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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Presser Bullets: Jeremiah Smith Played Through Quad Strain vs. Michigan, UCLA; Keenan Bailey is Spending More Time With Ohio State's Wideouts
Jeremiah Smith played through a quad strain at the end of the season but says he’s fully healthy now, and Keenan Bailey is spending more time with Ohio State's receivers.
Presser Bullets: Keenan Bailey is Spending More Time With Ohio State's Wideouts, Nicknames for Ohio State Offensive Linemen Include "Sicko Mode" and "Piggy"
QB Julian Sayin
- Sayin's dove into Miami film much more deeply since Saturday.
- On Miami's defense: "Well-coached ... tackle well, they cover well. They have a really good front seven."
- The Hurricanes have a fantastic pass rush. "Have to be extremely quick in your decision-making and can't be holding onto the ball forever."
- Ohio State's No. 1-ranked defense has given a great look to an offense trying to fix its issues that have appeared. "It's been challenging and they've brought the best out of us the past couple weeks."
- On what he learned from Will Howard's preparation for last year's CFP: "He was able to play his best football when it mattered the most. ... So that's definitely something we'll need to do going forward."
- Sayin said that it's been great to have Ryan Day in the quarterback room with a more hands-on approach to coaching during the layover before the CFP.
- On Jeremiah Smith: "Every week you see a guy who's really humble, but someone who works extremely hard. ... I'm excited for him in this matchup."
- On the process of setting pass protections pre-snap: "I think throughout the season, I've gained a lot more confidence in that area." He added that Carson Hinzman has been a big help in that area.
- Sayin has noted the high number of turnovers that Miami has forced this season. "It's gonna be important for us to take care of the football."
- On his gratitude for playing on this stage: "Just being a kid and playing the game I love. Growing up, I always wanted to play on the biggest stage. ... It's been awesome this season."
- On taking a season-high in sacks against Indiana: "A lot of it's on me, I can't hold onto the ball as long. ... So just being able to keep us on schedule and get us in the right play."
- Expanding more on his issue holding onto the ball too long, Sayin said he needs to be willing to take checkdowns more often.
TE Max Klare
- On Miami's defense: "They're really talented, they play really hard and they do a lot of things well."
- Klare said he transferred to Ohio State to play in these types of games. "This is what college football's all about."
- Klare said the Buckeyes aren't looking ahead to a potential national championship. "Right now it's just one game, that's all we got. It's a one-game season."
- On how Sayin boosts Ohio State's offense: "I think it's just the consistency that he brings on a daily basis. ... That's something that you really want in a quarterback."
- Klare said that Ohio State is an angry football team right now. "We have a lot to prove. We have a chip on our shoulder now."
- On how Sayin's grown throughout the year: "How comfortable he is back there ... he's just gotten even more comfortable throughout the season."
- On the adversity he's faced since his transfer: "It's been a long road. ... I've been challenged here a lot ... those challenges have really built me up into a better player."
- Klare feels prepared for the Cotton Bowl from the Buckeyes' practices. "The physicality of playing at Ohio State and the practices here will prepare us for this stretch that we want to go on."
- It's been a strange feeling for Klare to not have played a game in a few weeks. "It's been a while. It's been kind of weird. It's been half a year it feels like."
- Klare hasn't made a decision on whether he'll enter the NFL draft.
- Klare noted he has a lot of room to grow as a player. "All aspects of the game."
- On how Ohio State is addressing its problems on offense: "I think it really comes down to execution."
C Carson Hinzman
- On Gabe VanSickle: "He's been proving that he's more than capable of going out there and playing with us. ... He's done a great job of not only building his own confidence, but building confidence with Phillip (Daniels) and I."
- On how Ohio State has worked in practice to go on a similar run to last year: "It's just getting back to the basics."
- The offensive line's substandard performance vs. the Hoosiers has provided massive motivation, Hinzman said. "When we're playing at our best, I think we can play with anyone in the country."
- On Miami's defensive tackles: "The interior there is good. It's an elite-level defense. ... They get pressure, they do what they're supposed to do."
- On his communication in setting pass protections with Sayin: "It's been good. He's been growing every game we've played. He's an extremely smart individual. ... Sometimes the way I see it isn't the way he sees it and vice versa. ... These games coming up will be a great opportunity to show that we've fixed our problems there."
- On the message to the rest of the offensive line: "I think it comes down to winning those early downs. ... These games come down to being able to make positive throws and completions and keeping us on schedule." Hinzman added that the offensive line has emphasized a need to control the ground game.
