Quick Hits: Jim Knowles Wants to Keep James Laurinaitis on Staff, Denzel Burke Praises Carnell Tate and Jack Sawyer Says It’s “More Than Likely” He Returns in 2024

On Tuesday, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, cornerback Denzel Burke, defensive end Jack Sawyer, linebacker Steele Chambers, defensive tackle Ty Hamilton and safety Josh Proctor fielded questions from reporters following the Buckeyes’ practice at AT&T Stadium.

Among the many topics discussed, Knowles said Ohio State has a “bad taste” in its mouth and wants to “finish the right way,” Burke said Carnell Tate will be “the first-round pick” for the Buckeyes and Sawyer said it’s “more than likely” that he will return for another season at Ohio State.

Videos from the six media sessions, as well as bullet-point recaps of what each person said, can be found below.

DC Jim Knowles

• Knowles said he does not expect any opt-outs on defense. He said Tommy Eichenberg’s status for the Cotton Bowl remains “up in the air” due to the arm injury he suffered in November.
• Knowles said he is “optimistic” that many of Ohio State’s draft-eligible starters on defense will choose to stay at Ohio State for another year. “I think those guys enjoy playing. They see a chance to improve. They have a great understanding of the draft and how improvement helps them ultimately in the end.”
• On Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden: “He’s as talented a guy as we have faced.”
• Knowles said he has seen a lot of improvement from linebackers C.J. Hicks, Gabe Powers and Arvell Reese during bowl practices. “I think that’s the position where we’ve made a lot of strides.”
• Knowles said he rarely smiles but he did when Cody Simon announced his return for next season. “He could be a starter really anywhere in the country. To have him back is a pivotal cog for the defense.”
• On Sonny Styles playing strong safety with Lathan Ransom out: “I’ve always believed that he could be a be a dominant high safety. I think he’s shown that any safety can do with that kind of size and athleticism. It gives us a lot of options.”
• On the resolve of his defense: “You see guys got a bad taste in their mouth and they want to finish the right way.”
• Knowles says “you can’t really focus in one area” when defending Missouri because of how dynamic the receivers are and how good of a running back Cody Schrader is.
• Although he interviewed for Duke’s head coaching job, Knowles said it would be hard for him to leave Ohio State for another job. “I see myself as being at the best place right now. So I have to always look at that and say ’Why would I want to go anywhere else?’”
• Knowles said he expects incoming freshman cornerbacks Aaron Scott Jr., Bryce West and Miles Lockhart to raise the level of the unit right away next year just like Davison Igbinosun did this year. “I think the corners are premier talents. I really do.”
• On incoming freshman linebackers Garrett Stover and Payton Pierce: “They’re as tough as they come.”
• Knowles said he still expects C.J. Hicks is still a player who “needs to be unleashed” but he doesn’t know if that will happen in the Cotton Bowl. Knowles said he still has to figure out the right way to utilize Hicks. “It’s definitely something that I’m going to spend a lot of time in the offseason to get him going.”
• Knowles said it is “really important” for Ohio State to keep James Lauranaitis on staff. “Finding a home for him I know is important to all of us, and not somebody we want to lose.”
• Knowles said the biggest thing his defense has to grow from after the loss to Michigan is to realize how small the margin of error is and how a couple of plays can swing the game.
• Knowles said the Jack package has been available to Ohio State’s defense all season but the Buckeyes have had success with four traditional defensive linemen this year and he doesn’t want to “screw up a good thing” when things are going well.
• On the potential of adding a transfer linebacker: “I don’t think we have to. But if you find the right guy, in this day and age, you gotta be ready to move if he fits talent-wise, but he’s gotta fit culture-wise, too.”
• On Denzel Burke: “Denzel’s really upgraded his game this year. I think he’s becoming an elite corner, a guy who can really match up against anyone.”
• On Steele Chambers: “Steele has gotten better every day since I’ve been here.”
• On the growth of defensive tackles Ty Hamilton, Mike Hall and Tyleik Williams: “The reason we have done well is because our defensive tackles are actually making tackles.”
• On Josh Proctor: “The light bulb’s really gone on for him. He’s become a premier safety, he could always hit and run, and now he’s deciphering offenses and understanding our package, which just allows him to utilize his skills and make more plays.”
• On Jack Sawyer: “He does all the right things, and he’s talented.”

