Quick Hits: Jack Sawyer Says Ryan Day is the Only Coach He’d Want to Play For, Emeka Egbuka Will Have Many Fans at Oregon and Denzel Burke Wants to Be the Best Cornerback in OSU History

On Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days, Ohio State's star defensive end said he'd commit to Day as a recruit “100 times over” if he could. On a more personal side, Sawyer spoke on how fueled he is by the team's losses to Michigan and dove into how things clicked for him in the second half of last season and how he plans to sustain that production entering 2024.

Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and cornerback Denzel Burke were the Buckeyes' other two representatives at media days. Egbuka said it was "50-50" whether he'd return to Ohio State after the Cotton Bowl but his faith and bond with his teammates led him back and that he'll need plenty of tickets to distribute when OSU plays at Oregon, given he's from Washington.

Burke, never one to shy away from bold statements, said he wants to go down as the best cornerback in Buckeye history after a resurgent junior season and what he hopes is an elite senior year. He feels Ohio State has pushed “all the chips in” as it looks to win every game this season.

A full bullet-point recap of what all three of them had to say:

Jack Sawyer

• On what it means to be representing Ohio State at Big Ten Media Days: “Growing up in Columbus, Ohio State's always had a special place in my heart. And I’ve been here for the last four years of my life and getting to experience how great the school and the program is firsthand. It means that much more to me now and being chosen to be representative for (media days) for us is something I'll cherish for a long time.”
• On how the veteran leadership of the team makes this summer different: “It being our fourth year here and knowing what to expect and having all three of us (Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams) played a lot of football now, that makes us really confident. ... Just the veteranship that we have now and being able to go through another offseason, but now we're the older guys. So now we're the leaders on the defense.”
• On what it feels like to deal with expectations as a newcomer, given some of the transfers the Buckeyes received this offseason: “I think all of us will tell you that when we left high school, we all thought we were gonna be the greatest thing since the high spread. We got to campus, the first step that we took on the field, (that) couldn't be farther from the truth for the majority of the players. So I think everybody kind of goes through their own growing pains.”
• Speaking of growing pains, Sawyer feels that the game finally clicked for him in the second half of last season.  “For me, I feel like I played my best football the last six games of last season. And everyone always asks me why. I feel like it kind of took a little bit for me to start clicking on all cylinders. But really, I just think that everyone develops at a different rate.”
• Sawyer was Ryan Day’s first commitment as a high school prospect back in 2019 and feels a special connection to Day’s experience as a result of that. “Coach Day, he's the only coach I'd wanna play for in college football. I'd commit to him 100 times over if I could. So that's why when we talk about coming back, a lot of us have felt like we're his first real recruiting class. And we kinda all thought we let him down in a sense of not reaching the goals that we set out to do when we signed our name on the dotted line. So I think that going through the things we've gone through the past few years with Coach Day, it definitely feels like we've gone through it hand in hand.”
• On those who decided to return who had NFL draft stock: “It's been a dream of all of ours here playing at this level to play at the next level in the NFL since we were little kids. So making that decision to forego playing in the NFL to come back for one more year at Ohio State was a very tough decision for a lot of guys and myself. So we came back for one purpose and one goal, and that's to beat the Team Up North and win a national championship.”
• While other teammates may be more reserved in saying how much the last three losses to Michigan motivate them, Sawyer said “I'd be lying if I told you that it didn't burn a fire inside of us, so it’s definitely something that we think about. And we know what's at stake when we play those guys, all of our goals and aspirations for the season rides on that one game in November.”
• Sawyer understands the expectations placed on his head coach’s shoulders, but he also feels any narratives about him not taking The Game seriously enough are unfounded. “If you ask Coach Day, Coach Day's man enough to sit up here and tell you that's part of the job he signed up to do. But me being a guy who would go to war for him any day, regardless of the topic, I think he gets wrongly criticized on a bunch of stuff.”
• On the process of getting everyone to come back who came back: “I was throwing stuff in guys' ears, trying to talk to them about coming back and why we should come back and how much it would mean to the city if we came back and to Ohio State and being able to etch our names and a legacy here if we won a national championship and beat those guys up north. So it was kind of a collective group effort, and a lot of decision went into it. But everybody made their own decision, what was best for them. And ultimately, I'm glad that a lot of them decided to come back.”
• On EA Sports College Football 25: “I grew up playing that game, was dying for it to come back. And it's surreal to be a part of the game its first year back. It's super cool being able to play with the Buckeyes and play with myself. It's a unique experience.”
