What Ryan Day and Ohio State had to say about Chase Young after the Buckeyes’ win over Maryland

>>READ MORE: Chase Young in limbo as NCAA rules await updating

Young had a nation’s-best 13.5 sacks entering the weekend, but he was unable to attempt to add to that total after the revelation of a personal loan he received last year from someone he termed a family friend.

The Athletic reported late Friday night Young's indefinite suspension stems from Young borrowing money to fly his girlfriend to California for the Rose Bowl in December and that the money had been paid back.

Before Day took the mic, team spokesman Jerry Emig said there would be nothing to add to the statement the team released Friday morning announcing Young is out as a matter from 2018 is investigated.

"I do want to say regarding reports earlier today we were hopeful for four games — we don't have any expectations right now regarding numbers of games that will be missed," Emig said, apparently referencing a report by ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit on Saturday morning.

Herbstreit is a former Ohio State quarterback from Centerville.

“That report was incorrect,” Emig said. “We don’t have expectations for the numbers of games. The process is ongoing and we are hopeful for a resolution in the near future.”

Without Young, Ohio State’s defense did not miss a beat.

The Buckeyes still logged seven sacks, including one from true freshman Zach Harrison and two by sophomore Tyreke Smith. The duo started in place of Young and Jonathon Cooper, a senior defensive end who is injured.

“You know, nobody flinched and I think they all wanted to show this is a team,” Day said. “This is a defensive line unit that is more than just one person and I think they really had their chest out and played with an edge. They had something to prove, and any time our guys come out with something to prove, we’re dangerous.”

Day did not address Young’s case, but he was fairly candid about how the team is handling his absence.

“I don't think we overthink it,” Day said. “Chase is dealing with a situation that we're all supporting him with, and once we get some clarity on what's going on, we'll go from there. But until then, we focus on the team the best we can.

“And one thing about football that's different than almost any sport, a guy can roll an ankle or hurt himself or get a concussion at any point and another guy has to step up. It's not like you don't have the mentality of the next guy up in football. You do. And so that's what we're going to do. And we're supporting him, and he's supporting us. And we're going to get through it together and he knows we have his back. And that's important.”

Day also denied his decision to pull a surprise (and successful) onside kick in the first quarter had anything to do with the Young situation.

Young is a Maryland native who was heavily recruited by the Terps — and just about every other school in the country, including current Maryland head coach Mike Locksley, who was then an assistant at Alabama.

“No, nothing like that at all. Nope. That wasn't anything, other than just we're always going to be aggressive in the first half,” Day said.

“I feel like when you're playing the first half of any game, anything could happen in the second half. So you do the best you can to be aggressive. And then if it gets out of hand in the second half, then you're smart about tempo.

“You're smart about maybe taking shots, especially in the fourth quarter, and you want to run the ball and show respect. I thought we did that. I thought we ran the ball and kind of played slow in the second half. By no means would I ever try to run up the score at all. It's just we're letting our guys play. No, that would be completely out of line.”