Day previews showdown, talks quarterbacks

COLUMBUS – Ohio State never really was on Texas quarterback Arch Manning's recruiting radar, the Buckeyes' coach Ryan Day said Tuesday during his press conference previewing No. 2 OSU's game against No. 1 Texas on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Day liked Manning's talent. "He checks every box," he said. But it was clear from early in his recruitment he was going to follow the family tradition and, like his grandfather Archie, uncles Peyton and Eli, and his father Cooper, play for a team in the South. Archie Manning and Eli Manning played at Ole Miss and Cooper Manning went to Ole Miss but a medical condition ended his career. Peyton Manning went to Tennessee., Day said Ohio State had "very little" contact with Manning during his recruitment. "I think they (the Manning family) had their minds set up that they wanted to play down South," he said. "We did a little bit here and there with his dad, Cooper, but not a whole bunch. He kind of had his mind set." Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama and Georgia were the leaders of the pack trying to sign Manning. Clemson and Virginia also made strong efforts. "I have the utmost respect for the Manning family," Day said. "Archie is just an unbelievable ambassador for the game (of college football). Eli and Peyton, I can't say enough about who they are, as ambassadors for the game, as gentlemen and obviously as tremendous players. Arch is a great player with a tremendous future ahead of him." Some other thoughts from Day: … INSTRUCTIONS FOR SAYIN: Day reached back to Al Davis' just win mantra when asked what he wanted from redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin in his first college start in one of the biggest games of the season. "The message is just win, find a way to win. I think when you start setting expectations you can get yourself out of wack. We're going to take it one play at a time," Day said. "He's got a good group of guys around him. He's got a good defense, good special teams, a good offensive line and skill guys. "I think he needs to lean into those players and find a way to win the game. We've seen him every day get more confident, more and more comfortable in what we're trying to do." … DANIELS MAKES AN IMPRESSION: When offensive tackle Phillip Daniels transferred to OSU from Minnesota, where he had only four career starts, it didn't create a stir. And when preseason practice began he was viewed as a back-up by many people. But the 6-5, 315-pound junior from Cincinnati Princeton, could get significant playing time at right tackle in the opener against Texas. Day didn't commit to Daniels being a starter but said he will play "a lot." "I think we're going to kind of leave that towards the end of the week and we'll let the week play out, let these guys compete. Certainly Phil will play a lot," Day said. "Whether we rotate or not, we'll decide, but he's had a really good preseason and he's ready to play." … PRACTICING EVERYTHING: Day said the Buckeyes played a mock game last Saturday which included things like how to handle TV timeouts, singing Carmen Ohio in front of the south grandstand and singing the fight song in the locker room. "We've done mock games before but that was the most detailed because 1.) just because of the inexperience of our team and 2.) what's coming with this game. … IS SMITH DUE?: When Ohio State beat Texas 28-14 in a College Football Playoff semifinal last season the Longhorns' defense held Jeremiah Smith to 1 catch for 3yards by double teaming him and running a third defender at him. Day said obviously OSU wants Smith to get more opportunities Saturday than he had last season against Texas but that those opportunities should come within the overall game plan. "The goal is not to get a certain player a certain amount of touches, it's to win the game," he said. "In order to win the game certain guys have to touch the ball. When Jeremiah is touching the ball lots of good things happen. It's our job to make sure that's happening. But at the same time we have to make sure we win the game and go from there." DEFENSIVE TACKLES UPDATE: The interior of Ohio State's defensive line has been a question mark since the end of last season. Day said five players – Kayden McDonald, Eddrick Houston, Will Smith Jr., Tywone Malone and Jarquez Carter – will rotate at those two positions against Texas "I feel like we've developed some depth there. I feel like we've made progress at that position. Now they've got to go play and put it on the field against a really good front. Whether it's game one or down the road these guys are going to help us," Day said.