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What Is Ohio State's Plan When Teams Try To Take Away Jeremiah Smith? · Buckeyes TomOrrow Morning

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: This is a bonus episode of the Buckeyes Tomorrow Morning Podcast.
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: You're getting an extra one because I was planning on
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: doing this one today and then had the Mason Wilhelm
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: commitment twenty twenty six offensive linemen. They got that one
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  Speaker 1: as your morning show. But lots of good interviews this
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: week with Ryan Day and some o highest tip players.
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: You're going to hear a little bit from several guys
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  Speaker 1: on this show. You're going to start with Ryan Day
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: just sort of the buck Eyes heading into their game
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  Speaker 1: against Purdue. Obviously, you have some of the most talented
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  Speaker 1: players in the country, but when teams try and take
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  Speaker 1: some of them away. Let's use Jeremiah Smith as an example.
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  Speaker 1: When you go into a game knowing that teams are
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  Speaker 1: going to try and take Jeremiah Smith away from you,
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  Speaker 1: do you go in with a game plan specifically trying
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  Speaker 1: to get the ball to him.
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  Speaker 2: Well, we're always trying to find the way to get
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  Speaker 2: the ball to our playmakers, certainly Jeremiah. But then there's
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  Speaker 2: also a balance of making sure you know you're doing,
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  Speaker 2: you know, what makes sense to move the ball down
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  Speaker 2: the field. But yeah, we're always trying to identify early
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  Speaker 2: on what everybody's plan is it's usually not just what
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: they do, it's usually something different, but whatever that is,
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  Speaker 2: and then we try to adjust from there along the way,
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  Speaker 2: trying to make sure that we're intentional about how we
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  Speaker 2: spread the ball around.
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  Speaker 1: This year's Perdue team obviously not outstanding. I'm not going
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  Speaker 1: to sugarcoat anything here. They are two and seven, they
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  Speaker 1: are zero to six in the Big Ten. Those numbers
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  Speaker 1: sort of speak for themselves. However, this is also not
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  Speaker 1: last year's Perdue team, where they lost five games in
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  Speaker 1: Big Ten play by more than three scores. So this
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  Speaker 1: is not exactly the same team that you saw last season.
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: So now they're not getting blown out at all like
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  Speaker 1: they did last year. Their biggest loss in the Big
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  Speaker 1: Ten this year is nineteen nothing at Northwestern. Everything else
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  Speaker 1: has been mostly one and two score games, and they
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  Speaker 1: made it a sixty minute game against Michigan up in
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  Speaker 1: ann Arbor last week. So what are Ryan Day's impressions
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  Speaker 1: of this Purdue team.
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  Speaker 2: Well, if you watch the film, which I know everybody
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  Speaker 2: in our building is, they're they're getting better every week,
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  Speaker 2: and I think you know it's it's important to watch
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  Speaker 2: each team and figure out where they are and then
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  Speaker 2: you know where they've come from, and I think each
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  Speaker 2: week you've seen them progress in in all areas. I
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  Speaker 2: thought they played really well last week, you know, played
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  Speaker 2: that game all the way to the end into the
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  Speaker 2: fourth quarter, and so I think it's a team that
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  Speaker 2: has gotten a lot better. And like you said, they've
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  Speaker 2: they've lost some close hit games here recently. So you know,
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  Speaker 2: we got to We've got to play our best and
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  Speaker 2: that that's as you know mentioned all the time, we
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  Speaker 2: want to play our best every week. And and so
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  Speaker 2: I think the guys understand that when we go on
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  Speaker 2: the road, like it's a conference game against a team
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  Speaker 2: that's getting better every week, and you know, we saw
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  Speaker 2: what they did last week, so we got to be
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  Speaker 2: on our game.
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  Speaker 1: Ohio State enters this game number one in the in
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  Speaker 1: the human polls, number one in the College Football Playoff rankings,
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  Speaker 1: and unbeaten and defending national champions. So things are pretty
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  Speaker 1: good at Ohio State. However, there's always stuff that Ryan
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  Speaker 1: Day is looking to improve. The running game, certainly on offense,
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  Speaker 1: they're looking for some improvement probably there. They're looking to
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  Speaker 1: improve everywhere. But if you're going to look at one
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  Speaker 1: section of the team, that's a little bit of a
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  Speaker 1: concern right now. It would be the special teams. In
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  Speaker 1: sp Plus, which is an advanced computer ranking, Buckuys are
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  Speaker 1: eighth in the nation on offense, first in the nation
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  Speaker 1: on defense, and eighty first in the nation on special teams.