RELATED Jim Knowles Says It Would Be Hard to Leave Ohio State for Head Coaching Job Elsewhere: “This is Where I Always Worked to Be”

CB Denzel Burke

• Burke said it is “a dream come true” to play at AT&T Stadium. He said it will be an opportunity to get a glimpse of his future by playing at an NFL Stadium. “Just take advantage of the moment and take care of your brothers.”
• Burke says he has made a decision on whether he’ll return or not to Ohio State but won’t announce it until Jan. 10.
• On why Burke wants to play in this game: “To finish the season with my brothers. It’s an extra game on tape for scouts. Just finish the year off strong and have momentum going into next year’s team.”
• On what sticks out about Missouri’s offense: “A lot of shifts, a lot of motions. They use their receivers in a lot of different ways. (Luther Burden is) all over the place. He’s probably the best player on the team. Their running back is a good back that runs hard, and their quarterback is solid, has a good arm and can extend plays. This might be the best offensive team we’re gonna play in terms of athletes and how they throw the ball.”
• Burke says he will be rooting for Alabama over Michigan on Jan. 1. “I don’t like the team up north, I just don’t. We didn’t get it done. They’re in the CFP, so good luck to them.”
• Burke complimented Carnell Tate, saying he has been “him” since he arrived on campus. “He’s kind of taken over that spot since Marv isn’t going to be playing. It should be fun to watch.”
• More Burke on Tate: “He’s gonna be the next first-round guy out here, mark my words. He’s a great player and a pro on and off the field. I kind of see a little of me in him when I was a freshman coming in, just how focused he was and how much this game means to him.”
• Burke thought he “definitely” had an interception against Michigan and was disheartened it was called a touchdown. “The refs didn’t give it to me, but if it was in my field of play, it would have stood as an interception. He didn't really have possession of the ball. I don't know what the ref saw. A lot of calls that game didn't go our way. We can't get stuck in the past. It is what it is.”
• Burke said he must have watched the play “about 100 times” after the game, most recently last week before he finally moved on.
• Burke on Brandon Inniss: “He’s up next too. But he still has a long way to go. But I’m really excited to see the development and what they can do. They have a good receivers coach and a good offensive scheme. They know how to put receivers in good positions.”
• Burke on Devin Brown: “I’m really proud of Devin. A lot of things I was not expecting, he showed me. He’s really bringing the team together with a lot of leadership tactics and a lot of things we didn’t see. I’m really excited to see what he can do this coming Friday. If he puts it all together, he’ll have one hell of a day.”
• Despite Burden often lining up in the slot and Burke being on the outside, Burke says “you’ll definitely see some matchups between me and him” because “he’s all over the place.”
• On Burden: “He’s a really good football player, man. He makes good contested catches and can run after. I can just tell when you watch him that he loves football.” He also called Burden the best receiver OSU has faced this year.
• On why he looks forward to playing against a wideout with the caliber of Burden instead of shying away from the game: “I want to go out there and compete. I want to be able to show I can guard any receiver in any conference and even go out there and get my hand on some balls. More touching the ball leads to more interceptions and more money. So my job is to just go out there and just have fun. Trust my stuff and trust my technique.”
• On if having unfinished business against Michigan and the chase for a national title will play a big part in his decision: “That’s a big thing. Especially for me, man. I want to be a top-10 pick. But not only that, I want to have something to show for it down the road. To be able to show my kids and my family when I was at Ohio State, we won something. That’s playing a big factor for me. When the time comes, y’all will know.”
• Burke said he’s seen projections of him potentially ranging from being a borderline first-round pick this year to being a day-two pick and the prospect of increasing his draft stock higher with another year is a big influence in his decision as well.
• On if he thinks it’s more beneficial to come in and start right away (like Burke did) as a freshman or have the luxury of sitting behind advanced players and having the opportunity to learn the ropes: “Honestly, it’s hard. If you come in and you’re going to be locked in, you’re balling and you’re outperforming the other guys at your position, go ahead if you can come in and take that spot. But if you have the opportunity to sit behind some guys that are really doing their thing and balling on the field and just watch and add some things to your game, I feel like that’s a benefit even more than just coming in. Because if you look at the receivers and Marvin (Harrison Jr.), he was watching Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. When he had his chance in the Rose Bowl in the last game of the season, he did his thing after he picked up what he learned off the guys he watched all year.”
• On what he expects if he returns along with several of his classmates for the 2024 season: “We’ll be the No. 1 defense coming into next year. There’s a lot of guys that have played a lot of ball. Honestly, it would look scary.”