• While Sawyer felt his 92 overall rating in the game was “fair,” he took issue with his 85 strength rating. “I need to get in contact with some of those guys at EA.”
• Asked about expectations, Sawyer repeated a common team mantra: Pressure is a privilege. “Every team in college football would love to be in a position we have with the team we’ve got, with the coaching staff that's in place, and the expectations we have. Because when you have high expectations, it means you're relevant.”
• On whether he thinks Ohio State’s defense could grow after being a top three scoring and total defense nationally in 2023: “I think it could get a lot better. I think that when you look at our team and all the guys that came back, being our third year in the system, I think that you guys all saw the jump. I think we all felt the jumps from our first year in Coach Knowles’ system to our second year. And going into our third season, we just feel that much more confident.”
• Sawyer feels a personal responsibility for the results of the last few years, and it’s part of the reason he stayed for his senior season. “When I committed to Ohio State, we had just played in a national championship. Coming off of three or four Big Ten championship wins, haven’t lost to the Team Up North in eight, nine years. And then when my class gets there, it kind of reverses. And I think for me, being the type of guy I am, I think naturally I felt like we let, I let not only Ryan Day down, but I let the city down.”
• On how he’s seen Day grow as a coach: “We've went through some hard times at the Woody, some hard times in Columbus as a team and as a family. So I think that that naturally is gonna change you a little bit. ... I think that one thing Coach Day's done a great job at is not changing who he is. I think that Coach Day, he's a phenomenal guy on and off the field. And regardless of the heat he took, fair or not, he remained the same. He remained humble and confident in who he is.”
• On interior offensive lineman Carson Hinzman: “Carson Hinzman is a phenomenal player. I think Carson Hinzman’s got a lot of great football ahead of him. Super hard worker, really humble kid and I’m excited to see how he does in fall camp. He had a great offseason.”
• On the loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl: “We had a chance to win the game on defense and we didn't, that kinda stings. I think we pretty much had them locked up for the whole game up until the end of the third quarter where they hit a big deep shot. That was kinda like the sword in our back. So it was depleting for us.”
• On his offseason training mindset: “I'm just focused on becoming the best player I possibly can be week in and week out, working on every part of my game from the pass rush to the run stopping.”
• On why he took a leap in the second half of last year: “The more plays I played and the more games I got under my belt, the more confident I felt. I think by the middle of the year, I kinda just said, ‘I can play at this level with anybody, I'm just gonna let it fly. I think after that, I haven't looked back, and I'm looking forward to carrying that into this season.’”
• Sawyer says he enjoys the at times how rabid the Buckeyes’ fanbase can be at times. “For me, I love it. I love that Columbus takes Ohio State football so seriously because it's what I grew up doing. I grew up going to school, third and fourth grade, and that's all we talked about was Ohio State football. What happened the previous weekend, or we can't believe that this or this didn't happen, you know what I mean? So it's just kind of what I grew up doing.”
• On Jeremiah Smith: “That kid is just special. That's the only word I can use to describe him. Having been in his shoes – meaning being a five-star recruit and having a lot of hype surrounding him coming in – I was like, man, I just wanna see him practice a couple of times. ... Then I saw him for the first time, the first practice, I was like, ‘Holy shit, this kid's good.’”
• On which of the quarterbacks new to the Big Ten he’d like to sack most: “I think since we play them, definitely Dillon Gabriel of Oregon, I think that's definitely gotta be up there. Just because we're playing Oregon and he's a great quarterback. He's had a good career and they’ve got a really great team.”
• On his pitch to other players to get them to come back to Ohio State: “I just told those guys, look, man, when we came to Ohio State, we had all these goals and aspirations to achieve. And don't get me wrong, I wanna go to the NFL and chase my dream of that more than the next guy. But before we can chase that, we have something bigger at stake, something bigger than ourselves.”
• It’s still unachieved ambitions fueling Sawyer. “I wake up and think about it every day. I haven't won a championship, I haven't beat the Team Up North. You walk around the Woody and all you see is championships and championship posters and banners. I’ve been here for three years and not helped our team and this organization win any of those. It's something that wears on me and it's something that motivates me every day.”
• On who the most underrated player on the defensive line is: “I think one of the most underrated players on our team is Ty Hamilton at nose guard. I think that if you go back and watch his tape, you won't see anybody play as physical, play as hard, and do the things that he does on a play-to-play basis.”
• On left tackle Josh Simmons: “He's an athletic freak. I mean, he's one of the most explosive guys that I've been around. I think he kind of realizes that too. And he's a guy who's got really good feet for being that size. ... I think he's finally realizing what he's capable of and how important he is to our team's success.”