- On where the offensive line's depth has grown: "Gabe has done a great job stepping into that right guard position. Joshua Padilla has done a great job ... really, all of our depth. ... That's really important going into (the CFP)."
- Hinzman joked about the nicknames on the offensive line like VanSickle's "Sicko Mode." "The brotherhood grows closer."
- Some other offensive line nicknames: Austin Siereveld is "Piggy," Tegra Tshabola is "Tigré," Ethan Onianwa is "Biggie" and Joshua Padilla is "Dilla."
WR Jeremiah Smith
- On his eagerness to play his hometown team and thoughts on losing the Biletnikoff Award: "I'm very excited to play the guys from back home. ... The Biletnikoff, just use that as motivation, can't think about it too much."
- Smith is attacking his preparation with as much fervor as possible. "I'm trying to crank it up a little bit because now it's time to win another natty around here."
- On Miami's defense: "That front is special ... got a good interior, got a good back end, good linebackers."
- Ohio State returned to its preseason camp intensity in practice recently, Smith said. "The way we've practiced over the past few weeks has been very intense."
- On Brian Hartline "He's been around, he's been helping us in the receiver room.
- Keenan Bailey has been involved in the receiver room these past few weeks. "He's been involved with us over the last couple weeks ... he's been in the receiver room before."
- On coming back from injury: "That was something serious that I had to deal with. After Rutgers week, I was feeling really down because I didn't know if I could play against the Team Up North." Smith said the injury was a quad strain.
- Getting back for the Michigan game was a huge deal for Smith. "I didn't want to miss that game. I did everything I could to not miss it."
- Smith isn't worried about late or dirty hits, because whatever he takes, he'll dish back out. "I'm probably gonna be the one doing it too. I'll get a little chippy."
- There's still plenty of animosity Smith has seen over the 2003 BCS National Championship Game. "All over Twitter, they still talking about that. We got something for them coming New Year's Eve."
- On seeing former teammate Jojo Trader again: "For us to be on this stage in the Cotton Bowl, it's something that we dreamed of growing up."
- On whether he was at full health for the Michigan game: "Going into that game, no, I was not 100 percent. ... But right now I'm healthy, back healthy."
- Smith said that Miami nickel Kionte Scott does a great job in both run and pass defense. "He's a very good football player."
- On where he's grown the most this season: "I've grown as a leader, using my voice, that's been the biggest thing."
- On what Carnell Tate has meant to him: "Carnell meant a lot to me. ... Carnell is a special person on and off the field. ... I'm very excited to be on the journey with him and he's a first-round draft pick."
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Ryan Day Taking Over Play Calling As Brian Hartline Balances Upcoming Head Coaching Role With Wide Receiver Coaching Duties
Ryan Day is taking over Ohio State's play calling for the College Football Playoff, though it will remain a "group effort."
Ryan Day Taking Over Play Calling As Brian Hartline Balances Upcoming Head Coaching Role With Wide Receiver Coaching Duties
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When Ohio State plays the Hurricanes in the CFP quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl in nine days, it will be the first time he's called plays since 2023 – at the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes lost that night to Missouri, 14-3, after getting down to then-third-string quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and seeing its offensive line implode play after play. Chip Kelly was hired as offensive coordinator and play-caller in 2024, then Hartline assumed the duties in 2025.
Day's reputation as a play-caller and offensive mind is among the best in the country, that Missouri game aside. He took over as play-caller as Ohio State's offensive coordinator in 2018 and led perhaps the best passing attack in school history. Dwayne Haskins threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns, school records that still stand.
When Day took over as head coach in 2019, the output didn't stop in his five years maintaining play-calling responsibilities. Ohio State had a top-three scoring offense in 2019, 2021 and 2022, with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country in 2019.
The main change about calling plays as a head coach, Day said, will be staring into his call sheet during games and not having as much attention to direct toward other areas of the game. Although he was still involved in play-calling conversations after surrendering the lead on the role.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Five things Ohio State fans should know about Miami’s win over Texas A&M in the CFP
Malachi Toney, Mark Fletcher Jr. and the Miami defensive line were some of the keys to the Hurricanes advancing in the CFP.
www.landgrantholyland.com
Five things Ohio State fans should know about Miami’s win over Texas A&M in the CFP
Malachi Toney, Mark Fletcher Jr. and the Miami defensive line were some of the keys to the Hurricanes advancing in the CFP.1) Ground Game
Neither Texas A&M or Miami had been particularly impressive running the ball so far this season. Miami has the 142nd ranked rushing offense, and Texas A&M has the 63rd ranked rushing offense.But on Saturday, Miami’s rushing attack, led by former Ohio State commit Mark Fletcher, made the difference in the game. Fletcher had 172 yards on 17 carries, including a clutch 56 yard run late in the game.
