Everything Ohio State coach Ryan Day said about Miami, quarterback Julian Sayin and more at Cotton Bowl press conference

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ohio State coach Ryan Day addressed nan media on pinch Miami coach Mario Cristobal up of nan Cotton Bowl connected Wednesday night.

Day and his squad made their third-straight travel to nan Cotton Bowl, and this time, it will beryllium successful nan College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Miami.

Here’s everything Day said astatine nan media time property conference:

• Favorite 2025 Ohio State Buckeyes photos from cleveland.com photographer David Petkiewicz
• Previewing Ohio State vs. Miami successful nan 2025 Cotton Bowl: Buckeye Talk podcast
• Meet Ohio State’s 2 starting options astatine correct defender for nan College Football Playoff quarterfinal vs. Miami
• Former Ohio State adjunct Chip Kelly is returning to nan Big Ten

• On crippled preparation: “We had to person a scheme successful spot for this time. I thought we were very circumstantial connected what we wanted to get done. We needed players and coaches to each beryllium bought successful to really we want to attack this...I deliberation believe has been efficient, our mentation has been efficient. But now we request to proceed to do that arsenic we caput into this game.”
• On backmost Julian Sayin wining Freshman Of The Year, he said that it’s bully to spot him get recognized for what he’s done. “You tin spot nan growth, really accelerated from nan first crippled to wherever he’s gone.” He said he’s sewage a batch of shot up of him, and a immense ceiling.
• On managing a squad erstwhile location are truthful galore distractions during a vessel game: “When you get guys into nan routine, they’re capable to attraction and ore much connected their preparation.”
• On correct defender Gabe VanSickle if he gets nan start: “You deliberation astir past twelvemonth astatine this clip and wherever we were, Luke Montgomery is simply a awesome illustration of that...Gabe, whose continually gotten amended each week. So, he should person confidence.” He said that nan squad has assurance that he’ll do his job.
• On Brian Hartline and wherever he’ll beryllium located during nan game, Day said that Hartline will beryllium connected nan section and tight ends coach Keenan Bailey will beryllium up successful nan property box. “Everybody’s progressive successful nan play-calling, yet I’ll person nan past say.”
• On really Sayin has grown, he said that each clip he gets a caller experience, he gets a different perspective. “When you play nan backmost position, that’s a large portion of it. You can’t substitute experience. When you don’t make nan aforesaid correction twice, and you study quickly, it gives you nan champion chance for growth.”
• On nan early of recruiting successful South Florida for Ohio State: “South Florida has awesome players, awesome talent, awesome precocious schoolhouse programs, truthful we ever want to bring successful nan champion talent we perchance can.” He credited Cristobal arsenic having done a awesome occupation recruiting that area, and that nan scenery of recruiting is wholly different from what he said. He added that stableness is simply a cardinal correct now, successful position of what’s sustainable.
• Day said that nan size, and talent, are awesome pinch Miami. “Talent is 1 thing, but nan measurement they play is different...They’re arsenic bully arsenic anybody successful nan country. And it starts pinch nan guys up beforehand and goes to nan back-end.”
• On nan effect of protect coordinator Matt Patricia, he said it began pinch building spot successful nan building. “Matt is simply a bully man, he’s a bully dad, he’s a bully husband, he really dives into nan players, dives into relationships pinch guys connected staff.” He added his NFL acquisition was portion of why they brought him into nan program.
• On nan elder class, and their information coming disconnected past year, Day said they person a young squad but quickly realized it was a mature squad that grew into nan role. “They made it beautiful clear 10 months agone they wanted to make history.”
• On really Day thinks Sayin has done delivering nan shot quickly, he said that Miami has done a awesome occupation putting things together to get aft nan quarterback. “We person to proceed to beryllium who we ware and beryllium aggressive, but we person to understand what we’re up against.”
• What it’s meant to person Bailey connected staff, Day said that stableness is much important than ever and having continuity connected your unit is much important than ever. “He’s nan first feline successful nan building, he’s nan past feline to leave.”
• On nan title astatine kicker, and if Jayden Fielding will still beryllium nan starter, Day confirmed that will beryllium nan case.
• On nan assurance that of a new-look play-calling successful nan CFP, he said that it’s based connected acquisition successful nan past and headed into nan playoff, up to this point.
• When asked astir unsung heroes for Ohio State, Day said tight extremity Will Kacmarek has done a batch of soiled activity for them, and cornerback Davison Igbinosun changed nan civilization of nan secondary erstwhile he sewage here. “He has had a awesome effect connected our program.”
• On Igbinosun and really he helped alteration nan civilization of nan secondary, “Just nan measurement he goes astir his business each day. The measurement he competes each time successful practice...He doesn’t backmost down to anybody.” He said you want a secondary that’s built that way.
• When asked astir a 2003 crippled erstwhile some he and Cristobal were adjunct coaches, Day laughed that he didn’t retrieve that game. “A batch of that clip was a blur. You person a batch going connected erstwhile you’re a young coach.”

Andrew Gillis covers Ohio State shot and recruiting for Cleveland.com. He provides updates connected Ohio State shot arsenic a whole, its prospects and nan Buckeyes each week. He antecedently covered nan Bengals for...