Following Ohio State’s 14-3 loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, Ryan Day conducted a press conference at AT&T Stadium to assess the Buckeyes’ performance in the defeat.
In a Q&A session comprising 17 questions, Day attributed Ohio State’s loss to their failure in relieving the pressure on Lincoln Kienholz, who stepped in for Devin Brown after the latter, a 6-foot-3, 214-pound quarterback, suffered a high ankle sprain in the first quarter. Day commended the defensive players for their efforts but acknowledged that the overall team performance fell short of their objectives. He highlighted plans for a thorough evaluation of coaching staff and roster adjustments before the 2024 season.
Summarizing Day’s remarks:
– Regarding Ohio State’s quarterback situation after the game: Day emphasized the challenging circumstances Lincoln faced and expressed disappointment in the lack of support provided to the younger player by the team’s offensive line. He stressed the difficulty in assessing Lincoln’s performance due to the team’s inability to establish a solid running game.
– On the team’s performance and the defensive efforts: Day praised the defense but lamented the inability to synchronize offense and defense effectively, leading to the loss.
– Day’s message to the team post-loss: He acknowledged the effort of some players but reiterated the team’s failure to support the younger players adequately. He emphasized the unsatisfactory nature of concluding the season with two losses, not meeting Ohio State’s standards.
– Addressing the aftermath of Brown’s injury: Day confirmed Brown’s high ankle sprain, which prevented his return to the game.
– Thoughts on potential changes, including transfer quarterback acquisitions: Day expressed the need to evaluate multiple aspects for the team’s future and stated intentions to scrutinize every possibility for improvement, including potential transfers.
– Analyzing the special teams’ performance: Day highlighted both positive and negative aspects, emphasizing room for improvement.
– Evaluation of the quarterback situation in 2023: Day admitted the complexity of evaluating the quarterback room’s performance due to various factors, including limited game time for certain players.
– Insights on Devin Brown’s attitude and performance: Day praised Brown’s determination and positive attitude despite the injury, acknowledging his talent and character as a teammate.
– Plans for evaluating and potentially reshaping the offensive staff: Day stressed the necessity of assessing every aspect that contributes to winning games, implying potential adjustments to the offensive staff.
Overall, Day’s press conference highlighted the challenges faced during the game, acknowledging areas that need improvement and hinting at potential changes to ensure Ohio State’s success in future seasons.
