s frustrating when that doesn’t get done.”
+ It’s his responsibility to make sure his players play with proper leverage and technique.
+ The amount of plays run into the boundary was something Oregon probably hadn’t shown a good deal of.
+ The defensive structure in place has been a successful one. “I think we have to execute. We have to prepare.” “I will own all of it.”
+ “I love the scheme. I love the players.” He does not take this blessing lightly.
+ Does the scheme need to change? There is no question they have to do things differently, whatever that is.
