Another Big Ten road matchup looms for Ohio State, with a trip to Piscataway, New Jersey to face Rutgers on tap for Saturday.
In his unofficial kickoff to game week, Ryan Day took to the airwaves on 97.1 The Fan’s Buckeye Roundtable show to discuss the team’s recovery from a road night game, the importance of depth late in the season and the difference TreVeyon Henderson makes on offense.
Day opened his segment by saying that Ohio State needs to continue building as November begins. “Big week of practice and another big challenge going on the road Saturday.” On how important it was to get TreVeyon Henderson back: “You can see when Trey’s in there, we’re a different offense. … Also in the passing game. He’s a mismatch against linebackers … you can see what’s there. Takes a little pressure off Marv, really helps our offensive line.”
On why Rutgers is playing its best football in some time this season: “They’re another year into their system on defense. … I think they’re more comfortable on offense.” Day feels the Scarlet Knights’ ground game is the top thing the Buckeyes’ defense will have to prepare for. “Every week you try to identify how they’re going to attack you, and this week they’re going to run the football and try to equate the numbers with the quarterback run. … We have to be efficient in this game because we know that they’re going to try to run the foot
Ohio State is going to “need” its depth as injuries, bumps and bruises start to accumulate toward the end of the season. “You’re seeing some guys step up and step in for guys that are either injured or hurt.” On recovering after getting back from a road night game at 3 a.m., as Ohio State did after it played Wisconsin: “The bottom line is nobody cares. That’s just life, you’ve got to move on … it takes a couple days. We talked to the guys on Sunday, ‘Get to bed early. Force yourself to go to bed early.’
