Ryan Day didn’t dance around the biggest question from Ohio State’s loss to Texas. Looking back at the 24-23 defeat, he said the Buckeyes probably should have let the Longhorns score on that final drive rather than try to stonewall them at the goal line.
“Well, it didn’t work, so the answer is yes,” Day said Tuesday.
That moment came after Texas had marched to the 1-yard line on a 19-yard catch with 1:23 left. Day had to choose between conceding the touchdown and giving Ohio State more than a minute to chase a winning field goal, or trusting the defense to keep Texas out.
He went with the latter. Texas eventually scored on third down with 25 seconds remaining, leaving Ohio State precious little time to respond.
Day said after the game that the call came down to belief in his defense. On Tuesday, he made it clear the decision is going to stay with him.
“If we won the game, it would’ve been the right decision. But in the moment I think you have to make a hard decision, and I decided to try and hold the line,” Day said.
“I made the decision, talked it over with (defensive coordinator) Matt (Patricia), and that was the decision we made. We will have to think about it when it happens again.”
The Buckeyes also spent Tuesday sorting through how much more they can get from their younger players after a Week 1 game plan built around beating Texas first and figuring out the rest later.
Freshman cornerback Jay Timmons was one of the few young players who made a real imprint, logging 60 snaps according to Pro Football Focus. But several others barely got on the field. Freshman receivers Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd each played fewer than 15 snaps, while freshman defensive lineman Khary Wilder saw only four snaps, despite producing two pressures.
Day said that will change.
“Khary is a guy we have to find out ways to get them into the game,” Day said.
Second-year linebacker Riley Pettijohn is also expected to see more work, and Day said Ohio State’s young talent across all three phases - especially on offense and defense - should keep getting more opportunities as conference play approaches.
“We have some really good young players on all three phases, specifically offense and defense, that are going to play on both sides of the ball more often as we move into conference play,” Day said. “We looked at it like, ‘We have this game here Week 2. We do everything we can to win that game and move on from there.’”
Day also addressed two fourth-down calls that drew plenty of attention. He confirmed that while Arthur Smith is now running the offense, those decisions still run through him.
Before the game, Day told Smith he wanted to be aggressive on fourth-and-3 or shorter early. That approach showed up in the second quarter when Ohio State faced fourth-and-2 from the Texas 12. The Buckeyes lined up in 13 personnel with three tight ends and one receiver, then ran inside with Ja’Kobi Jackson and got stopped at the line.
Later, with Ohio State ahead 20-3 and facing fourth-and-4 from the Texas 39 on the opening drive of the second half, Day chose a pooch punt instead of keeping the drive alive. Joe McGuire’s punt traveled 26 yards and sent Texas back to its own 13.
“I felt like we could pin them in,” Day said. “I don’t think we did a very good job executing the pooch punt.”
That decision didn’t sit well with plenty of Ohio State fans, especially with an offense that had already been in the red zone on its previous five drives and featured a returning quarterback, Jeremiah Smith at receiver and plenty of other weapons. Day said he still believes the Buckeyes can control games on offense, but he also drew a clear line on execution.
“Either we have to execute that better, or we have to go for it. That’s the bottom line,” Day said.
“I still think Joe can do a better job of it. We’ll work on it again today.
If it gets to the point where we aren’t executing it well enough, then we have to make other decisions.”
Day also offered an injury update after Ohio State lost two starters in the Texas game: defensive end Zion Grady and right tackle Phillip Daniels. He said neither injury is expected to be long-term, and he hopes both players will be available for Saturday’s game against Kent State.
In Other News...
Steve Sarkisians Two ESPN Interviews Have Texas Fans Saying The Same Thing
Steve Sarkisian left Columbus with a marquee win and, for Texas fans, a couple of television moments that were almost as memorable for how they unfolded as for what was said. During the Longhorns comeback against Ohio State, ESPN caught Sarkisian in two awkward sideline spots, first at halftime with Laura Rutledge and then again after the game with Holly Rowe, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how chaotic a big road win can feel in real time.
The halftime interview never really got going because of technical issues, and Rutledge later clarified what went wrong while noting Sarkisian handled the delay patiently. The postgame exchange took a different turn, ending abruptly when Sarkisian shouted and headed off to celebrate with his team, leaving Rowe with a visibly different reaction and plenty of attention on the contrast between the two interviews. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Weighed In As Holly Rowe Faced A Heartbreaking Week
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The timing only added to the unease around Texas after a viral AI-generated video depicted Steve Sarkisian slapping Rowe, coming on the heels of a real postgame moment when Sarkisian walked away from an interview with her. Arch Manning was asked about the controversy during a press conference and later apologized for his reaction, a reminder of how quickly an ugly online moment can spill into the wider conversation around the Longhorns. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Suddenly Has A Coaching Issue Hanging Over UTSA Week
A fresh off-field issue landed on Texas this week when co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen was arrested Wednesday evening on a misdemeanor DWI charge. Head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed the arrest and said the program is still gathering information while monitoring the situation, an unwelcome development as the Longhorns turn their attention to UTSA.
Nansen was not at practice after the arrest, and his status for the upcoming game remains unsettled. For a defense already in game-week preparation mode, the uncertainty adds another layer to a week that was supposed to be focused on cleanup and rhythm, not staffing questions on the sideline. [Read more 🡒]