Ohio State players met with the media on Tuesday to discuss team progress ahead of the regular season finale against ❌ichigan.
On what’s it like dealing with the loss last year against TTUN:
“It’s difficult. There’s not a lot you can say about it but we just got beat last year straight up. Really focusing a lot of our energy this year beating them, whether it’s summer workouts, winter workouts, everything. We’ve been focused on them because that’s our first goal every year, we didn’t take care of business last year.”
On the team’s mentality heading into this year vs TTUN:
“From a players perspective there’s a lot more leadership, Coach Mick is the best strength coach around and he stepped it up too, we all felt like we needed to pull more of our weight. So we ended up making the adjustments that needed to be made to execute in this game coming up.”
On what changed with the team after last season’s loss to TTUN:
“Everything, just the mentality, the way we work out, the way we lift, the way we run, the way we carry ourselves. We realized that we have got to do more.”
On what has made the team tougher this season:
“We’ve been through some stuff as a team. We’ve got calluses, we’ve got cuts, we’ve got bruises and scars. That’s the best way to make you tough; going through things and experiences like winning and losing. Just knowing that this game is hard. You’ve got to be tough to go play at a high level.”
On how he deals with what they’ve said after last year:
“What was said after last year doesn’t matter for our offensive line. I feel like the only thing that matters is now, and what we’ve been taught in this program. Until it’s put on a show Saturday then it doesn’t really matter.”
On discipline when the emotions are high:
“I feel like you go into any game playing with emotion and it’s intense like any week. For me and the guys up front when we get the ball it’s time for business mode.”
On how the loss to Michigan has impacted him:
“They’re a great team, the rivalry, the history and everything is rich behind it. We’re working every day, so having come up short last year hurts. It’s something that where I feel the pain of not only the loss, but the pain of having to go through a year where we came up short and I think that fuels us day in and day out.”
On impact of scout players this week:
“I think the scout players are just as impactful as players that get into the game. Throughout the week as people who are going to be in the play, scout players are giving us the look and they have to execute the look correctly. They have to show the same body language and demeanor that the opposing players or another team are going to show.”
On the impact of this rivalry despite the fact he didn’t grow up here:
“It’s a lot. Not only does it impact me but also my teammates and coaches. This city and state take a lot of pride in that rivalry, and so do we as a team. It shows how important it is and how much we respect this rivalry.”
On going forward from last year:
“None of those guys in the locker room want to relive that, and we feel that. We use that in the summer in the offseason camp, and we’re still using it day by day. Living with it for a year sucks. We’re all competitors and competing at the highest levels. You’re gonna lose, you’re gonna lose sometimes, but losing to those guys hurts a little bit more. We just used it as motivation.”
On it being his last game in The Shoe:
“It’s definitely exciting. I’m definitely eager to get out there, but you can’t look into it too deep; it’s Tuesday, and I’m focused on having the best Tuesday practice we’ve had all year. Then Wednesday comes, I’ll think about that. You gotta take it day by day.”
On toughness:
“You can definitely build toughness. Being here will definitely make you tougher, and the past four years have done that for me.”
On the outcome of last year’s game against TTUN:
“We’re reminded every single day since the game. We prepare every single day. I did not play well. It’s been very hard living with that loss.”