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  Speaker 1: But is Ryan Day maybe seeing some progress there?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think there's been good things and then there's
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  Speaker 2: been some other things that you have to get better.
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  Speaker 2: We're trying to get as many guys as we can
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  Speaker 2: on the field. We know that, you know, we have
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  Speaker 2: some good special teams players on the team, but it's
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  Speaker 2: a great opportunity for some of these younger players that
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  Speaker 2: we're talking about to get out in the field and
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  Speaker 2: cut their teeth and make mistakes and learn and grow. So,
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  Speaker 2: you know, again, I think it's been solid, but you know,
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  Speaker 2: we always want to be better and be more explosive.
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  Speaker 1: One area where they have seen some definite progress this
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  Speaker 1: season is on the defensive line. That's something that we
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  Speaker 1: were coming into the at least spring and even into
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  Speaker 1: the summer to a certain degree with a little bit
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  Speaker 1: of a concern that will they be able to replace
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  Speaker 1: all four starters from last year's national championship team. So far,
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  Speaker 1: the answer is an enthusiastic yes, two thumbs up for
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  Speaker 1: the Ohio State defensive line. One of the recent guys
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  Speaker 1: who's made a major splash is Kenyata Jackson. He had
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  Speaker 1: a couple of sacks against Penn State last week. Where
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  Speaker 1: has he improved this season?
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  Speaker 2: More confident? I think in his heart he's always known
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  Speaker 2: that he can do it, but affir him to actually
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  Speaker 2: physically do it. You can just see him grow more
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  Speaker 2: and more in his confidence in himself and his belief
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  Speaker 2: in himself. And and you know, everyone has their own
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  Speaker 2: journey along the way, and when they take that next step,
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  Speaker 2: you know you've seen him do that. You're seeing him
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  Speaker 2: producing on the field. And you know, once you start
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  Speaker 2: seeing yourself on filmmak plays and you feel that, you
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  Speaker 2: you then start playing, you know, with you know, more
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  Speaker 2: conviction and playing faster and knowing that you can play
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  Speaker 2: with anybody in the country. And I think you're seeing
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  Speaker 2: that with him. So he knows that he's another guy
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  Speaker 2: on the d line that we're all counting on because
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  Speaker 2: you know, he's the elder statesman in the room and
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  Speaker 2: he's a leader, but his production is just as important.
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  Speaker 1: And last one from Ryan day, going to move just
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  Speaker 1: a little bit on the inchside of the defensive line
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  Speaker 1: now to nose tackle Cayden McDonald. He is certainly one
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  Speaker 1: of the bigger personalities on this year's team and someone
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  Speaker 1: who has definitely taken a major, major step forward this year.
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  Speaker 1: You know, he is somewhat he will get to him
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  Speaker 1: that you'll get to hear a little bit from him
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  Speaker 1: in a minute. But what has made Caiden McDonald such
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  Speaker 1: a big part of what the Buckeyes are doing on
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  Speaker 1: defense this year.
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  Speaker 2: He's he's a huge part of our defense. You know,
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  Speaker 2: we say inside out and he's the middle of it all.
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  Speaker 2: And you know he's every day getting better, more consistent,
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  Speaker 2: more experienced, more mature just in his approach, and you know,
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  Speaker 2: he's a very important guy on our defense, and his
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  Speaker 2: production is has increased as the season's gone on. I
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  Speaker 2: think he's he understands the workload that it takes to
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  Speaker 2: play inside like that. It's just not something you show
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  Speaker 2: up and play a few snaps and then get out
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  Speaker 2: of there. I mean, it's a it's an all day sucker.
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  Speaker 2: And he played his most plays he played on Saturday,
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  Speaker 2: I think in his career, So that was a great
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  Speaker 2: sign for him in terms of sustaining a high level play.
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  Speaker 1: All right, now onto Cayden McDonald. He's one of those
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  Speaker 1: people you really just you can't help. But like Cayden
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  Speaker 1: McDonald just kind of a big oversized guy with a
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  Speaker 1: big oversized personality. Really just a very likable player. What
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  Speaker 1: has changed with his mindset this season going from being
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  Speaker 1: a backup last year to a starter this year?
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  Speaker 3: Uh, just having an opportunity because at the end of
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  Speaker 3: the day, it's a blessing, you know, playing for the
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  Speaker 3: Ohio State University. And you know, give me a little
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  Speaker 3: bit of motivation because the last year's team won a
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  Speaker 3: national championship. Now it's our turn, my class and my boys,
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  Speaker 3: So that gives me the motivation to go repeat our buddy.
