Quick Hits: Will Howard Says Ohio State’s CFP Run “Means Really Nothing” Without a National Title, Lorenzo Styles Jr. Has “Picked Good Schools”

At that time nearly a month ago, the Buckeyes were preparing to face Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff after one of the most shocking Michigan losses in program history. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard took to the microphone and said there was only one option for he and his fellow seniors going into the CFP.

“We can't go out any other way than winning it all,” Howard said on Dec. 16. “That's the way that I see it. I want this for this team so bad.”

Thirty days later, Howard spoke with the media again as Ohio State prepares to play Notre Dame in the CFP national championship game. That thought process remained unchanged. The Buckeyes have knocked out No. 9 Tennessee in the Shoe, No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl and No. 5 Texas in the Cotton Bowl, but Howard said Wednesday that none of that matters if the Buckeyes don't beat the Fighting Irish to take college football's ultimate crown.

Howard was one of six Buckeyes who met with the media on Wednesday. Right tackle Josh Fryar said Ohio State's offensive line has looked adversity in the eye and said “F you, we're gonna do it” and former Notre Dame wide receiver-turned-OSU cornerback Lorenzo Styles Jr. said he's "clearly picked good schools." Tight end Will Kacmarek, wide receiver Carnell Tate and linebacker Sonny Styles rounded out the list of Buckeyes who fielded questions on Wednesday.

QB Will Howard

“We've come all this way, but it means really nothing if we don't finish it the right way and win this last one. I mean, it's the national championship. I would hope that we don't need much more motivation than that.”– Will Howard on Ohio State preparing for the title game

• Howard said his left hand feels “great” after it developed a huge lump during the Texas game. “I popped a blood vessel. ... It didn't hurt at all. I just looked down and it was pretty big. It happened earlier in the season, too. Nobody really noticed then.”
• On the offensive line:  “I've got to give all the credit in the world to those guys, man. They've stepped up in a huge way and I've seen a different look in their eyes, like Carson (Hinzman) and Josh Fryar and Donnie (Jackson). Those two dudes have stepped up in a big way. Carson, too, I think those three have led the way.”
• On his 4th-and-2 slip after picking up a first down on Ohio State’s go-ahead drive: “Coach (Chip) Kelly (was) calling me one-legged Willie, just giving me a hard time on that one. That wasn't my best moment. On a QB power play, you get moving forward a little bit, you think you might get some contact and then you don't get some contact. And then I just – yeah, it was pretty unathletic of me. But, you know, we got the first down.”
• On Notre Dame’s secondary: “They do a great job, man. I think that they play a lot of man and they want to challenge you. But I think they do a really good job of being physical, but also being smart and they don't get a lot of penalties. They shadow guys really well.”

RT Josh Fryar

“I think it shows our offensive line is resilient and tough. We look adversity in the eye and we just say, ‘F you, we’re gonna do it.’”– Josh Fryar on Ohio State’s offensive line room overcoming critical injuries

• Fryar said Ohio State’s offensive line needs to be “well-prepared” before facing a Notre Dame defensive line he considers to be one of the better fronts in the sport. “With this front in Notre Dame, we just watch them and they just play really hard and they play really tough. It’s gonna be a good challenge for us because I think they’re the toughest team in college football. That’s just my opinion.”
• Fryar said this year’s Ohio State offensive line room is closer than any other offensive line room he’s been a part of in his five years with the Buckeyes. “I’ve been here for five years, and I’ve been on a lot of offensive lines, but I think this is the closest one we’ve had by far. It’s just because I think the adversity we’ve overcome to get to this point. And like Coach Day said, there’s a story still to be written.”
• Fryar said it feels “like a dream” to be playing in the national championship game. However, he said he can’t lose focus on the preparation by looking too far ahead this week. “But at the same time, I think you just take it day by day. You can’t look forward to the game. You have to have a good Tuesday practice, a good Wednesday practice, a good Thursday practice. And just make sure that those days are complete to where you can build up to that game and see how you’re gonna do in the game.”

CB Lorenzo Styles Jr.