If Ohio State can avoid letting Fletcher break off explosive runs, I like Ohio State’s chances at stopping Miami’s ground game.
2) Kicking Woes
Thank goodness that Ohio State’s matchup against Miami will be indoors. Otherwise, not a single field goal would be made between the two teams...
Miami kicker Carter Davis went 1-for-4 on field goal attempts on the day. Texas A&M’s kicker missed a field goal as well. In all fairness, the wind was clearly a significant factor in the run game.
When Ohio State and Miami do face off, don’t expect any kicks over 45 yards to even be attempted.
3) Pass Rush
Don’t poke the bear.A few of Texas A&M’s offensive lineman expressed some extreme confidence about their matchup with Miami’s edge-rushing duo in the week leading up to the game. It’s safe to say that Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor did not appreciate that.
Bain had three sacks against the Aggies, and Mesidor had 1.5 sacks. Miami, as a team, got to A&M quarterback Marcel Reed seven times.
First, I encourage Ohio State’s offensive lineman to choose their words carefully. Second, preventing Bain and Mesidor from wrecking the game will be a crucial part of Ohio State’s game plan against Miami.
4. Malachi Toney
Beyond Mark Fletcher, Malachi Toney was Miami’s only other threat against Texas A&M.Toney attempted a pass, took three carries, and had five receptions, which included the game’s only touchdown. Toney also returns punts.
Toney does it all for Miami, and he is only a freshman. The rest of Miami’s receiving core does not strike much fear in me, but Toney is a player you have to account for at all times. Preventing Toney from getting in space and using his speed will be paramount to an Ohio State victory.
5. Brick Wall
I already highlighted Miami’s pass-rush prowess, but their defensive line also shut down Texas A&M’s run game.Texas A&M was held to 2.5 yards per carry. Because of this, Marcel Reed was forced to throw 39 times. Reed wound up throwing two costly interceptions.
Texas A&M fell directly into Miami’s trap. Miami had clearly hoped that Texas A&M would give up on the run game and start to throw the ball excessively.
Ohio State has to avoid that trap. While Sayin is a much better passer than Reed, a game that Ohio State throws the ball 40 times and has no run game is not a winning recipe.
The Buckeyes better get creative in these next 10 days.
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buckeyeintn
Legend
Just sayin': Watching this play never gets old.....
As Keels does the play-by-play, Lachey's commentary is priceless. That is, if you consider, "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" as commentary/
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osuvictory1
Just a schlub from Y-town
My biggest fear is Ruben Bain gets a sack on Sayin, and Day freezes up to protect him. That is the one way that I can see Miami beating us, is if they put pressure early, and Day turtles up, which unfortunately seems to be a tendency.
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OregonBuckeye
Semper Fi Buckeyes
Can't say that fills me with optimism given the 2023 offense. I'd rather he be heavily involved in the gameplay and let Hartline call the plays
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osuvictory1
Just a schlub from Y-town
Here is the thing, Day has been calling the majority of the plays all year.
Hartline is distracted with USF.
Day probably realizes this is due or die and has to treat every game like it is the seasons last, because that is the truth.
I don't see a reason for him holding back, getting weird like IU, or seizing up like he tends to do when the season is still in process.
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Ignore them. It's just someone who can't count.
I mean, if J Smith was a baby during that game it would mean I was in my mid fifties.
I’m 40 if that helps lol
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The turtling was Julian more than Ryan. He definitely got hit more than usual, but there were also a lot of plays where he had time but felt pressure earlier than it was there. He was not processing or executing anywhere his usual level. Far from a bad performance but also not near his usual self, particularly with some well drawn up plays that were just missed. Good learning moment for a young QB who is ultra quick at processing what the defense is doing but has not been tested heavily very often this year (Michigan didn't touch him). Eager to see how he responds. I think he'll rise to the challenge.
It will also help that Tate will likely be able to stay on the field a lot more, with 3 weeks of rest under his belt.
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osuvictory1
Just a schlub from Y-town
Yeah, agreed, Sayin got rattled and confused that game, and it took a while to settle in.
Let's hope that the O line holds up. Tegra not playing should be a step in the right direction.
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