Five things Ohio State football coach Ryan Day said at Big Ten media days
INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State coach Ryan Day’s turn at Big Ten media days came on Wednesday.
Speaking at the podium at Lucas Oil Stadium and in subsequent sessions with reporters, Day addressed the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback competition, play-calling responsibilities and other roster developments.
Quarterback competition continues
The starting quarterback competition between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown remains ongoing and tight.
“It’s a close battle for sure,” Day said, “and they’re both competing to play.”
Day said he considers it more competitive than ones in 2021 and 2019 that saw C.J. Stroud and Justin Fields emerge as the starters.
“Those were a little bit different,” Day said. “This one’s close. These guys are going to continue to battle. Kyle wants to be the starter. That’s why he hung around for three years, and Devin came to play as well.
“They have to do a great job of competing. We need that room to be great. This is one of the first times we have depth in that room.”
Both McCord and Brown will continue to see first-team reps when preseason training camp opens on Aug. 3 as they did in spring practice.
Though the competition remains close, Day is hopeful one of them emerges “pretty quickly” in the weeks ahead.
Brown missed the last week of spring practice, including the spring game, after fracturing the pinky finger on his right throwing hand. He resumed throwing in May.
“The only thing that Kyle has the edge has been that he’s been here for another year,” Day said, “so he’s got more reps under his belt. I’m interested in seeing what these first couple of weeks look like.”
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Play-calling responsibilities
Day continues to mull delegating play-calling responsibilities to Brian Hartline, the Buckeyes’ wide receivers coach who was promoted to offensive coordinator to replace Kevin Wilson in January.
He expects it to be conversation among them over the first two weeks of preseason camp.
“I certainly would like the opportunity for him to do some play-calling,” Day said. “How much? We've got to figure that part of it out. But we’ll get a feel for that as we get into August.
“The big thing about being an offensive coordinator isn’t just the play-calling, but the day-to-day organization of your staff, the corrections, the installs, the game plan. There are so many things that come with being a coordinator. One of the last things is play-calling. He’s working through that.”
Hartline called plays at various points in spring practice, including in the spring game in April.
Offensive tackle questions
The competitions at left tackle and right tackle also remain unsettled, Day said.
Josh Fryar, who was the top backup on the offensive line last season and started in place of Dawand Jones against Indiana last November, is perceived as the favorite.
The right side is especially wide open with the addition of San Diego State transfer Josh Simmons, who arrived after spring practice and joins a battle that began with Tegra Tshabola and Zen Michalski.
Simmons was the starting right tackle with the Aztecs last fall before transferring to Ohio State.
“He’s just getting here,” Day said. “We have to see him on the field. We see a lot of talent, but Ohio State is different. This is a different offense. Everything about it’s different. Though we’re encouraged by what we see. Tegra’s done some good things in the offseason.”
Not only did the Buckeyes look to address a position of need, but Day also said the Buckeyes were drawn to Simmons’ talent.
“We saw a lot of athleticism there and huge upside,” he said.
Simmons has three remaining seasons of eligibility.
Scholarship update
Offensive linemen Avery Henry and Grant Toutant have medically retired, bringing the Buckeyes down to the 85-man scholarship limit.
Henry was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in December and went through chemotherapy treatments over the follow months.
The cancer is in remission, but Day said Henry underwent a procedure that would “make it virtually impossible to play football.”
“He’s still a part of the program,” Day said. “He’s still with the team. He’s got a whole team behind him. We’re very, very proud of him for fighting.”
Day did not point to a specific issue that prompted Toutant’s medical retirement. Henry was a freshman last season, while Toutant had been with the Buckeyes since 2020.
Injury status
Walk-on receiver Reis Stocksdale will be sidelined until December as a result of a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Zak Herbstreit, a walk-on tight end and son of ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit who was hospitalized with a heart condition last month, is also out indefinitely.
But the rest of the Buckeyes’ players are all at full strength a week ahead of preseason camp and considered to be “full go” by Day.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at jkaufman@dispatch.com or on Twitter @joeyrkaufman.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What Ohio State football coach Ryan Day said at Big Ten media days
