Ohio State coach Ryan Day expressed frustration with his team’s self-inflicted mistakes during their 28-14 victory over Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Buckeyes allowed five drives to get away from them due to penalties and a turnover, including two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
Day blamed the issues on the team’s inability to control emotions, saying running back TreVeyon Henderson’s penalty was “all about emotion.” Day also criticized the team’s execution, particularly in sustaining drives and connecting on plays. The Buckeyes’ star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was held to one catch for 3 yards against Texas, which surprised many considering his previous performances.
Day emphasized that the focus for the national championship game against Notre Dame is to avoid self-inflicted mistakes and execute better. He assured that starting cornerback Denzel Burke will be ready to play after missing the second half of the semifinal due to an injury. With efficiency being crucial, Day believes the Buckeyes must persevere through penalties if they want to win the title.
Source: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/43384748/ohio-state-lamenting-self-inflicted-wounds-offense