Ohio State head coach Ryan Day (left) arrives at Kinnick Stadium before the Buckeyes take on No. 14 Iowa on Oct. 3, 2026. Credit: Liam Ahern | Managing Photo Editor.

Ohio State is coming off its first ranked and road win of the season against Iowa.?

The Buckeyes will now return to Ohio Stadium to face Maryland, where they will look to improve to 10-0 in the all-time series against the Terrapins.?

During head coach Ryan Day’s Tuesday press conference at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, he emphasized the importance for the Buckeyes to continue to improve, including on special teams and with their explosiveness in the run game.

Here are takeaways on the special teams and running back room from Day’s Tuesday press conference.

Seeking special teams improvement

Through its first five games of the season, Day evaluated Ohio State’s special teams performance.

“I don’t think I can sit here and say that we’ve improved in special teams right now,” Day said. “We need to play better and that’s everybody included.”

Day didn’t point the blame to new special teams coordinator Robby Discher, who was hired in the offseason.

“It’s not just Rob, Rob is the coordinator so he’s in charge, but I’m in every meeting, the coaches are in every meeting and we need to make sure that we’re getting better production out of the special teams,” Day said.

Day looked for improvement in a variety of aspects of the special teams, including kicking field goals, punting and returning kicks.

“When we look at the consistency of kicking field goals, [it’s] not good enough, when we look at our return yards, we need to be better just across the board and [when] we have an opportunity to pooch the ball inside the 10-yard line, that has to get done,” Day said. “It’s a challenge to everybody in the program.”?

Ohio State ranks 116th out of 138 Division I FBS teams in punt returns, with just four yards coming on two returns against Iowa.?

In the Buckeyes’ 31-14 win over Iowa, kicker Connor Hawkins made a 28-yard field goal, but missed a 40-yard field goal. Day highlighted how key making field goals are as the season progresses.?

“We have to keep looking and uncover all stones to get this addressed because we know it’s going to come down to one of these kicks again that we’ve got to make,” Day said.?

Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson competing in the running back room

Bo Jackson had started every game as running back through Ohio State’s first four games of the season.

That changed Saturday, when running back Ja’Kobi Jackson got his first start of the season and rushed for a team-high 72 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Bo Jackson, meanwhile, rushed for 70 yards on 16 carries.??

Day stressed why the two players should embrace the competition on the field.?

“The more these guys can again put pressure on each other and challenge each other along with the coaches, the better we’re going to be,” Day said.

Day used Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, the running backs on Ohio State’s 2024 national championship team, as a reference to how competition can be impactful.

“When Quinshon and TreVeyon were working together they were challenging each other every day, I think Quinshon really helped TreVeyon in a lot of ways and I think vice versa,” Day said. “Well, it’s the same thing here. Ja’Kobi’s coming in and I think he’s pushing Bo.”

Ohio State currently ranks seventh in rushing offense in the Big Ten.?

Day, who had challenged the Buckeyes’ running backs in previous weeks, evaluated the room after the Buckeyes’ win over Iowa.?

“I think our running game right now, when you look at the efficiency, is solid,” Day said. “But we want to be more explosive still. We want to create bigger runs, I think that they’re there to be had.”