Ohio State Player Quotes – 11/16/2015 – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 16, 2015
Joey Bosa, junior defensive end
On getting extra attention from opposing blockers
“It obviously says a lot about what I’m doing, which is nice. It’s always a good sign when they have to scheme and put two or more guys on me. But more importantly it’s opening up opportunities for other guys on our defense to make plays.”
On the importance of a great defensive line
“Well we have to stop the run game most importantly. They can’t run inside the tackles, that’s our number one goal. We have to make sure the ball carrier bounces outside and once we dominate the run game that’s when we can get after them in the pass. That’s what we have to do as a defensive line.”
Eli Apple, sophomore cornerback
On MSU wide receiver Aaron Burbridge
“He uses his hands well off the line and has good speed. A lot of teams try to press him, but he’s quick and is very good in traffic. The quarterback trusts him to make big plays for the offense, and he does that.”
On MSU quarterback Connor Cook
“He’s one of the best quarterbacks we’ll face this year. He’s not shy about throwing the ball in traffic. He has a lot of confidence in his receivers and is able complete a lot passes in good coverage. We saw that a lot on film last year and we’ve seen it even more this year. We have to be ready and prepared every play.”
Pat Elflein, junior offensive lineman
On the MSU defensive line
“They have a very good defensive line, especially [Shalique] Calhoun and some of the big guys inside. It should be a rugged, Big Ten-style matchup. I’m excited for the challenge.”
On the 2014 MSU game
“We just watched the film yesterday. We were playing at a very high level on the offensive line. It was a turning point when the offense really started clicking on all cylinders. We have to get back to that level this week, and it all starts in practice. We have to have a strong Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and that’ll set us up for a good performance on Saturday.”
Raekwon McMillan, sophomore linebacker
On the big-game environment
“The elite competition and the hype for this kind of game tends to bring out the best in people. In the Shoe you either crumble or you thrive. It’s a big stage for people to make big plays on national television.”
On the possibility of facing an injured Connor Cook
“You have to put it into perspective as a football player — we always play with injuries. He’s a great player, one of the top NFL prospects. We saw that firsthand last year. He’s going to bring his ‘A’ game no matter what, and he’s going to have his team ready to play.”
Taylor Decker, senior offensive lineman
On handling the hype before a big game
“Being here for four years I’ve played in a lot of big games. It’s always been the same, you just don’t really pay attention to it; you just keep it all within the team and the coaches do a really good job of that. Plus we haven’t even played our best yet, we obviously have to play better. So we have to focus on that and not what other people are talking about.”
On playing his last game at Ohio Stadium
“I’m trying not to think about that because it’s obviously going to be emotional for me. I’ve really loved playing here, I’ve played in a lot of big games and I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve especially enjoyed being around all these people though, that’s probably been the best part.”
