What Ryan Day said before Ohio State football opens Big Ten play at Michigan State

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nonconference play for Ohio State football is over, and coach Ryan Day’s urgency reflects it.

The Buckeyes open their Big Ten slate on Saturday at Michigan State. Not only is it OSU’s first conference game, it also marks the Buckeyes’ debut away from Ohio Stadium this year.

“Going on the road against a conference opponent is a big deal,” Day said. “Everything’s got to ramp up.”

The Spartans are 3-1. They’re coming off a loss at Boston College on Saturday — the first defeat under new coach Jonathan Smith.

“You can tell they’re well-coached,” Day said. “I think he’s upgraded in a lot of areas, and he’s doing a great job.”

Here’s everything Day said before the trip to East Lansing, Michigan.

What Ryan Day said before Ohio State vs. Michigan State

• Day on the offensive line: “They’re getting to the next level better… You’re seeing pad level lower. Guys are rocking off the ball.”
• Day on the rotation at right guard with Tegra Tshabola and Austin Siereveld: “Both those guys deserve to play… We’ll continue to evaluate it and grade.”
• Tshabola is the starter still, but Siereveld will play as well moving forward.
• Day said receiver and kick returner Jayden Ballard tweaked something in terms of an injury. It’s not expected to be a long-term issue.
• Day isn’t concerned about not playing close games so far because he has a veteran roster that has collected experience in various scenarios.
• Day on backup quarterback Devin Brown: “The development has to keep coming in practice.”
• Brown is still the backup, but there’s an active competition for that spot.
• Day on receiver Carnell Tate: “He’s carving out his own legacy here… He’s becoming a complete football player and also a leader.”
• Day on quarterback Will Howard on throws down the field: “He can make them all. He’s done it in practice.”
• Day was asked about the tight end rotation. He said, “I think the tight end position here is critically important because it can put a lot of stress on a defense in different ways… All those different things can really create a mismatch for us.”
• The first time Day met running backs coach Carlos Locklyn was on a Zoom call while searching for Tony Alford’s replacement. Locklyn quickly took over the meeting and left little doubt for Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
• Day on the evaluation of the defensive line against Marshall: “It was a mixed bag.”
• Day on Ohio State’s running game: “We’re building confidence in it.”