Knowles mum on his spot for Saturday
First-year Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles declined to reveal whether he will call the Buckeyes' defense from the sideline or the press box coaches' booth this fall.
Knowles at first put off addressing the question, expressing no preference for his play-calling perch.
“I prefer what works best,” Knowles said. “I have done both. That's still under discussion. Maybe I'll do a half up, a half down.”
When asked further about whether he was surprised the situation hadn't been sorted out only four days before kickoff, Knowles stalled no more, leveling with the room of reporters.
“I've got it worked out,” he said. “I'm just not telling you.”
Matt Barnes and Kerry Coombs, the defense play-callers in the previous two seasons under Day, did so from the sidelines, while defensive co-coordinator Jeff Hafley was upstairs in 2019.
Changing sideline signals
Coach Ryan Day said his staff would “change things up” with their sideline signals with Al Washington now the defensive line coach at Notre Dame.
Washington was the linebackers coach for the Buckeyes for the past three seasons before he was let go in January.
“Al did an unbelievable job when he was here,” Day said, “and he's a good friend of mine. I have nothing but respect for him. He'll have those guys charged up. But certainly he knows a lot about this program and what we do, so we definitely have to be aware of that.”
Running back rotation
Treveyon Henderson will be up first
in Ohio State's running back rotation, followed by Miyan Williams.
Day said the Buckeyes will lean on both of them against Notre Dame.
“They both had very good camps, and we're going to get both in this game,” Day said. “They have really done a great job in three areas. They've done a good job of running the football, and they've done a good job in the pass game and done a good job in protection.”
Freshman Dallan Hayden, the other of Ohio State's three healthy scholarship backs after Evan Pryor suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier this month, could also appear.
Mccord will be backup QB
Sophomore Kyle Mccord is beginning the season as the backup quarterback.
Day said Mccord is ahead of freshman Devin Brown for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
“Going into this first one, Kyle just has a little bit more experience, understands the offense a little bit more, has a little bit more under his belt,” Day said. “We feel like, if we need to, he would be the guy.”
Mccord started last season when Stroud rested his injured right throwing for the Buckeyes' final non-conference game against Akron. In the 59-7 rout of the Zips, he completed 13 of 18 passes for 319 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Brown enrolled a semester early earlier this year to join the program for spring practice.
“We'll see where it goes,” Day said. “Those guys got to show up every day, compete and get better. In Devin's defense, he's been here for about seven months, and Kyle's ahead of him right now because of his experience.”