WEBVTT 1 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:32.799 Hello, everybody, Welcome to the buck Eye with the podcaster 2 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:38.960 and Tony Jrdiman. Here as always with Tom or Tom. 3 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:39.600 How's it going? 4 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:43.039 Well, I'm doing great. You, I think have a lot 5 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:45.320 to prove on this show. You really haven't been pulling 6 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:47.399 your weight this month, and I think this is your 7 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:50.560 opportunity to show the people that you deserve to stay 8 00:00:50.679 --> 00:00:52.159 on the Buckeye Weekly Podcast. 9 00:00:53.799 --> 00:01:02.359 Listen, Hello everybody. Uh, I don't have to prove anything 10 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:06.840 to anybody. All right, like you're watching me, Tom, you're 11 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:10.079 talking to me. I'm not talking like anyway. Well we're 12 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.760 talking about here is what other people have to do 13 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:16.959 to prove themselves. I have, I am, I have proven 14 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:21.719 I have I have. I have won the I've won 15 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:24.400 the Bold Predictions seven years in a row. What more 16 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:25.239 do I need to prove? 17 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:28.519 I don't know that we've even done the Bold Predictions 18 00:01:28.519 --> 00:01:29.560 seven years in a row, but. 19 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:32.200 Seven years in a row, I've won the Bold Predictions. 20 00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:37.439 I have nothing left to prove, because you know, when 21 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:41.959 you can get two out of seven or eight predictions correct, 22 00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:46.239 that tells you that you are proven. But no, with 23 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:50.519 now practice kind of winding down and games heating up, 24 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:53.359 there are still well, maybe ten or so practices left 25 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:56.359 before the first game. We're going to talk about the 26 00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:59.159 players who have the most proved in those practices in 27 00:01:59.239 --> 00:02:04.000 order to established themselves their their position. They're standing. And 28 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:06.640 the first guy I want to talk about is Richard 29 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:11.199 Freshman quarterback Tavan Saint Clair, who is in a battle 30 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:14.879 to be the backup quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes. 31 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:18.039 Last week when we talked to Brian Day said, Luke 32 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:21.599 Fahee is pushing him this week. There there may be 33 00:02:21.639 --> 00:02:25.599 some changes there and so if he wants to make 34 00:02:25.639 --> 00:02:28.639 sure that that job is his, he's got a little 35 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:30.439 bit of time to do it, because as we know, 36 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:34.000 once the season gets going, that backup quarterback job it's 37 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.680 generally set and there's not a lot of jockeying once 38 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:39.680 you know, there may just be this week in terms 39 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:43.520 of getting this thing finally set to where it's locked 40 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:47.520 in and it's not changing. So this is this is 41 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:49.439 a big week for you know, Luke Faygee as well, 42 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:53.479 But to be pushed by Fayhie, I think this is 43 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:55.960 a Tavan Saint Clair has the most approved in terms 44 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:58.639 of the the backup quarterback situation right now, and he's 45 00:02:58.680 --> 00:03:00.400 next to say, four or five days. 46 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:03.680 Well, it feels like the default answer here is you're 47 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:06.960 going to sort of lean towards the guy who's been 48 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:10.439 here an extra year, the guy who has you know, 49 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.319 the size and the arm and all that kind of stuff. 50 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:17.080 But the fact that this is a even a conversation 51 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:19.960 right now, and the fact that this seems like this 52 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:23.199 is more than just sometimes you get just sort of yeah, 53 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:25.080 you never know, you might got to watch this, and 54 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:27.360 it's just sort of the coaches talking to the players 55 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:29.919 through us. This has gotten to the point that I 56 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:32.599 really don't think this is just the players getting talked 57 00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:34.639 to by the coaches through the media. I think there's 58 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:37.280 there's really you're hearing enough when there is not a 59 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:39.599 microphone in front of someone to think that, yeah, this 60 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:43.479 might really be a conversation right now. And you know, 61 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.800 to your point, people might be wondering, why does it 62 00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:49.199 have to be settled now? If you've got a starting 63 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:52.039 quarterback battle and there's like a question like who's the 64 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:54.319 who's going to be the number one, that's something that 65 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:57.719 that they may spend practice reps on who's the backup 66 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:01.120 if it's still really an open question going into the season, 67 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:03.520 it generally is just kind of like, well, who was 68 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:05.960 ahead going you know, going