Buckeyes HC Ryan Day makes strong confession about Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers ahead of the Cotton Bowl

On January 10th, Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes will face off in an exciting matchup in the CFP semifinals. Additionally, the winner of this game will be crowned Cotton Bowl champions. Familiar faces will be going head-to-head as Ryan Day will meet an old acquaintance, Quinn Ewers, who once played under his guidance.

Day is well aware of the qualities of the current starting quarterback for the Longhorns and even lamented his departure at the time. In a recent conversation with the media ahead of this crucial game, the coach confessed his feelings upon learning of Ewers’ move to Texas.

“He always had a great attitude. You could see the talent. Certainly, didn’t want to see him leave, but we knew he was going to be a special player,” Day said. “He’s had a great career at Texas. A lot of people here still have good relationships with him and think the world of him.”

In addition to that, the coach recalled Ewers’ early steps as a player in College Football and slowly began to see the great talent in the quarterback.

Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on prior to the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field on November 16, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

“I saw a young boy at the time who just had a tremendous release,” Day also added. “I remember grabbing him and grabbing his dad and said, ‘Man, you’ve got a bright future ahead of you. I don’t know if this is good or bad, but we’re going to offer you a scholarship to Ohio State.‘”

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HC Day reveals mindset ahead of Cotton Bowl

The Buckeyes‘ path throughout the season was one of progress, with outstanding performances in the last two playoff games. Will Howard and his teammates dominated both the Volunteers and the Ducks, earning a well-deserved spot in the Cotton Bowl.

Asked by the press about the upcoming game against the Texas Longhorns, Ryan Day was clear, stating that they need to stay focused on the process that has brought them to this point in the tournament.

“Just a couple of weeks ago, I don’t think too many people believed in this team. Now, the sentiment is changing. That can’t affect how we go to work every day. It has nothing to do with how we prepare in this game. We’ve got to stay focused on our process and continue to do what we’ve been doing the past couple of weeks.”

The Big Ten could land a player from the Buckeyes

The transfer portal continues to generate movement in College Football, and while the Buckeyes are still in full competition, they are not exempt from player departures or arrivals.

Offensive lineman Zen Michalski made headlines in recent hours as he decided to enter the transfer portal, looking for new opportunities with another program. With limited playing time, his immediate future seems to be linked to the Indiana Hoosiers.

National college football reporter for @cbssports/@247sports Matt Zenitz confirmed the information through his X (formerly Twitter) account: “Former Ohio State offensive tackle Zen Michalski is expected to transfer to Indiana, @chris_hummer and I have learned. Michalski, who is repped by @APSportsAgency, had stepped into the starting lineup for Ohio State this year prior to suffering an injury.”