RELATED Denzel Burke Will Announce NFL Draft Decision on Jan. 10, Weighing Draft Stock and Potentially Coming Back to Beat Michigan

DE Jack Sawyer

• Asked if he’s going to return for his senior season at Ohio State, Sawyer said “more than likely.” An official decision will come soon after the Cotton Bowl, he added, even the day after potentially.
• On whether the team is motivated for the Cotton Bowl: “We’re all focused on this game and we all want to finish the season out right and end it on a good note.”
• There’s also a point of personal pride, Sawyer feels. “I just think it’s another time to go out there and play. We’re all extreme competitors.”
• Sawyer went to Pickerington North while Ty Hamilton went to Pickerington Central and Sawyer has appreciated getting to play out his career with fellow Pickerington natives like Hamilton and Lorenzo and Sonny Styles.“Me and Ty have been good friends since, really, (as far back as) I can remember, playing PYA football against each other and just running around the neighborhood with all of our friends.”
• On playing his best football in the second half of the season: “I feel like the last six games, we kind of just let loose a little more. Started playing a little more free within the scheme and just doing every little thing better.”
• On what Ohio State’s lack of opt-outs and focus on the Cotton Bowl rather than NFL draft announcements says about the team: “I think it just speaks to the culture of what we’ve got at Ohio State. The brotherhood we’ve got. Guys want to compete with each other.”
• Keeping dual-threat Missouri quarterback Brady Cook contained will be a matter of “rushing smart,” Sawyer said. “I think when you're playing a kid like this who's back there at quarterback, it’s super important to maintain (rush lanes) and keep them in the pocket. When he gets out there and uses his legs it can be a problem for the secondary.”
• Sawyer said he got a “heavy dose” of inside run drill for Christmas, but it was also “what I asked for.”
• Sawyer thinks the defense did ultimately make the statement it wanted to throughout the season and had a great year through 11 games. “I think we played well. I think if we could have a couple of drives back in a certain game, that’d be nice.”
• On Missouri running back Cody Schrader: I think what surprised me is how quick he gets in and out of his cuts. He puts that foot in the ground, he's downhill on you quick. He's not gonna try to get around you, he's gonna try to run right through your face.”
• On freshman defensive end Joshua Mickens: “I think Josh is a really smart kid. I think he works really hard and I think he's gonna figure it out here soon. And when he does it's gonna be fun to see. I think he's super athletic. Got a good feel for the game.”
• Defensive line coach Larry Johnson’s return to Ohio State in 2024 is another draw to come back to Ohio State for Sawyer. Not just for him, but the entire defensive line, he said. “It plays a huge part with all of us.”
• There is a group element to the NFL draft decisions of Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class, Sawyer said. “We’ve talked about that, we definitely have. I think everyone’s gotta make the decision that’s best for them when you’re talking about your career and the NFL. It’s an opportunity we’ve all been working for our whole lives. Understanding that, but then also understanding that by coming back we could really improve our draft stock. … I do think that we’re trying to make it a collective group effort.”