in, you know out coming 69 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:08.159 out of fall camp. All right, that's the person who's 70 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:10.120 going to be the backup because you just you don't 71 00:04:10.120 --> 00:04:12.199 have that many reps to spend on that. And the 72 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.520 famous example of that, of course, was twenty seventeen when 73 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.839 it was Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow battling BQB two 74 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:22.720 behind J. T. Barrett, and it felt like Joe Barrett 75 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:24.720 Burrow is maybe ahead of Dwayne Haskins, and then he 76 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:26.319 hit his hand and a helmet broke a bone in 77 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:29.360 his hand, and then he was out for you know, six, 78 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:32.439 eight week whatever it was, and so Dwayne Haskins was 79 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:36.319 QB two. And then when J. T. Barrett got assaulted 80 00:04:36.360 --> 00:04:38.480 by a cameraman on the sideline at Michigan and too 81 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:41.720 out at the end of that season, got whacked in 82 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:44.160 the knee, had to come out of the game, Dwayne 83 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:47.160 Haskins comes in. Rashan Gary has big proclamations about what's 84 00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:48.920 going to happen to Dwayne Haskins and turns out to 85 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:51.680 be wrong about all of them, and then Dwayne Haskins 86 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:54.399 sort of enters twenty eighteen and spring ball in twenty 87 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:57.839 eighteen as QB. You know, QB one, you know, or 88 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:01.720 essentially likely to be the perceived as a little bit 89 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:06.160 ahead of Joe Burrow, and the rest is history. Joe Burrow, 90 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:08.800 you know, goes through springball, it was basically even and 91 00:05:08.839 --> 00:05:10.680 he ends up leaving because he wants to make sure 92 00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:13.800 he's a starter somewhere, and it all played out the 93 00:05:13.800 --> 00:05:16.360 way it played out. But you know, the moral of 94 00:05:16.360 --> 00:05:20.560 the story, the relevance of that to this is you've 95 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:23.240 got to know who QB two is relatively soon. And 96 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:26.040 you know this is this does not seem like something 97 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:28.480 that Tavian Saint Clair has already lost by any means, 98 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.480 but it does seem like, to Tony's point, if Kavian 99 00:05:31.560 --> 00:05:34.160 Sinclair has a good week, Tavian Saint Clair can be 100 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:36.360 QB two, and then Tavian Saint Clair is probably QB 101 00:05:36.439 --> 00:05:39.439 two all season long. With the reps, the game reps, 102 00:05:39.480 --> 00:05:41.759 the practice reps, and all the stuff that comes with it. 103 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:46.600 You know, you're talking about that Joe Burrow example. I 104 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:50.879 was thinking back to the JT. Barrett situation in twenty 105 00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:53.839 fourteen when I was just trying to get a quick timeline, 106 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:58.560 but basically, like he gets urban Meyer names him the backup, 107 00:05:58.680 --> 00:06:00.439 and then I don't know, the next day or two 108 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:03.279 it's announced that Braxon Miller's out for the season, and 109 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:07.040 so boom, there's your starter. And it stayed that way 110 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:10.480 as we know, until it didn't later in the season. 111 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:13.279 Turns out, yeah, changed during the Michigan game every once 112 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:13.720 in a while. 113 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:18.319 Huh, there you go, and it works. Maybe maybe that's 114 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:21.160 the real message here with this one is you got 115 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:23.560 to be ready for that Michigan game. But yeah, that 116 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:26.480 backup's got to be prepared to play and can't necessarily 117 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:29.279 be worried about what's going on in quarter The coaches 118 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:31.279 can't be worried about trying to figure that out either. 119 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:35.279 But he's still to performing practice and a limited amount 120 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:39.199 of opportunities that you get. Speaking of limited amount of 121 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:41.079 opportunities in practice, the next guy on the list that 122 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:44.360 I want to talk about is Kyle Parker, transfer from LSU. 123 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.519 Was fine in the spring getting reps in the slot 124 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:51.279 at Z and has some experience. Cut thirty some passes 125 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:54.160 last year as a red shirt sophomore. This is his 126 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:58.959 fourth year in college. Has started a number of games 127 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:04.600 he's relatively experienced. We never saw him and he's been 128 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:07.240 kind of am I A in terms of information I 129 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:09.000 want I don't want to say he's mia and like 130 00:07:09.399 --> 00:07:12.160 I haven't really heard a lot about him, and not 131 00:07:12.199 --> 00:07:14.800 necessarily somebody that has been asked about by you know, 132 00:07:14.839 --> 00:07:17.040 of Ryan Day, because we only have like you get 133 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:20.600 one question and do you want to ask about Kyle Parker? 134 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:23.800 Do you want to ask about something else? And so 135 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:28.160 this presuming he's able to go at some point, you 136 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:31.160 want to see him get into the offense, figure out 137 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:34.240 where he is, how he's utilized. Is he inside, is 138 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:37.639 he outside? Is he pushing somebody? Is he being pushed? 