Coach Tim Walton and Cornerbacks and Coach Matt Guerrieri and Safeties Speak to the Media
8/19/2025 10:02:00 AM | Football
On Matt Patricia and his experience:
“That coaching tree is the gurus of finding out what people do well and put them in a position to do that. Matt's experience is incredible. When you've had that type of run that he had in the NFL, different hats that he's worn, he sees the game through an incredibly unique lens. I've been very impressed with Matt and the way that we're able to say, 'OK, hey, here's how we train our guys, here's how we can build packaging,' I think the marriage of that has been really special.”
On how he has seen Caleb Downs grow this year:
"Leadership. I think when you're a young player, take Caleb at Alabama, highly recruited guy comes in, earns his stripes as an all-American his freshman year, but you're just a young player. You're not the guy that you're down by ten at halftime and the guys will look to you, right? At that point you're just playing the game and you're contributing at a high level as a player. When he first came here and I respect Caleb, he and I have talked long about this. I respected the way that he went about it. He wanted to get to know his teammates, he didn't come in like he was the big dog. There were other veterans in that room, whether it was Denzel Burke or Lathan Ransom, Caleb came in and built relationships and then let his play and who is the person to speak for itself. Now you turn it over you're a third year player and right, wrong, good, bad, everybody looks at number 2. That's a huge growth moment for Caleb to say 'hey, I'm a captain of this team.' The team's going to go how I go. I'm not just impacting the game through my play, but good or bad, I'm the vocal leader of our team."
On where he has seen Davison Igbinosun’s progress:
“Yeah, he’s been doing a great job, he is getting his head around the top of the route, making sure he’s not as physical at the top. He’s worked on it and it’s been an emphasis, he’s done a great job of it this off season. He’s continuing to grow on his leadership and study. He’ll go back and watch the tape, watch practice, study it real hard at the top and make sure we’re clean because he has the length, he has the size, he has the skill set. He is prepared to be really good at the top of the route and gets big, wide outs.”
On what about Jaylen MClain and Malik Hartford that makes him think they can help this team:
“Very smart. They process the game well, they work hard, they’re great young men, they compete and they’re handling the information. That’s the thing that they do well. We look for guys who can process the game back there and they understand it, they work at it, they're good communicators and it's important to them. That’s a big step and they’ll keep growing and getting better as they keep getting experience.”
On having confidence at cornerback:
“Corner's are the hardest position in football, so you have to have that supreme confidence and know that you're that guy.”
On Caleb Downs leadership:
“Caleb's been the leader since he got here. I call him ‘Coach Down’ actually. He knows so much football, so he's a natural leader in that sense."
On the impact that Devin Sanchez could bring as a freshman:
“You know how you see young corners come in and they're floating and sinking at times while they are trying to find their way, I don't see that with Devin Sanchez. He seems poised for big time moments.”
On what it means to him to be an Ohio State captain:
“I think it just shows God's presence in my life and the ability he's given me to move here last year, have the impact that I have had and to create the relationships that I have with my teammates. I think it's a blessing to be in the position I am in."
On how he has evolved as a leader now that he has been here for a whole year:
“I think I am more of a vocal leader. Last year, we had a lot of guys who were seniors and it was a big cultivation of people. Now it is more of a small group of us doing it, so I would say stepping out of my shell and trying to be more of a vocal leader to the guys."
On how he prepares himself for the possibility of playing several different positions in the same game:
“I want to continue to learn how to see the games from multiple views—seeing it from fifteen yards, five yards, four yards, eight yards. I feel like that's a big thing that not a lot of people talk about, being able to see the game from different viewpoints to allow yourself to play fast in any position."
On preparing for Texas:
“I’ve been trying to have urgency since I’ve come in so that it’s not like there is a transition. Obviously, as I’m elevating there is a responsibility of becoming a leader — the communication needs to be on point. I’ve just been going at it day by day.”
On if there is something about the role he is playing in nickel that feels different to him now than the role he played a year ago:
“Yeah, I wasn’t going out there on the first snap of the game. I was third down special team, so when I was studying my role I was more focused on that. Now, my study is expanding more. I have to know what they’re doing on first and down, first in ten, different situations. It changed in that way. I’m going to be in on different down distances so my focus is a little bit broader.”
On what he feels best at with his new position:
“I feel good in man and man, that’s why I got my opportunity last year on the field — I was showing that I can cover well. That’s where I feel most comfortable. Right now it’s just playing the deeper part of the field. Like you saw with Jordan, you’re going to have to get more comfortable in that area. I’m just expanding my knowledge there.”
