After a dominant win over Akron, Ohio State will welcome Western Michigan to the Shoe on Saturday. While sportsbooks consider the Buckeyes more than a five-touchdown favorite over the Broncos, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said Wednesday that Western Michigan "has our guys' attention" following its closer-than-expected loss to Wisconsin.
"When you watch the film, you're seeing them play a Big Ten opponent, which gives us a little bit more of a barometer for what we're dealing with. They played Wisconsin strong. They are physical up front. They have some really good skill players," Day said. "It looked like a Big Ten-style game overall. There was a point where that game was in the balance. I know that has our guys' attention."
Eleven of those Buckeyes participated in press conferences on the Woody Hayes Athletic Center indoor practice field along with Day on Wednesday: JT Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, Quinshon Judkins, Sonny Styles, Brandon Inniss, Carnell Tate, Seth McLaughlin, Gabe Powers, Will Kacmarek, Joe McGuire and Jayden Fielding.
Below you can find video, some quotes and all the need-to-know information from their media sessions:
DE JT Tuimoloau
“I had to tell him (the sack) is coming, because he hit that guy like seven times. It’s coming, but you see him working.” – JT Tuimoloau on what he told Jack Sawyer about his performance after Week 1
- Tuimoloau said being consistent is key for him and Ohio State’s defense because anyone can perform well for just one game. He feels it’s more about how they perform on a weekly basis.
- Tuimoloau said it wasn’t surprising to see guys like Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Mitchell Melton come in and make plays against Akron. He praised their work ethic, which he believes is why they performed well.
- Tuimoloau said finally being able to perform Week 1 was like “a whole bunch of dogs just being finally let out to go play.” He said there were some jitters but he’ll believe the defense will continue to clean up small things.
DT Tyleik Williams
“I think the D-line played well in the first game. I think we all went out there and made plays. We played as a team. We need that going forward if we’re gonna win these big games we have coming up.”– Tyleik Williams on the defensive line’s performance against Akron
- On Ohio State forcing three turnovers in the season opener: “It’s exciting. All the work we’ve put in, we do a lot of drills to create turnovers. They’re finally starting to show up in the game. I think it’s great for us and for the team.”
- Williams called TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins a “two-headed monster.” He added: “They got everything you need in a running back. To have two of them is even better. I think it’s a two-headed monster in the backfield. One gets tired, and another great one comes in. They can keep going back and forth and there’s no dropoff whatsoever.”
- On how Sonny Styles, C.J. Hicks, Arvell Reese and Gabe Powers performed without having Cody Simon healthy: “I think they played well. They’re doing everything they need to do. Getting us the calls, doing their assignment. I didn’t think there was a dropoff there.”
RB Quinshon Judkins
“Definitely a one-of-a-kind experience, super exciting. Definitely more fans than I expected, so it's super fun.”– Quinshon Judkins on his first game in Ohio Stadium
- On whether he has to develop timing within a scheme as a running back: “Definitely. I think at this position, that's something that you practice every single day when you're on the field with your teammates. You're working on the timing, and you're working on schemes, and you're planning different things, especially for games and then during the season.”
- On the offensive line’s performance in Week 1: “I think as a team, collectively, like Coach Day said, we always can improve weekly. We just come back, watch the film, and everybody sees what they can do better, and we come out the next week and do our best.”
- On TreVeyon Henderson’s devastating pass block against Akron: “I thought it was just amazing to see. So as his teammate, I gave him the ups and the props, and when he got to the bench, I was like, ‘Bro, that's a hell of a block.’”
- On James Peoples: “I think in James, man, just seeing him go out there and be super excited with the performance. Like go out there for his first game and see him get to run and get the jitters out, just see him get the experience his first game. Me and Tre both just enjoyed it.”
LB Sonny Styles
“It wasn’t too crazy for me. Our positions are kind of interchangeable in our defense, so a lot of the concepts are similar. I think I have a pretty good grasp of the defense and knowledge of the defense, so it wasn’t a super hard switch for me.”– Sonny Styles on being thrust into a Mike linebacker role in Week 1
- On his performance in the Akron game: “It was good. First game at backer, I ended up playing Mike. I thought as a linebacker room, as a whole, we had a solid game. Always some stuff to work on, but it was a start.”
- Styles called wearing in-helmet communication “cool.” He said there was only one play on defense where the play call “came in a little late,” and he had to relay it to his teammates quickly and get them set. “It got a little hectic because everyone is looking at you like, ‘What’s the call? What’s the call?’ Styles said with a laugh. “But it wasn’t too bad. I thought it was a sold day. I thought I did pretty good with it.”
- Styles takes pride in knowing both the Mike and Will linebacker positions. He felt the same responsibility at safety last season, understanding what to do at free safety, strong safety and nickel spots for Ohio State in 2023.
WR Brandon Inniss
“You can’t play around when you’re back there. You can’t tiptoe. You’ve got to get the ball, make the first two guys miss and go.” – Brandon Inniss on his mentality as a punt returner
- Inniss said he was frustrated he didn’t score on a punt return in Week 1 because he was “so close” on a couple of them but hopes that changes soon.
- He said he thinks teams may stop punting to him directly because of what he’s shown on tape so far. He said Akron tried to kick away from him after the second punt but he adjusted.
- Inniss said he’s been coached to have “tennis feet” as a punt returner. “As soon as the ball is kicked, you have to track the ball off the punter’s foot, and that’s what I try to do.”
- He says you have to have an aggressive mindset as a punt returner. He says he never wants to fair catch the ball if he doesn’t have to.
- Inniss said Devin Hester is his inspiration as a punt returner.