139 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:41.839 This is not this? I mean, is he going to 140 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:46.319 be a guy that is productive? Is he in the rotation? 141 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:48.079 We assume he is. We've talked all along that he 142 00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:50.519 was going to be one of those four veterans and 143 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:55.199 then maybe some freshmen can come along. But we need 144 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:55.680 to see it. 145 00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:58.360 Yeah, you need to see it, and the coach just 146 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:00.439 need to see it because it's just it has It's 147 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:02.439 not that he hasn't performed, it's just he hasn't been 148 00:08:02.439 --> 00:08:04.839 out there. He missed several weeks of camp. I have 149 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:07.199 not heard a definitive answer as to how back he 150 00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:10.040 is right now, if he's completely back, if he's still limited, 151 00:08:10.120 --> 00:08:12.360 I'm not I'm honestly not sure on the answer on that. 152 00:08:12.920 --> 00:08:17.319 But it's getting late pretty early for him, because you know, 153 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:19.879 he comes he came in with the advantage of he 154 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:22.040 played for quart Haz Hankton at LLSCU last year, So 155 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:24.319 Cork has Hankton knows him and knows his game and 156 00:08:24.360 --> 00:08:27.199 knows what his strengths are, and so you know that 157 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:29.839 that will certainly help Kyle Parker case in terms of 158 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:31.800 getting on the field and getting time this year. But 159 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:35.799 Jeremiah Smith, you know, he's starting, Brandon Innis seems like 160 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:38.720 he's got a, you know, very regular spot. Devin McEwan 161 00:08:38.759 --> 00:08:41.600 feels like he's got a very regular spot. Chris Henry 162 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:44.600 Junior is certainly feels like he's moving up that pecking 163 00:08:44.679 --> 00:08:47.200 order quite a bit. Rock Boyd moving up that pecking 164 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:49.360 order quite a bit. We've been hearing good things about 165 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:52.919 Dez Jones the last week or so. It feels like 166 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:57.360 he's maybe moving into that that that sort of pecking order. 167 00:08:57.799 --> 00:09:00.759 And I just said six names, and that is about 168 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:02.039 as deep as you're going to go with the wide 169 00:09:02.039 --> 00:09:05.559 receiver rotation. So you know, I think Kyle Parker coming 170 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:07.840 out of the spring, we would have had at least 171 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:10.200 in the top four, probably coming out of the spring 172 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:12.279 with the three starters that I mentioned and then him 173 00:09:12.759 --> 00:09:15.039 and then you know, well you got fresh from behind them, 174 00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:17.120 and we'll see how the freshmen do. And the second 175 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:19.679 year guys, well, you know we haven't seen a lot 176 00:09:19.720 --> 00:09:21.759 from them. Well, now a couple of the freshmen have 177 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:24.919 really moved up and maybe leap frogs Kyle Parker, and 178 00:09:25.399 --> 00:09:27.639 I don't know where Des Jones is in terms of, 179 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:30.200 you know, a number of snaps that he'll see this year, 180 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:32.159 but it seems like he's making a push for playing 181 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:35.320 time as well. So yeah, this is this is a 182 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:37.720 case where if you don't get a chance to show 183 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:40.320 what you can do a lot during Paul Camp, it 184 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:43.000 get you your opportunities are going to become more and 185 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:46.399 more limited as the season goes along. Yeah, All State game, sure, 186 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:49.159 Kent State game, sure, and maybe you can prove something 187 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:52.159 and move up the order then, but if you don't 188 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:55.840 take advantage of those limited opportunities, at some point, you 189 00:09:55.960 --> 00:09:59.240 kind of are where you are until something significant changes. 190 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:03.200 Yeah, and you saw the Charlie Becker thing is an 191 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:06.639 interesting significant change where I don't know why they decided 192 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:09.039 to start playing in but they finally did and it 193 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:12.960 worked well for Indiana. But at this point, if if 194 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:14.840 you've got young guys ahead of you, and I'm not 195 00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:17.919 saying that that's what's happened, but if that has happened, 196 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:20.399 then you've got to reclaim your spot. And sometimes I 197 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:23.320 say the talent is touched that you can't reclaim your spot. 198 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:27.600 And so that's why we have them on this list. 199 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:32.600 Another transfer Terry Moore, who you know was the number 200 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:35.320 two free safety in the spring for the first half 201 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:36.840 that he was the number one free safety in the 202 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:40.200 spring the second half. I don't know how much free 203 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:42.639 safety stuff they're doing. That's the information that I've been 204 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:44.759 able to get, and it's not anything that we saw 205 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:46.679 in the first three days. They didn't play three safeties. 