LB Steele Chambers

• On C.J. Hicks and Arvell Reese: “A lot of growth. Those guys have been in the meetings all year. They have learned from the starters' mistakes. Now that we are in bowl practices, you see them learn and start to understand defenses. It’s gonna be awesome to see them play.”
• On how bowl practices have gone for him: “It’s been fun. It’s having fun with the boys. You get to a point where this is all you’re doing. You finish school up, and then you’re in the facility having fun with all the guys. I’m trying to have fun with it.” 
• On Missouri running back Cody Shrader: “He’s quick. He’s like a little Christian McCaffrey. You see him get in and out of cuts. He’s got good vision. It’s gonna be a helluva job (for us to stop him). It’s gonna be tough.”
• Chambers joked that Ohio State got “inside drill for Christmas.” Chambers said he did not ask for inside drill for Christmas but “you gotta do what you gotta do” and said “you sign up for it” as an Ohio State football player.
• When asked if he expects to play with Tommy Eichenberg this week, Chambers said, “You know, everyone is at practice. We don’t really know how the rotation is gonna go or anything. You expect to do whatever the coaches decide to do. We are just focusing on the game, really.” Chambers added: “Whoever is out there, we are gonna go out and have fun.”
• On his football future and potential to enter the 2024 NFL draft: “I’m just focusing on this game, really. I’m taking it one game at a time.”
• On the team’s desire to play for each other and win the Cotton Bowl: “I attribute that to Coach Day. After the events that took place, it was hard looking forward since we weren’t in the playoffs. It was hard to focus on the game ahead. But Coach Day really rallied the troops, brought us in and told us to be laser-focused on this one game. You have to end the year with a win no matter what you do.”
• When asked to provide further comment on why Ohio State wants to end the season with a win, Chambers said, “It shows that we don’t have any quit. You lose a game, and sometimes you roll over and give up, but you have to show that you have resilience. That you can come back and win a game like this.”
• On Missouri’s offense: “I see a tough team. I see a team that’s disciplined. I see a team that knows what they’re doing and does it well.”
• On year two with Jim Knowles: “He was a pain in the ass at times. He gets on your in practice. He gets on you in the game. But we all know that he loves and cares for us. … He’s all bought into it. He really cares about this program, and I trust him.”
• “It’s definitely grown, but it didn’t come out of nowhere. They’ve been doing it all year. Now that we are in bowl practices where guys are getting more opportunities in practice, those guys are applying what they’ve been learning all year. They’re showing that they’ve been listening all year and learning from the mistakes we’ve made.”
• On James Laurinaitis: “He’s a helluva guy. It’s nice having someone who’s done it. He understands how hard it is. He’s able to relay any nugget or pieces of information he’s gone through in the past. We realize that, ‘Oh, that makes a lot of sense.’ Having his wisdom is huge for our linebacker room.”

