The Buckeyes have landed in Los Angeles for their big game against the USC Trojans. As Ohio State prepares for its upcoming clash, Ryan Day is making sure his players are both mentally and physically ready for the challenge.
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“Best Fridays in football are really about being focused when it’s time to get focused,” Day said on WBNS 10TV on October 29. “But also relaxing with your teammates and your friends, because there’s a mental fatigue that can kick in if you’re not careful. So these guys want to be great, and they spend a lot of time preparing, focusing on meetings and walkthroughs, but also enjoying each other’s company.”
Ryan Day understands the pressure that comes with road games, and on top of that, this one will be without their starting QB, Julian Sayin. So when the Buckeyes are traveling, he puts heavy emphasis on the Fridays to calm their nerves.
The Ohio State head coach even keeps a simple routine for his players on Friday before the game. The players are allowed to sleep in a little and have breakfast.
As for the team meetings, they will begin at noon local time so the team can get used to the time difference and settle into the new schedule. Of course, their day won’t be complete without a visit to the field before they kick off their best Fridays.
While the players might be able to enjoy some relaxation time, the same can’t be said for the coaching staff. Sayin injured his right arm during Ohio State’s game against Indiana after being hit while attempting a pass. Day has not given a recovery timeline. However, the injury could keep Sayin out for the remainder of the season. The change in strategy was inevitable.
“Anytime you go on the road, you have to pack your toughness,” Day said in the same interview. “You have to pack the run game, and you have to stop the run. I mean, that’s always been like that since the beginning of time, but I think just across the board, we all have to step up; we all have to rally around a young quarterback and do our job at a high level, coaches and players included.”
Day has been a little secretive about whether Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair would get snaps this week. “We’re going to play the guy that gives us the best chance to win,” Day said.
Fahey has been the QB2 so far and even saw some action after Sayin was injured. Fahey finished the game with 0-for-2 passes, but he still ran for eight yards instead of throwing the ball when they were facing second-and-28. “Next man up,” Jeremiah Smith said after the Indiana game.
Fahey won the backup QB battle against St. Clair during preseason and has completed 9 of 13 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. In all likelihood, we’re going to see Fehey take on a USC that is coming off a road loss.
The good thing for Ohio State is that their defense remains elite. But the Trojans’ strength is on offense, which got tested last week against Wisconsin in a 7-24 loss. At 6-2, another loss will be the final nail in the coffin for USC’s chance to make the playoffs. More importantly, it may also just put an end to Lincoln Riley’s tenure at the program.