206 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:50.080 They played two safeties of nickel in two corners, and 207 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:54.000 so it very much seems like it's Jalen McLain and 208 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:57.360 ear Little at safety and Jay Timmons at nicol and 209 00:10:57.399 --> 00:11:00.399 then obviously Jerine Matthews and Devin say it is at 210 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:04.799 corner but what is Terry Moore's role? Is he just 211 00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:08.879 it's dismiss him to say is he just the backup 212 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:12.279 free safety? Is like is that going to be his role? 213 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:12.559 Like? 214 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:16.440 Is that is there is there a spot for him 215 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:20.080 in a package? Is there something that he can do 216 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:23.639 where it's not just going to be okay Jayalen mclin's 217 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:26.120 day is done, go on in Terry Moore, go on 218 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:28.639 in Lee roy Roker or something like that. So I 219 00:11:28.679 --> 00:11:31.559 think this is an opportunity. It's and maybe the opportunity 220 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:35.759 frankly has passed because of one scheme, But if they 221 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:37.840 had seen more, I don't know that they'd be saying 222 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:39.480 we're just a two safety system now. 223 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:42.720 Well, it just it feels like this is a little 224 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:45.559 like the offensive line when we talked about the offensive 225 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:48.279 line on the last show, where it's like, well, every 226 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:50.799 time we see them, they're doing this thing. And so 227 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:54.120 I don't know how seriously to take the conversation about, well, 228 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:56.279 we're really seriously thinking about this other thing. It just 229 00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:59.960 feels like when we've seen Terry Moore and le ro Roker, 230 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:04.240 they've been with the twos and coming out of the spring, 231 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.720 I had Terry Moore with the ones in sharpie, like 232 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:11.799 not even a question. And then at some point over 233 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:14.279 the summer, I think this is a Jay Timmins happened 234 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:17.360 sort of situation where they're just they're looking for their 235 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:19.960 best combination of guys, and we came out of the 236 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:23.159 spring thinking, Okay, Terry Moore at that deep safety spot 237 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:26.080 or a little at that nickel, and okay, you're freud 238 00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:28.799 in your two safety transfers. You're putting them next to 239 00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:33.120 Jalen McLean and bing bang bloom, You're done. And then 240 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:35.919 you sort of just started to hear about Jay Timmins, 241 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:37.720 and you heard more about Jay Timmins, and then Jay 242 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:40.240 Timmins became the only thing anyone could talk about, and 243 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:42.279 someone has to come off the field and it was 244 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:43.559 not gonna be or a little and it wasn't gonna 245 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:45.519 be Jayalen McLean, and so then it was Terry Moore 246 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.559 and it just it just feels like that has not 247 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:52.000 been something that's been really discussed to the point where 248 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:54.639 I would be a little surprised. It feels like you're, 249 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:56.440 you know, you're gonna pull j Timmins off the field 250 00:12:56.679 --> 00:12:58.480 when you're gonna put three linebackers out there, So you're 251 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:00.240 pulling Jay Timmins off the field, but it's Raley Petty 252 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:02.919 John going out there, not Terry Moore. So yeah, I 253 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:06.960 still remain high on Terry Moore. I mean, you looked 254 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:09.519 at the transfer portal rankings, you look at just what 255 00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:11.559 he looked like at Duke before that knee injury in 256 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:13.879 twenty twenty four, and it's like, yeah, you see what 257 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:16.159 they saw, and you see what they wanted to bring in. 258 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:19.639 But it just feels like he has sort of fallen 259 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:22.639 behind now and I don't know, you know, until someone, 260 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:24.759 you know, if someone gets hurt, Yeah, maybe he's that 261 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:27.000 next guy in there. It just right now, it feels 262 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:30.200 like it may be, you know, the window of opportunity 263 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:32.720 may have closed, at least for the short term for him. 264 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:35.360 Yeah. And if you're playing the same position essentially as 265 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:38.840 Jalen McLain, you're not going to be number one. And 266 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:43.639 so it's just I wonder, is he involved in a 267 00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:46.240 big nickel or is that just something we've talked about 268 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:50.200 with Simeon Caldwell the freshman safety, which kind of sort 269 00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:53.919 of leads into this next thing, and that's we'll go ahead, 270 