“Clearly, I’ve picked good schools.”– Lorenzo Styles Jr. on Ohio State and Notre Dame playing each other in the national championship game

• Styles said he would have never imagined he’d be playing cornerback at Ohio State against Notre Dame in the national championship back when he was playing wide receiver for the Fighting Irish, but said he’s excited for the opportunity and that he still has “a lot of respect” for Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame program.
• “There’s a lot of similarities in between both programs,” Styles said of Ohio State and Notre Dame. He said he recalls going through tug-of-war drills at Notre Dame and that’s something he’s thought about as he prepares for one-on-one matchups against some of those same players on Monday.
• On Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard: “I think his physicality, his athleticism, his toughness shows up on the tape.” Styles said Leonard’s running ability presents a challenge for Ohio State’s defense.
• Styles said he and Jack Sawyer have been friends since they were 7 years old growing up together in Pickerington. He said Sawyer has helped push him to become his best self and he hopes he’s done the same for Sawyer.
• Asked who’s the best basketball player on the team, Styles said it’s either JT Tuimoloau or his older brother Sonny.
• Styles said his conversations with his former Notre Dame teammates this week have been short-lived. “I told them I can’t be talking to the enemy for too long.”
• Styles’ girlfriend goes to Notre Dame, but he said she’ll be rooting for Ohio State on Monday. “We actually had a conversation about this, so she should be in Ohio State gear if anyone sees her.”

TE Will Kacmarek

“He's an awesome coach. He's the best coach I've ever had, so all glory to him.”– Will Kacmarek on Ryan Day

• Kacmarek said Ohio State has shown toughness in how it’s battled through injuries this season. “I think we’re a super tough team. A lot of us have had bumps and bruises. Myself, I had a little hiccup there (in the Oregon game), so it’s important for us to keep going. I think our coaches, our training staff and our teammates, we’re all really close and they kind of help us get to the next step.”
• Kacmarek called Day “the best coach I’ve ever had.” Before doing that, he shared some of the reasons he thinks that’s true: “He’s our centerpiece. Every day, he’s got a message to us that keeps us on track and keeps us humble but also allows us to celebrate those small victories that we’ve had. I think he’s done a really good job of keeping us together when we’ve had a loss or a bad practice or whatever.”
• Kacmarek said he’s never been around a program like the 2024 Ohio State football team. “I’ve never been a part of a team like this ever. The amount of talent, how close we are to one another. I’ve noticed this all the way since fall camp. Again, we’re just a super close group of guys and there’s not a lot of bad energy. I think there’s great energy every day. Our goal is to maximize this team as much as possible.”

WR Carnell Tate

“Jeremiah helps us as much as we help Jeremiah. Coming out, we didn’t think they’d bracket him because we thought they’d trust their DBs to play us straight up. But then they came out and bracketed him and everyone else had to win and do their job. That’s exactly what we did. When JJ does his job, it opens it up for us, when we do our job, it opens it up for JJ.”– Carnell Tate on how much Jeremiah Smith’s presence helps the other wideouts on OSU

• Tate said he was expecting to have a big week going into the game and thought he could have his number called depending on how the defense guarded Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith.
• Tate said Jordan Hancock’s play may go unnoticed nationally but that his efforts are very much appreciated around the team.
• On Notre Dame’s cornerbacks, Tate says their size sticks out, as does how much they play man coverage. He assumes they’ll play a lot of man against them because they’ve shown it on film all year.
• Tate says OSU has all the faith in the world in Will Howard in late-game situations.
• Tate laughed while ribbing his quarterback by saying he thought Howard had a touchdown on his 4th-and-2 run but then “pulled a Daniel Jones on us. We were like nah, we always get on him, you never did any of this at Kansas State but now you come over here and can’t stay on your feet.”

LB Sonny Styles

“You gotta match their physicality, you gotta match their will.”– Sonny Styles on what Ohio State needs to do against Notre Dame

• Styles said “it’s super special” to be playing for a national championship alongside his older brother Lorenzo. “We’re both Columbus kids from the area, so being able to have the opportunity to bring a championship back to Columbus is super special.”
• On the big hits he made against Tennessee and Texas, Styles said he likes setting the tone with his physicality. “You wanna let everyone know you’re physical, you wanna let a guy know I’m gonna be here for four quarters. You’re not chasing after the play, but it definitely feels good to be the one to set the tone, no doubt.”
• Asked about the wheel route on which Texas running back Jaydon Blue beat him for an 18-yard touchdown, Styles said he said he needed to make contact with Blue to mess up his timing.
• Styles thinks Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard is a “great leader” and that Notre Dame’s offense feeds off of his will to win and his running ability.