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  Speaker 1: Tony Gerdaman of buckeyehuddle dot Com asked Kate McDonald about
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  Speaker 1: being the first nose tackle at Ohio State to have
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  Speaker 1: eight tackles in a game since twenty twelve, and Cayden's
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  Speaker 1: actually done that twice this year. Did he know that?
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  Speaker 3: I didn't know that. You know, with me, I know,
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  Speaker 3: I just don't take no place for granted, and you know,
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  Speaker 3: I love football, you know, just coach Johnson preachers just
• 7:27
  Speaker 3: to have unbrado spirit and have the energy and it
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  Speaker 3: shows on Saturdays when all eleven guys run to the ball.
• 7:35
  Speaker 1: And last one from Kayden. Get to hear a little
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: bit about Matt Patricia because you've seen Matt Patricia's impact
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: on the field, but what we see behind the scenes,
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  Speaker 1: he's a lot of impact on these guys just on
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: a personal level as well, just hanging out with him,
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  Speaker 1: talking ball, talking life after practice in his office. Whatever
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  Speaker 1: it is, we see it, we hear about it all
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  Speaker 1: the time. So Kat McDonald's talked about the fact that
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  Speaker 1: Matt Patricia has almost been like a mental coach for
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  Speaker 1: him as well. So how has he changed his views
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  Speaker 1: on things? And sounds like you're gonna hear a couple
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  Speaker 1: of quick follow ups here as well, But one of
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: the answers here feels like that is starting to pay
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  Speaker 1: attention to all the little stuff.
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  Speaker 3: Just keeping my head strong and keeping the main thing
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  Speaker 3: the main thing, and stop worrying about the outside noise
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  Speaker 3: and control what you can control. That's really been a
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  Speaker 3: big reason of why I've been playing so well and
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: having Coach Patricia, you know, being in the back of
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  Speaker 3: my ear telling me things I need to know. Well,
• 8:31
  Speaker 3: just you know, we have a planner and he helps
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  Speaker 3: me either what I need to eat, diet, cardio, you
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  Speaker 3: know what's been going on, how's academics doing, how's family doing.
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  Speaker 3: You know, he's a family coach, and you know, I
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  Speaker 3: love him to death and I do anything for him,
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  Speaker 3: and I'm just happy to know that he's here. Yes, Well,
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  Speaker 3: this planner been going on since the summer, so every day,
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  Speaker 3: just putting the basis down, the fundamentals down, and uh,
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  Speaker 3: just going from.
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: There now over to the offensive side of the ball.
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: Going to let you hear a little bit from Julian's saying,
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: because you get to hear from him after games. But
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: I feel like you're not. We don't we're not doing
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  Speaker 1: enough with him. So I'm going to try and do more.
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  Speaker 1: Let you hear a little bit from him, because boy,
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  Speaker 1: he has turned into a major storyline around in this
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: year's team. Came into the year having won the starting
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: quarterback job, but a little bit of a question mark.
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: And if you go back and watch that Texas game,
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  Speaker 1: obviously they're keeping, you know, keeping him under wraps a
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: little bit, and they just don't want to have him
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: lose the game for them. At this point, now he's
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: the Heisman front runner. It's only two months later. It
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: is wild how fast things have changed for Julian Say,
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: and so what does he think about being a Heisman
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: front runner right now?
• 9:39
  Speaker 4: It's it's an awesome feeling, but you know, nothing, nothing
• 9:42
  Speaker 4: happens out the team, and we're all focused on team
• 9:44
  Speaker 4: success here. You know, there's a we have a lot
• 9:46
  Speaker 4: of great players, and you know guys are up for
• 9:47
  Speaker 4: awards or you know they're on watch list, but you know,
• 9:50
  Speaker 4: we're all focused on team success and how can we
• 9:52
  Speaker 4: get better each and every week and keep developing because
• 9:55
  Speaker 4: you know, it's all about where I want to be
• 9:57
  Speaker 4: in December and January.
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: Insane is definitely not someone who is going to sit
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: around and tell you how great he is and how
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: he deserves to win the Heisman Trophy. So Steven Means
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: of Cleveland dot Com took a very good, a very
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: smart approach to this one. Basically said, yeah, I know
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: you're not going to talk about yourself, so let's talk
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: about the other guy. The school it's also promoting as
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: a Heisman contender, Jeremiah Smith. What sets Jeremiah Smith apart
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: from everyone else.