- Inniss said Ryan Day and Ohio State’s position coaches are “a lot more involved” in special teams than they were last year. “They made special teams a focus this offseason, and Coach Day plays a huge role in the special teams this year.” He said that gives the players more motivation to play well on special teams because they want to impress their position coaches.
WR Carnell Tate
“It felt good. It’s the start of the season. Momentum building makes you feel good heading into Week 2.”– Carnell Tate on scoring a touchdown against Akron
- Tate on receiving praise from Day for how he practices each week in Ohio State’s wide receiver room: “You practice how you play. I try to practice how I play. I try to practice hard and after I catch (the ball) I try to run and finish after the catch.”
- On Western Michigan and the threat the Broncos pose to the Buckeyes in Week 2: “We know they came to play ball. They played a Big Ten team. We know they are gonna come over here and play ball with us.”
- On what he can do better after watching film from the Akron game: “I could have blocked better. I left a couple of blocks out there on the field and stuff like that. I left one catch out there on the field and stuff like that. I always feel like I can play better than what I did.”
C Seth McLaughlin
“There was a lot of plays that were one block away from being huge runs, and we just got to keep working on correcting those one-offs.”– Seth McLaughlin on the team’s run-blocking
- On his first game in the Shoe: “The fans showed out, and there were a ton of them there. And that was surprising for an opening game in my eyes, but I had a ton of fun.”
- On how he felt Austin Siereveld and Tegra Tshabola performed at guard: “I'm proud of them. For coming out and having their first start, I thought they did well. you kind of have those jitters. I think I can't speak to how they were feeling, but I know how I felt when I got my first playing time, there were some jitters. kind of had to get in the flow of that as a young guy getting your first start. And once they got in the flow and they felt comfortable, and after those initial jitters wore off, we played really well.”
- McLaughlin is somewhat thankful for the illness that ran through the offensive line room and the opportunities younger players have gotten. “It's kind of an advantage. It helped us build a ton of depth and a lot of chemistry with guys that we might have not had the opportunity to play with.”
- On Will Howard’s scrambling and ability to extend plays: “It really helps. It definitely helps the offensive line look better. When you've got a guy that's so experienced like that, being able to avoid the rush, as long as you're playing hard, you have faith that the guy back there is not going to get sacked.”
LB Gabe Powers
“Since I was a little kid, I’ve always been a Ohio State fan, so that’s always been a goal of mine.” – Gabe Powers on scoring his first touchdown as a Buckeye
- Powers said the interception return touchdown he scored against Akron boosts his confidence and that he hopes it gives the coaching staff more confidence to play him, too. He said it validates his decision to stay at Ohio State and keep fighting for playing time even though he’s still a backup right now.
- Powers said he’s embracing his opportunity to play a big role on special teams after playing on the kickoff, kickoff return, punt and punt return units against Akron.
- Powers wasn’t surprised that Sonny Styles was able to learn how to play Mike linebacker and handle the helmet communication for the defense quickly because “he’s a really smart player.”
TE Will Kacmarek
“It means everything for the program. I mean, that's what we strive for every day.”– Will Kacmarek on grading out a champion in his first Ohio State game
- On playing two MAC teams to open the season after transferring from the MAC: “It is funny how that works out, but I mean they're just as good as anyone else. It's college football, so we take everyone seriously and all that, but it is kind of coincidental.”
- On how his first game went: “Good, good. It was definitely a cool experience. First game in the shoe, get the full experience. Played a good amount of snaps, so it was just cool to get out there for the first time and just play football.”
- On how the tight ends blocked Saturday: “Good. I really think we did a great job. That's been a huge focus for us in the offseason, spring ball, fall camp, so I think we're going to continue to get better at that and just show that we're a good blocking unit.”
- On where coach Keenan Bailey has helped him as a receiver: “Definitely my route running. I think that's an area where I may have not received the most knowledge previously, but given the fact that he was a former receiver GA, he's got all the tools and tricks and stuff like that, so he's definitely helped me in that area.”
P Joe McGuire
“We’ve put in an unbelievable amount of hard work in the offseason, as what is expected here. So by the time you step out on game day, you expect to be ready.”– Joe McGuire on his preparation for his first game as Ohio State’s punter
- McGuire said it was “unbelievable” punting in a game for the first time. “I sort of knew what to expect a little bit following Jesse (Mirco) last year, backing him up, so warmed up on the ground and everything, but obviously being out there is a different experience.”
- He said he didn’t know until near the end of last week that he would be the starting punter.
- McGuire said he trained with former Ohio State punter Cameron Johnston over the summer and that Johnston has “been fantastic” to him.
- McGuire said he wasn’t caught off-guard when the Buckeyes brought in Nick McLarty and Anthony Venneri to compete with him for the punting job this offseason. “I was the only punter here at the time, really. So I was expecting it. And if that’s what they think makes the team better, then great. Because at the end of the day, we just want to win.” He said competing with them has made him better.
- McGuire said Jesse Mirco has been a “great mentor” to him and that he still talks nearly every day with the former Ohio State punter, who transferred to Vanderbilt in the offseason.
K Jayden Fielding
“He always had that look in his eye. He’s a very competitive guy, he came in last year kind of late, he proved to us he was serious about it. He’s just a competitor at the end of the day.” – Jayden Fielding on trusting Joe McGuire to handle punting duties
- Fielding said he and punter Joe McGuire are good friends off the field so he always knew he was ready to handle punting duties.
- Fielding said it’s always relieving to see the first field goal of the season go in and compared it to hitting your first home run in the big leagues.
- Fielding approaches kicking with a mindset of every single kick is important to Ryan Day, Rob Keys and everybody on the team.