Emeka Egbuka

• Egbuka said the first thing that crossed his mind when he saw Ohio State plays Oregon was how many tickets he was going to need to secure for his family considering he’s from Washington. “Like, that’s going to be crazy. I don’t know how I’m going to come up with those.” Egbuka said playing in the Pacific Northwest will be a dream come true for him and that he’s “stoked” for that game.
• On his decision to come back: “There was a lot that went into that decision. Coming out of the last game against Missouri, I was really 50-50. I didn’t really know where I was going to go. But I stayed prayerful about everything and really leaned on my lord to give me guidance and to give me answers. I feel like he gave me the direction to come back here for my senior year. It turns out a lot of my friends feel the same way. And here we are with a veteran, senior team.”
• Egbuka said he tries to give little bits and pieces of advice to younger receivers on Ohio State’s roster and tries to be a big brother for them. “It’s something I don’t take lightly because I know how much Garrett (Wilson), Chris (Olave) and Jaxon (Smith-Njigba) meant to me. So I’m trying to be that for these guys.”
• On what he’s worked on this offseason: “Playing bigger, stronger, faster and getting my body healthy from the little hiccups I had last year. Just being someone who can be explosive, go up and make those 50-50 plays, turn those hitches into touchdowns and a stout blocker on the perimeter.”
• On the importance of building a relationship with the quarterbacks: “I’ve gotten really close with all of them. They’re all such great guys and they’re easy to be around. So whether we’re golfing, throwing on the weekends or playing video games, all those guys are pretty close friends of mine.
• On Jeremiah Smith and how he’s handling the preseason hype: “If you take to Jeremiah, you wouldn’t even know. He’s very about his business and a very professional kid. I think that’s what’s most impressive about him. He’s the prototypical wide receiver you would want but he’s mature beyond his years. You don’t really have to get on him too much. He’s going to work. He’s going to keep himself humble.”
• Egbuka said he doesn’t feel much more pressure this year compared to previous years because the expectations at Ohio State are always high and always are to win a national title.
• Egbuka said when Caleb Downs came in you would have thought he had been in Columbus “for years” because of how well he got along with everybody.
• Egbuka said OSU will have to be practical taking care of their bodies because of the 12-team playoff and a longer season likely incoming.
• Egbuka said he was pleased with his 92 overall rating on the new EA Sports College Football video game, but was slightly disappointed his strength attribute wasn’t higher because of other wide receivers’ strength ratings that he saw.
• Egbuka said he’s the best golfer on the team because he has the lowest handicap (6.6).