• 10:22
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think you know a lot of things. You know,
• 10:24
  Speaker 4: his work ethic is is on match. He's able to
• 10:27
  Speaker 4: you know, his skill set is very good. But you
• 10:29
  Speaker 4: know the way he works in practice and the way
• 10:31
  Speaker 4: he find tunes, his craft is is you know, is
• 10:34
  Speaker 4: very special. So I think you know the ability for
• 10:36
  Speaker 4: him to go, you know, make make some great catches.
• 10:38
  Speaker 4: But then you know also he'll go and dig out
• 10:41
  Speaker 4: of safety and go make some great blocks. And he
• 10:43
  Speaker 4: practices that. I mean all shows up on a Tuesday
• 10:45
  Speaker 4: and Wednesday, and then you see it on Saturdays.
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: And then now let's talk a little bit one more
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: thing with Julian saying what's his approach when teams You
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: certainly have seen this a lot. Teams will just try
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: and take Jeremiah Smith away and say someone else has
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: to beat us. So what is Julian saying approach when
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: teams try to take Jeremiah Smith way?
• 11:03
  Speaker 4: You know, I think I think you we kind of
• 11:05
  Speaker 4: expected sometimes, you know, we we expect that sometimes you know,
• 11:09
  Speaker 4: they're not going to give us one on one. You know,
• 11:10
  Speaker 4: got to have a situation. See he's probably you know,
• 11:13
  Speaker 4: you're not gonna give us one on one. We have
• 11:14
  Speaker 4: a lot of great receivers and some tight ends, really
• 11:17
  Speaker 4: good tight ends too that that make a great separation.
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  Speaker 4: So I think, you know, it's kind of like pick
• 11:21
  Speaker 4: your poison.
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: And finally a couple from a guy who is going
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: to be a big storyline on the broadcast, I'm sure
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: on Saturday. Tight end Max Clayer, he started his college
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: career at Purdue, put up some big numbers for the
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: boiler Makers last year, and then transferred to Ohio State
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: during the offseason. Now his brother Luke younger brother. He
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: is a red shirt freshman tight end on this year's
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: Perdue team. He wears number eighty nine, So if you're
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: looking for him, that's who you're looking for. Is this
• 11:47
  Speaker 1: a game that Max Player's been Brettings has been a
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: game that Max Player's been looking forward to. What's his
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: approach going back to face his old team.
• 11:55
  Speaker 5: Yeah, No, I've looked forward to it. It's gonna be
• 11:57
  Speaker 5: fun to go back. Obviously, my brother's still on the team,
• 11:59
  Speaker 5: so it's very exciting for the family and also for
• 12:02
  Speaker 5: me to see him out there. It'll be cool, So
• 12:05
  Speaker 5: I'm really excited about it. Should be a good time.
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: Max said that between him and his brother. They are
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: expecting about fifty five zero family members maybe more for
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: this game, with luck getting all of those tickets for
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: that one. So last one from Max Claire. Obviously playing
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: at Purdue last year, they didn't beat an f FBS
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: team all season long, and now you're going to play
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: for the team that's the defending national champions and currently
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: the number one team. So no disrespect to Purdue, but
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: you're kind of playing a little bit of a different
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: level of the sport there. So when you make a
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: transition to a new program and sort of a different
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: level of a program in the sport, how long does
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: it take to feel like you really fit in? Yeah?
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: I think.
• 12:48
  Speaker 5: Really just you know, after fall camp and you know,
• 12:51
  Speaker 5: getting acclimated with new people and new faces and new scheme,
• 12:55
  Speaker 5: and you know, it's everyday process and you keep getting
• 12:59
  Speaker 5: more and more comfortable for So.
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: There you go, a little bit from Ryan Day, a
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: little bit from Kaden McDonald, a little bit from Julian Sayan,
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: and a little bit from Max Clayer. Give you a
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: little a little sampling a little buffet of the of
• 13:10
  Speaker 1: the Ohio State interviews from earlier this week. Looking forward
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: to the game, against Perdue that will kick off one
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: o'clock Eastern time, Yes, one o'clock, not noon. One o'clock
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: Eastern time on Big ten Network. We'll be there for
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: full pregame coverage, postgame coverage, all the stuff you've come
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: to know and expect from us all at bucke huddle
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: dot com and YouTube dot com slash Buckey Huddle. That'll
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: do it for today. Thank you guys all for joining us.
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: Have a great day. We'll talk to you tomorrow.