Quick Hits: Larry Johnson Calls Matt Patricia “A Great Teacher,” C.J. Hicks Says Playing On the Edge “Allows Me to Be More Aggressive” and Logan George is “Excited to Compete” at Ohio State

Following the Buckeyes' fifth spring practice, Eleven Warriors heard from five of the players battling for the team's four starting spots: defensive ends Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Caden Curry, C.J. Hicks and Logan George and defensive tackle Eddrick Houston. Veteran defensive line coach Larry Johnson also met with the media.

Among the topics discussed, Johnson called new Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia “a really good teacher,” Hicks said his transition to defensive end allows him “to be more aggressive” and George, an offseason transfer from Idaho State, shared that he's “excited to compete” with Jackson, Curry and Hicks.

Larry Johnson

“First of all, he’s a great teacher, a really great teacher. He makes it simple for players to understand. … The process, the whole orientation of the defense, has been really good.” – Larry Johnson on Matt Patricia

• Johnson said Ohio State “took at shot at” Logan George after the former Idaho State defensive end entered the transferred portal. He added that George has been “a pleasant surprise” through five practices. “He’s quicker than I thought he was. He’s got power. He’s got really strong hands to get off blocks and set the edge. I’m really excited about what we (can) do with him.”
• On C.J. Hicks’ development at defensive end: “It’s still early – we just got done with our second day of pads, so it’s still early – but it’s there. We just got to continue to work at it.” Johnson said Hicks “has the technique” and the skill to perform off the edge. Later, Johnson added that Hicks “has been working hard” and is “very eager to learn” more about the defensive end position from him and new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
• Johnson wants to see Jason Moore take more reps this offseason. By the end of the spring, he hopes Moore has 200 or 300 reps under his belt. “That’s what he needs. He needs to play football. That’s what we’re gonna try to do this spring. Get him as much football as possible, play and give him a chance to help us up front.”

Kenyatta Jackson Jr.

“I wouldn’t say it’s paid off yet, I haven’t really done anything yet. But God has a path for everybody and he’s paving my path now.” – Kenyatta Jackson Jr. on his college career

• Jackson said he thinks the spring has gone pretty well and that his teammates have bought into him as a leader after the team lost four defensive linemen last season.
• Despite only playing on a rotational basis the past few seasons, Jackson said he’s tried to stay consistent daily on his approach to the game.
• Jackson said he envisions a new group stepping up this season and working hard to replace the production from the defensive talent Ohio State lost a year ago.

Caden Curry

“I'm just so excited for this group that we have on the D-Line and just what we're looking forward to.” – Caden Curry on his position room entering spring practice

• Despite waiting behind Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau the first three years of his career, Curry has remained confident in Johnson’s plan for him. “It's just my trust in Coach J.”
• On being a veteran of Ohio State’s defensive line room: “Definitely me and (Jackson) and C.J. are all trying to take that leadership role and just trying to kind of push the guys to be the best version of themselves every day.”
• Curry said he learned how to be both a vocal leader and lead by example from Sawyer and Tuimoloau, and that the duo is always “one call away” if he needs advice.
• On Logan George: “Just a ball player. I mean, he definitely is gonna be a great player here and he's just taking it day by day too. We're all just working.”

Eddrick Houston

“He really helped me out throughout the process, telling me to get better every day and go in after him during the National Championship game and make some plays.” – Eddrick Houston on how Tyleik Williams prepared him to play 3-tech

• On why he decided to stay at 3-technique defensive tackle: “I feel as though 3-tech is what's best for me right now. I feel like I can produce just as well as I do on the edge, I have the strength and speed to do it, so I just gotta keep working every day to keep getting better.”
• Houston said he’s working on “everything” in his game while preparing to be a starter in 2025. “There's some weaknesses that I saw, there's also some strengths that I saw too, but I want to take both of those and just keep getting better each day.”
• On his focus in workouts: “I just felt as though I needed to get stronger. (Defensive tackle) is taking 600 pounds of men every play. So I knew that I, first, gotta get stronger, and I gotta get faster so I can get my hands on them quicker.”
• Houston feels he’ll have a speed advantage on opposing offensive guards as he settles into a bigger role at three-tech.

C.J. Hicks

“Every little drill that we do, I try to make sure I’m doing it to the T. I don’t like to mess up.” – Hicks on the sense of urgency he feels entering his senior season at Ohio State

• Hicks thinks playing on the edge fits his play style “a lot more” than linebacker. “It allows me to be more aggressive.”
• He says he’s bulked up to 240 pounds and expects to be up to 245 pounds before the season starts.
• Former New England Patriots outside linebacker Willie McGinest and current Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker Nolan Smith are a couple of players who defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has told Hicks he could play like.
• Hicks said the Buckeyes talk every day about how many days they have until they play Texas (158 as of Tuesday).

Logan George

“I’m excited to compete. Every day in practice I get to compete against the best guys and as a by-product you get better, that’s what I’m most excited about.” – Logan George on what he’s looking forward to the most this spring since he transferred to Ohio State

• George said other schools trying to get him in the transfer portal included Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Missouri, Wisconsin and Nebraska.
• George said the biggest difference between Ohio State and Idaho State (the school he transferred from) is the speed of the game.
• George said he remembered he was out to dinner with his family this winter when he got a call from Larry Johnson expressing interest in him. Johnson told him he could refine his technique as a run stopper and a pass rusher.