Tuesday's media session featured more than wide receivers.
In addition to Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss and others, Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding, punters Joe McGuire and Nick McLarty and long snapper John Ferlmann answered questions from the media.
While Fielding, McGuire, McLarty and Ferlmann spend most of their time on the outdoor turf during spring practice, "The Specialists" positioned themselves on the Woody Hayes Athletic Center's indoor turf for interviews.
Among the topics discussed, Fielding addressed how he bounced back in the College Football Playoff after a poor performance in The Game. McGuire and Ferlmann discussed offseason improvement and McLarty broke down his decision to remain at Ohio State despite entertaining the transfer portal.
Jayden Fielding
“I had to. There’s a different fire in you when you think you’re not gonna be able to do something anymore. You take every opportunity you can to make sure you can continue to do what you love to do.”– Jayden Fielding on what it took to bounce back from his performance in The Game
- Fielding said it took him time to fully celebrate Ohio State’s national championship in January. “Honestly, I never really celebrated it because – well, I did celebrate it, that’s false. We all celebrated it, but in my mind, it didn’t feel complete because I didn’t feel like I played my best throughout the year to earn that. I felt like the team did.”
- Fielding said he tore the adductors in his hips during the Marshall game last season. “I was playing through that. It didn’t make it too easy to try and kick in those games, but I did my best to help the team out.”
- Fielding called his field goal to clinch the national championship “the quietest moment I’ve ever had in life.” He added: “It was so loud. The moment was so big. I was so focused. I was in a flow state.”
Joe McGuire
“You always want to kick it higher and further and in the best location you can. Like any other punter, (I want to kick it) higher and further.” – Joe McGuire on where he can improve this offseason
- McGuire only punted the ball 47 times in 16 games last season. He’s fine with that. “If we’re not punting, that means we’re doing well on the field. I’m happy about that.”
- McGuire said he’s added power to his kicks this offseason. “You got Coach Mick (Marotti) and all the guys in the weight room, it’s impossible not to get stronger and better. I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do this season.”
- McGuire discussed some of the differences and similarities between Australian and American culture. That included his love for Vegemite, an Australian food spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast with added vegetable and spice additives. He said longsnapper John Ferlmann tried Vegemite this winter and hated it.
John Ferlmann
“A big improvement for me this offseason is cadence work, changing stuff up and just not giving up cues for certain things.”– John Ferlmann on what he’s worked on this offseason
- Ferlmann said the specialists naturally are close with each other because they spend so much time together as a unit, but also try to build a relationship with their other teammates as well.
- Ferlmann says he works with a long snapping coach with Wisconsin in the offseason as part of his offseason program.
- Ferlmann says he has been recognized on campus despite being a long snapper because he’s a “very outgoing person.”
Nick McLarty
“When I first got here, it was definitely a harsh reality of what college football was like, the expectations and all that sort of stuff, which I personally just don't think I was ready for. I don't think I was emotionally ready, I don't think I was physically ready.”– Nick McLarty on his first season at Ohio State
- McLarty felt his first year was a developmental year as he acclimated to big-time college football in the United States following his move from Australia. “Coming to a school like Ohio State, it’s a big deal, and you don’t really understand that.”
- McLarty said the pressure that coaches put punters under during practice is “so much more intense” than on game days. “That's the blessing of it, is if you can perform here in practice, you'll be able to perform in a game no matter who it is.”
- On what he’s changed physically to try and win the starting punter job in 2025: “The big issue for me was speed, operation time. Joe (McGuire) did a phenomenal job at the expectations of getting that lower. And a big thing for us is not getting blocked. We haven't been blocked in four years, five years. So for me to come in and change what I was doing and speed it up, there was a real sort of personal conflict where I wanted to be the best punter I could possibly be, but that was conflicting with the speeds they wanted.”
- McLarty considered entering the transfer portal after last season, but decided to stick it out at Ohio State. He says he’s been working “every night” with quality control special teams coach Rob Keys and long snapper John Ferlmann since deciding to stay with the Buckeyes. “I just sort of had to change my mindset and think about truly what I wanted to be. If I wanted to be at a school like Ohio State, which had high expectations, or go somewhere else. But with that, I just had to commit to it.”
