COLUMBUS, Ohio – Throughout camp there appears to be one focus that has risen above the rest for the 2019 Buckeyes: toughness.

There is no debating the talent of this rendition of Ohio State football, but until the team goes into battle and is faced with adversity, the resiliency and fight of the team will remain unknown.

In hopes of preparing his team to respond successfully in moments of hardship, Ryan Day has been employing a strategy of tough love.

“I think when you preach love as much as we've preached as a coaching staff, I think the toughness is the other part of that,” Day said. “This is a tough, tough game.”

Football and toughness go hand in hand, and as teams continue a movement toward being fast and flashy, the need to be tough is as important as ever.

“The toughness part, I think that's what it's going to come down to in the end because I think we're athletic, fast, a good-looking team, but in the end it's going to come down to toughness,” Day said.

Looking back to last season, the second-ranked Buckeyes rolled into West Lafayette (Ind.) to take on the unranked Boilermakers. Now October 20, 2018 is a day most Ohio State fans try to forget, but the breakdowns defensively and inability to punch the ball into the end zone early plagued the more-talented Buckeyes and proved that there were areas that needed to be fixed.

A well-executed scheme from Purdue and mental mistakes by Ohio State definitely contributed to the outcome that night, but the more physical team that night was not wearing scarlet and gray.

That being said, this team is not last years team. With coaching and player changes, there seems to be a new energy to this team, but that does not mean the expectations have changed.

A challenging road schedule will present the Buckeyes with plenty of adversity throughout the season. The response of Day’s squad will be something that could make or break the team’s season, but it is something that everyone will be waiting to see.

“There's going to be tough games on the road. There's going to be tough spots. Maybe it's really hot out. Maybe late in the season, it's a cold game in the rain; how tough are we really going to be?” Day said.

In order to successfully navigate this season, Day knows the importance of instilling the right mindset in camp.

“Our team has got to fight. We've been carrying the message, try not to change it and stay focused on those, and the guys are embracing it.” Day noted. “I think we are tougher than we were practice one and we've got to keep building on it.”

On the defensive side, the Buckeyes have a lot to prove. In the history of Ohio State football, a staple of championship-caliber teams has been a hard-nosed defense.

Day seems to know the importance of this as his goal for the unit is lofty but clear.

“That's been a huge emphasis pulling on defenses to be the toughest defense in the country and toughest defense in the Big Ten,” Day said.

With the season only a few weeks away, Day will soon learn the true makeup of his team. The new-look Buckeyes will strive to instill some old mantras in order to successfully compete.

In the end though, football is a fight, and the last man standing will prevail.

“You know, when you're a heavyweight boxer, you have to fight every day.” Day said. “Someone is trying to knock you out and you have to come swinging. You can't show up without our hands up. You have to be ready to roll from the first snap and you also have to learn to take a punch.”