Some Buckeyes chose not to respond to the slew of recent jabs they’ve received from their archrival on Thursday. Others didn’t bite their tongue quite as much.
Ohio State left guard Thayer Munford fell into the latter category, as the fifth-year senior and Buckeye captain had some choice words for the Wolverines in the wake of the Buckeyes’ rivalry loss, which Munford described as “worse than anything” he’s experienced during his time in the program.
“I imagine that when I come back for Pro Day, 42-27 is gonna be all over this facility. I’m gonna be scared for Michigan next year, I’m not gonna lie to you,” Munford said. “Because, whew, I can’t wait for that game.”
Munford also responded to the recent comment made by Desmond Howard, who took a shot at the Buckeyes while C.J. Stroud was on stage at the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York City on Saturday. During Wolverine defensive end Aidan Hutchinson’s speech on the broadcast, Howard implied that Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett was doing a better job keeping Hutchinson and Stroud separated than the Buckeye offensive line did in The Game.
Needless to say, the veteran starter on the Ohio State front line didn’t take too kindly to the remark.
“He can kick rocks too, I don’t care,” Munford said. “But also at the same time, he’s doing his job. It’s not professional of course, but he needs to do his job and just stick to his job, in my opinion.”
Aidan Hutchinson reminding CJ Stroud at the Heisman ceremony
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) December 12, 2021
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Munford also caught wind of the recent incendiary comments from Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, who said on the radio following the rivalry win that Ohio State is “a finesse team” and “not a tough team.” However, Munford used a bit more restraint when addressing that remark in particular on Thursday.
“From that coach up there, I really want to say something that I really want to say right now, but I’m not gonna say it,” Munford said. “I’m gonna move away from that question, because it’s gonna make me mad. It does drive us. It really does drive us a lot, and it’s gonna drive the younger players, too. And I hope whoever said, ‘Make sure that doesn’t happen again,’ I’m gonna mark them for that word, too. Because I really hope that doesn’t happen again, at all. Because hearing their chirping all the time, it’s annoying. I don’t like it.”
But Buckeye linebacker Steele Chambers said there may have been some truth to what Gattis said, at least as it applied to the Michigan game in particular.
“It definitely stung, but at the end of the day, he was right,” Chambers said. “I personally thought we played pretty soft, me included, probably one of the bigger ones. But yeah, it just lights a fire under us. Hopefully we can get ready for next year.”
Just like his Buckeye teammates, freshman defensive end Jack Sawyer is looking forward to next year’s game as well. In the meantime, Sawyer said the Wolverines should relish their win while they still can.
“I’d just tell them, ‘Go ahead and enjoy it. Enjoy it for a year.’ I don’t know if they’re gonna get that opportunity to say all that stuff and chirp all they want after next year,” Sawyer said. “So I’d just say have fun with it, tell them, ‘Enjoy it,’ and we’ll be ready come that (fourth) Saturday of November next year.”