Denzel Burke

• Burke says the Buckeyes have been spending a lot of time together off the field this summer. He says the majority of the team plays golf.
• On staying in the moment while chasing national championship goals: “That's what we want to do, be able to get our Gold Pants, win every single game, win a national championship. But most importantly, man, just win the moment, take care of what's in front of you right now, and everything will speak for itself.”
• On the Michigan game: “We didn't get it done the past three years, but it's our job this year to change that narrative.”
• On Ryan Day saying Burke is one of the best cornerbacks in the country: “He's not wrong.”
• On practicing against Jeremiah Smith: “It's really fun, man. He's a great player, and I'm really glad he's on our team. He's going to help us win games this year.”
• Burke said Caleb Downs is “different. He's wired in. He's smart. He knows the game a lot. He knows the game inside out.” Burke said Downs is his golf buddy.
• On the 12-team playoff: “I feel like it's a cool structure. It's kind of like a little NFL structure going into this year, and it's good for me to get a little taste of that, and everybody's getting a taste of that, especially going into their next steps in life in the NFL.”
• On his EA Sports College Football 25 rating: “I thought it was pretty low. They gave me a 91. It should have been at least a 93 or 94, but it is what it is. I'll change that rating when I'm playing football this year.”
• On why he said this season is “natty or bust”: “Yeah, I just kind of put it out there just to get the younger guys, the transfers to understand that I ain't come back for no BS. We're here to win it all, and we're going to need everybody. We've got to hold each other accountable, and every game is a matchup game this year. No matter who we're playing, it's our job to just take them out and dominate.”
• Burke says the Buckeyes “have all the chips in” this season.
• On freshman cornerback Aaron Scott Jr.: “Not mature yet, but he will get there. Everyone was 18 once. But he's a great player. He showed flashes of himself in camp, so I'm really excited for what he has in store for his future and his time here at Ohio State.”
• Burke has been impressed by Will Howard’s approach in offseason workouts. “When you're in the weight room, you kind of get a taste of what guys are like, who they really are in the weight room and I've seen flashes of him being a dog and being a leader, and that's going to correlate to the field.”
• Burke says the biggest thing he would tell his 18-year-old self is to block out the outside noise.
• Burke said he thinks Jermaine Mathews Jr. has been ready to play a bigger role since he filled in for Burke against Penn State. Burke said he didn’t know if Mathews would be ready to play as a freshman based on what he saw off the field, “but once he steps on that field, he just taps into a different mode.”
• “I want to be recognized as the best corner to ever come through here,” Burke said. How does he do that? “Just do what I do best, man. Just have fun, leave it in God's hands, and really just play the game I love to the fullest. Don’t take anything for granted.”
• On how good Ohio State’s secondary is right now: “I feel like a lot of the guys in the building fear BIA.” He said the defensive backs talk a lot of trash in practice: “We want to get in your head, we want to get under your skin.”
• Burke says he’s been playing EA Sports College Football 25 every day since it came out. He says it’s an “amazing feeling” to be able to play as himself in the game.
• Brandon Inniss and Carnell Tate are the biggest trash talkers in the receiver room, Burke said.
• Burke said Jeremiah Smith is his favorite receiver to go up against in practice. Why? “To be honest, he's like that. Like like that, like that. So he's next up, and I'm really excited for his ceiling these next couple years and what he's going to bring to the table for our team this year, too.”
• Burke said Marvin Harrison Jr. is “hands down the best receiver” he’s ever gone up against. Burke said Jeremiah Smith “has a little bit of Marv in him, and he's only a freshman now, so imagine what he's going to be like in his third year. It’s going to be nuts.”
• On Emeka Egbuka: “When he's healthy, he's a problem.” Burke thinks Egbuka is “the best version of himself right now.”
• On so many seniors returning on defense: “Just being able to be out there with my boys for one last year, it means the world for me, and I'm just going to give it everything I have, and I hope they do the same for me.”
• Asked about the depth in the cornerback room, Burke said he and Davison Igbinosun are “trying to set an example, give the guys a blueprint of what it means to uphold the standard of BIA.”
• Burke said it only took “a day or two” for Downs to be embraced by the team. “When people say the brotherhood, that's a real thing.”
• Burke said he thinks the game is going to move slower for Igbinosun this year because Igbinosun understands the game better going into his second year at Ohio State.
• “We've got to win every single game. No ifs, ands or buts about it,” Burke said.
• Burke said one of his goals for this year is to turn more pass breakups into interceptions and hopefully turn some of those interceptions into touchdowns.
• Burke admitted he “got a little complacent” after starting all season as a freshman. “I lost that edge going into my sophomore year,” which he described as the lowest point in his life as a football player, but he grew from that going into his third year.
• Burke said Tim Walton has been “a great addition to my life on and off the field, and he's really helped me elevate my game to the highest level possible.”
• Burke on Walton’s rapping skills: “He’s lowkey spitting some bars.”
• Burke says he still needs to see “a little more” out of Howard in preseason camp than what he saw in practice this spring. “Fall camp is really going to test him. They're going against the best defense in the country, so we just plan on getting him better and hoping for the best.”
• On the Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri: “That loss is not something we dealt with lightly, but it's in the past now. We're looking forward, man, and it's going to be a great year this year.”
• Burke said the next step for Ohio State’s defense is to go “from good to elite.”