“There were some pieces we felt like we needed to get coming out of this,” Day said Wednesday. “Did we get everything? Did we get the whole wish list? No, but we got a lot of things covered.
“Now it’s on to the next phase of putting this roster together.”
Here are five takeaways from Day’s last press conference before Christmas and heading to Texas for the Cotton Bowl:
1. Larry Johnson will return as defensive line coach.
Johnson is perhaps the most accomplished defensive line coach in college football history, but after more than four decades in the business, competitors have reportedly started to lure recruits away from Ohio State by telling them Johnson will retire before their careers are complete.
“It’s funny — guys have brought that up over the years in recruiting, but he’s young in terms of his approach every day,” Day said. “He’s got a lot of energy and he wants to continue to coach. The guys in the room love him.
“He’a still got a lot of energy when it comes to coaching, and he has a passion for coaching. His wisdom and experience are the best in the country, and our guys know that and people certainly recognize that in recruiting.”
Day had no update on other potential staff changes.
2. Recruiting is the No. 1 thing he looks for in an assistant coach.
“You’ve got to recruit your position,” Day said. “It’s your job. You’re the head coach at your position. You’ve got to make sure that room is strong year in and year out.
“The second thing is how they how they perform on the field. What type of production are you getting out of your unit? And then a big part of that is the development. You’re recruiting really well, and then you’re developing your players. Then usually you’re going to get production.
“Then the last thing is just what are you bringing schematically to the table? Are you putting your guys in a situation to be successful? And that’s our job as coaches.”
3. Damarion Witten could be more than a tight end.
Every year, Ohio State signs highly-rated recruiting classes full of players who are considered to be among the best in the country at their various positions, so it can be easy to become numb to just who is part of the class.
But Day said something ear-catching about Damarion Witten, a tight end from Cleveland Glenville.
“He is listed as a tight end, but he can do a lot of things,” Day said, noting he played receiver in a recent all-star game.
“He had three touchdowns and was the MVP. He is really dynamic out on the perimeter.”
Beyond that, Day relayed longtime Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr., who has sent multiple future NFL players to Ohio State, telling him Witten could potentially the best receiver in the country.
“And when he said that, you kind of take a step back, but you’re seeing exactly what he’s talking about.
“He’s gonna have to grow into playing tight end if that’s where he ends up getting down in there, but you can do multiple things with Demarion.”
4. The Cotton Bowl will be Devin Brown’s game.
The redshirt freshman is going to start at quarterback for the Buckeyes after Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal earlier this month.
That could give him a big leg up in the competition with current true freshman Lincoln Kienholz to replace McCord next season.
“Fired up to see the way Devin’s been practicing the last few weeks,” Day said. “It’s been great for him now that he’s healthy. His ankle is feeling better, and it’s kind of like, ‘OK, take this thing and run’ and see how the next couple of weeks go in terms of the way he handles himself. Excited that he’s going to be able to play in this game, and then we’ll just go from there.”
Day opted not to say much else about McCord, who announced he plans to finish his career at Syracuse.
5. The roster is still in flux.
Who else is in the lineup when Brown takes the first snap against Missouri on Dec. 29 remains to be seen, and the same can be said for which draft-eligible juniors will put off the NFL Draft for one more year in scarlet and gray.
A handful, including defensive linemen Jack Sawyer and Tyleik Williams, receiver Emeka Egbuka, offensive linemen Donovan Jackson and Josh Fryar and defensive backs Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock, have said they will suit up against the Tigers, but Day did not offer any more information.
“We have an opportunity to have a really good group come back next year,” Day said.
COTTON BOWL
Friday, Dec. 29
Ohio State vs. Missouri, 8 p.m., ESPN, 1410
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