Ryan Day Shares What To Expect From Ohio State in Week 1 Against Ball State

Ohio State will open the season against Ball State on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Ohio Stadium.

Ahead of the season opener, Ryan Day previewed what to expect from the Buckeyes in Week 1.

Both backup quarterbacks could see action

There is still no clear backup quarterback behind Julian Sayin. Day said Tavien St. Clair and Luke Fahey will continue splitting second-team reps this week, and the game against Ball State could provide more clarity on who ultimately earns the backup job.

“If we can get them both reps in the game, we’ll try to do that,” Day said. “We’ll just kinda see how the game goes.”

Day is pleased with where Sayin stands heading into game week. He said the captain has improved his movement, accuracy, release, understanding of the offense, and communication, calling it “incremental improvements across the board.”

Day expects a physical, balanced offense

While the offense has received positive reviews throughout training camp, Day said game action will ultimately establish its identity.

That identity will include a physical run game. Bo Jackson will lead the backfield, but Ohio State has several other options in sophomore Isaiah West, transfer Ja'Kobi Jackson, and freshman Legend Bey.

“We talked a lot about our ability to get to the second level and turn 10, 12-yard runs into big runs,” Day said. “We've put a lot of work into that.”

Bey will begin the season at running back, although there is potential for his role to expand in the future as a wide receiver.

“We felt like it was important for him to learn one position instead of trying to do both and not really mastering one,” Day said. “So he's learning every day how to become a backer, and there's a lot that comes with that. But I think we all recognize that when you can get the ball in space to Legend, good things are gonna happen. So it's our job to continue to develop him.”

Day wants a ‘clean operation’ in Week 1

With the Buckeyes as 50-point favorites, Day's focus is on playing clean football. Limiting penalties is something he has preached throughout camp, and that remains a top priority.

“We can control everything that happens before the snap,” Day said. “So whether it's procedural things, alignments, communication, we gotta be great at all the things before the snap. And then we gotta play with great fundamentals, take care of the football, and then be smart post-snap. We can't have any disciplinary issues like that. We can't have substitution issues.”

For Day, the season opener is an opportunity for the Buckeyes to establish an identity of playing hard, tough, and smart football before turning their attention to Texas in Week 2.

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