Returning all three starters from the nation's No. 1 passing defense a year ago, one theme has pervaded the offseason for how Ohio State's cornerback room can get better: turnovers.
It's been a big point of emphasis for Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock. That trend continued when Ohio State's cornerbacks met with the media on Friday, as Hancock says he wants "at least five interceptions" in 2024 while Burke called pass breakups "cool" but said "you've gotta turn that ball over."
Tim Walton got into some of the nuts and bolts of how players are progressing in his room and said that the diverse skillsets and competition provided by Ohio State's wide receivers will serve the DBs well on game days. He also praised his room's depth as Davison Igbinosun, Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Lorenzo Styles Jr. all met with the media as well on Friday.
Tim Walton
“They're different skill sets, different lengths, different heights, different speeds. We get really good work going against really good guys at different positions. That'll make us feel good on Saturday going into a matchup.”– Tim Walton on Ohio State’s wide receivers practicing against its cornerbacks
- Walton said he believes OSU has either five or six cornerbacks who he’d feel comfortable playing in a game right now. He said that number could grow as the team has scrimmages and continues fall camp.
- Walton says Lorenzo Styles Jr. is healthy and has been “good to go” in practice of late. “He has the yellow jersey on but he’s been practicing fine and he’s good to go.”
- Walton said OSU has a deep cornerback room and has guys who have experience and also have young, upcoming players who have talent.
- Walton said Aaron Scott is “competitive, coachable, has a passion for the game, wants to learn and has a lot of energy.”
Denzel Burke
"The PBUs, they're cool, but at the end of the day, you've gotta turn that ball over."– Denzel Burke on why he's trying to jump more routes in 2024
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Burke says it's been a lot of "fun" going against Ohio State's elite core of wide receivers every day in practice and getting some trash talk between they and the DBs. "We're getting them better.
We're coming in with the mentality every day that we're going to mud them every day at practice. And they know that. And they're barking back now." - On Jeremiah Smith: "Jeremiah's a dog. I've been saying this for a long time now. He's on our team and I'm glad he's on our team and we're getting him better."
- On how he feels with the group of corners and safeties surrounding him: "It's really comfortable. Communication is really at an all-time high right now. We're all on the same page, we're mixing a lot of stuff up and it's gonna be a great year."
- On Carnell Tate: "He's a really good player. Kind of reminds me a little bit of Tee Higgins. A little bit. I might be gassing him (up), but (he's) like Tee Higgins. But, yeah, he's a ball player. He's good with his routes. He can catch the ball. And he's a great player."
Davison Igbinosun
“It’s super fun to win. But if he catches it on me, I’m not happy about that.”– Davison Igbinosun on competing against Jeremiah Smith in fall camp
- Igbinosun says going against a player of Jeremiah Smith’s caliber every day in practice is going to make Saturday’s “super easy.”
- Igbinosun on iron sharpening iron and competing against OSU’s WR corps: “I want those boys to give me everything they have, so on Saturday’s it’s going to be easy for me and I’ll be prepared.”
- On Calvin Simpson-Hunt: “Calvin has gotten a lot better. I would say he’s gotten a lot smarter. Just like his game knowledge, expecting different routes and stuff like that.”
- Igbinosun says he’s probably one of the best trash talkers on the team. “I would say me talking trash forces me to bring it every single day because I have to back it up.”
Jordan Hancock
“It means everything that it's back to us. It means everything to the school, to those who came before us and Coach Walt. We talked about it so many times, the revival of BIA. Seeing it happen in fruition is crazy, but we knew it would come back to the standard.”– Jordan Hancock on BIA being back at Ohio State
- Hancock feels eager for his third season under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, explaining that his knowledge and understanding of Knowles’ scheme has helped him make plays this preseason. “I’m just shooting my gun now. I’m pulling my trigger for runs and passes because I already know what’s happening and what the backend is doing behind me.”
- Hancock said creating more turnovers has been “the point of emphasis” for Ohio State’s defensive backs this preseason. “We didn’t really have too many last year. We needed some more turnovers. That’s really the point of emphasis, whether that’s getting punchouts on the ball or making interceptions.”
- Hancock said he wants to record “at least five interceptions” this season. “I need five.”
Jermaine Mathews Jr.
“Just being more valuable to the team. … I didn’t play nickel last year and I started learning it in the spring and growing more with it now. Just giving more value to the team and finding my way and finding my role.”– Jermaine Mathews Jr. on where he’s grown this offseason
- Mathews said he can “go back and forth” between nickel cornerback and outside cornerback. “I think it’s been a good mix of 50-50 right now. … It’s given me more opportunities and given me somewhere else to get on the field. It also gets my versatility up for the next level.”
- Mathews said he’s “got a switch” that he can “turn on” during practices and games. “Everything that’s been going on around off the field goes away until the helmet comes back off and I go back to reality.”
- Mathews said he’s “definitely” had to grow off the field this spring and summer. “Just paying more attention to detail, focusing more, having a plan for everything.” Mathews said there are also some “technical things” he and Coach Walton have worked on this offseason to help him improve as a cornerback.
- Mathews on Jeremiah Smith: “He’s a different type of talent. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like him because he’s so tall, big and he can run as well. He’s got a good mix of everything.”
Lorenzo Styles Jr.
"We have some of the best wide receivers in the country, and we compete every single day. It’s just a constant battle."– Lorenzo styles Jr. on the competition between Ohio State’s receivers and defensive backs
- Styles said he underwent surgery after dislocating his shoulder this spring. He wasn’t a full participant in the first few practices of preseason camp while getting reacclimated, but he’s back on the field now and says he’ll be ready to go for the season opener.
- Styles says he’s practiced at both nickel and outside cornerback, but mostly nickel.
- Styles said he thinks Ohio State has many different kinds of cornerbacks, citing Igbinosun’s length, Burke and Mathews’ quick feet and Hancock’s and his own ability to make plays around the line of scrimmage and hit.
- On his younger brother Sonny’s transition to linebacker: “He’s getting better every single day. And honestly, I’m excited to have him go and attack the quarterback too so that can make my job a little easier.”
- Styles said he spent running routes at wide receiver during offseason workouts and feels capable of playing there if Ohio State needs him to, but he’s still a full-time cornerback.