DT Ty Hamilton

• On his football future and potential to enter the 2024 NFL draft: “I’ve not made any decisions right now. I’m just focused on the Missouri game right now.”
• On where he made the biggest improvements from 2022 to 2023: “This year, I played more in the backfield. It’s more of a confidence thing. Every time I step on the field, I know I’m gonna make a play. I’ve had that mindset. I know I have teammates next to me who rely on me to make a play. When I’m on the field, I make a play.”
• On Ohio State’s defensive line room under Larry Johnson: “Every single day, we are with each other. We all push each other every single day, and I think that shows on the field.”
• On Missouri quarterback Brady Cook: “The first thing that jumps out to me is his athleticism. He’s a really fast quarterback. We need to keep him contained. He can make a play with his feet. He can make a play with his arm. We have to keep him contained.”
• On what his brother, DaVon Hamilton, told him to expect when he arrived at Ohio State: “I talk to him all the time. (His advice) was pretty much to enjoy the moment. A lot of time, you can take this for granted – these years of college. This is probably some of the best moments of your life playing here. Take something to learn every single day. It progresses you and keeps you playing football.”
• On why he wants to play in the Cotton Bowl: “All of us are here because it’s a team thing. It could be a lot of people’s last game. This team will never be assembled (the same way) again. I am playing for ‘The Brotherhood.’ I am playing for my brothers. We are playing for each other.”
• When asked what he would need to hear from NFL scouts to enter the NFL draft, Hamilton reiterated, “I’m not too worried about it right now. With those decisions, you have time. I’m still focused on the (Missouri) game.”
• On playing in the Cotton Bowl: “This is my first time being in Dallas. Being here, seeing this beautiful NFL stadium, it’s an amazing feeling. I’m just soaking up the moment being here. There’s nothing like being here.”
• Hamilton said it’s “really important” for Ohio State to win the Cotton Bowl. He said the Buckeyes “are still not over” their loss to Michigan in the final regular-season contest and that Ohio State wants to end the season on a good note.
• On the potential for him, Tyleik Williams and Mike Hall Jr. to return for another season at Ohio State: “That would be special if those guys were able to come back. If you thought we were good this year, having that extra year would be a bonus – it would be even more dominant for our defensive line.”
• On Missouri running back Cody Shrader: “He’s a good back, a great back. He’s like a lot of backs we played this year, and I feel like making sure we stop him before he gets going (will be huge). It’s going to be one of the crucial things we do, just making sure we slow him down. That’s the biggest part of what we have to do.”
• On most of Ohio State’s draft-eligible players deciding to play in the Cotton Bowl: “It shows how strong the brotherhood is here. We worked every single day with each other for the past year. We’ve been grinding our butts off. We want to play for each other all the way down to the last game.”

S Josh Proctor

• Proctor used the word “awakening” to sum up his six-year Ohio State career that’s included injuries and a rough benching last season. “Just finding yourself and growing, maturing over the whole process. Learning yourself.”
• On how it will feel to take the field for the final time as a Buckeye on Friday: “It’s honestly kind of bittersweet. It feels good, but at the same time it’s sad just knowing you’re leaving this behind, all of these memories and everything you’ve been through.”
• On what comes to mind first as he reflects: “The first thing I think of is this process. Literally, that’s it. It’s been a long six years, a lot of ups, lot of downs. But we’re here. It feels good. I’m happy.”
• There will be a strong contingent of 22 family members and friends at the Cotton Bowl to watch Proctor, who is an Oklahoma native, he said. “I’m really excited. Half of Tulsa is gonna be there.”
• On whether he feels closure with this chapter of his life: “I feel like I went out on the right note and my whole goal was to come back and help this team get to where we want to be. We never reached that level, but it’s all about finishing strong.”
• Proctor said that as he’s grown, he’s learned to shut out noise on social media and focus internally.
• Proctor has no regrets looking back. “There’s been some times that I thought about doing things differently. ‘What if I wouldn’t have done this?’ But honestly, being here now, I wouldn’t change anything. It’s all made me the person I am today.”
• On why he decided to come back time and time again: “I didn’t feel like I went out how I wanted to. I felt like there was a lot left out there I needed to prove.”
• Proctor said the big hit he made at the end of Ohio State’s Big Ten Championship victory over Wisconsin in 2019 is still his favorite play he’s made as a Buckeye. “Just that year, the way things ended, the way that game went. Just to go out with a bang that game, that was probably my most exciting play.”
• On what the next step is for him, particularly as it pertains to preparing for the NFL: “Just mature. Continue to learn myself. There’s always areas we can better ourselves in and ultimately it’s all God’s timing.”
• Proctor considers Xavier Johnson a good friend, and he and the receiver have reminisced many times about being sixth-year guys who were with the team as far back as Urban Meyer’s final year, he said. “It’s a blessing because some people don’t even get to get this far.”
• Proctor has a lot of respect for star wide receiver Luther Burden and the other pieces of Missouri’s attack. “It’s an explosive offense. A very explosive offense.”