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:56.120 and you mentioned two guys here and that's the second 271 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:59.519 year defense vents and Zion Grady and that Satana Land 272 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:02.559 And the reason I mentioned Simmon calledwell, it's like we're 273 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:04.960 hearing about some guys like Jay Timmins and we're seeing that. 274 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:07.519 And Simmon calledwell, and like Riley Petty John, you're hearing 275 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:10.799 about guys stepping up. Really through this camp. Have not 276 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:14.600 heard much about Zion Grady and Epistamalay, and we expect 277 00:14:14.600 --> 00:14:17.000 both of them to be part of that rotation. There's 278 00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:19.879 no reason not to. It's just there's not been much 279 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:23.919 talk about them. And you know, we've we've talked to 280 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:27.440 a couple of defensive linemen and they're saying good things. 281 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:31.120 But it's like from inside, I guess I'm not really 282 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:34.960 hearing much as much as I I would like. Certainly 283 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:37.480 I've never tom. I'm not hearing much as I would 284 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:41.360 like from inside the program. Yes, welcome to the world, 285 00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:46.440 but I guess they're here. One because it's a very 286 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:49.000 important role. You know, you're you're trying to make sure 287 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.919 that you've got depth there. And two it's just I 288 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:52.679 have not really heard much about either of them. 289 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:56.080 Yeah, and Bantt Christian last week, I just did a 290 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:59.039 I did a bonus show on the Buckeyes Tomorrow Morning 291 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:02.120 podcast feed. I put up some clips from Bennett Christian's 292 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:04.639 interview and he talked about Epi Sitanala and Carry Wilder 293 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:06.759 is two of the young defensive ends who are jumping out. 294 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:10.360 But it is definitely you were sort of expecting coming 295 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:13.440 off of year one. A lot of times, guy, you 296 00:15:13.480 --> 00:15:15.759 get guys who play I think Zion Grady played one 297 00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:18.200 hundred snaps give or take last year, and a lot 298 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:19.639 of times you get a guy who played a hundred 299 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:21.720 snaps in year one. Okay, Boom, he's ready to play 300 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:24.159 a bigger role and at least be you know, the 301 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:26.240 clear cut number three there where he's the first guy 302 00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:28.320 off the bench at the very least, if not, he's 303 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:31.440 you know, starting. And I think my assumption coming out 304 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:33.799 of last season was, Okay, one or both of those 305 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:36.240 guys is going to be in that you know, defensive 306 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:39.480 end two defensive end pre role. Bo Atkinson is either 307 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:41.919 going to transfer or be like a role player, and 308 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:44.559 that's going to be it. And bo Atkinson has taken 309 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:46.559 a pretty significant step forward to the point where he's 310 00:15:46.679 --> 00:15:49.120 very clearly I think right now the guy who's going 311 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:51.399 to be starting opposite Kenyatta Jackson. And so then the 312 00:15:51.480 --> 00:15:54.600 question is, Okay, where are the other guys? Because you're right, 313 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:57.320 it has been very quiet with Zion Grady this year 314 00:15:57.399 --> 00:16:00.679 at this fall, and it's been, you know, somewhat quiet 315 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.080 with Epicitanola as well. And those are guys who we 316 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:06.399 both sort of expected to be ready to take that 317 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:09.039 next step, and it just feels like you haven't heard 318 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:11.879 the stuff you would normally be hearing if they were 319 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:14.879 really at that point. So the good news is for 320 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:17.559 those guys need someone, you are not going to it's 321 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:20.639 going to be ninety something degrees in ninety percent humidity 322 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:23.240 in Austin, Texas even at seven thirty at night or 323 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:25.919 whenever that game kicks off, you are going to need 324 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:28.480 to play a bunch of defensive linemen. They're probably going 325 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:31.120 to play eight to ten defensive lineman at least in 326 00:16:31.159 --> 00:16:34.559 that game. So the opportunities are there, and it's just 327 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:37.480 a matter of, all, right, who was ready to seize 328 00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:40.480 that role as defensive end number three, defensive end number four. 329 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:44.240 And the last guy I want to mention is on 330 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:47.480 that defensive line, and that's Edric Houston, who was always 331 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:50.279 going to be interesting to watch how he reacted to 332 00:16:50.440 --> 00:16:54.840 James Smith being brought in and John Walker frankly as 333 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:58.440 well to play on that defensive line. He knows, Edric 334 00:16:58.519 --> 00:17:03.159 Houston knows he shouldn't playing sixty snaps. Nobody should thirty five, forty. 335 00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:09.359 There's an opportunity there. But I think just reaffirming that 336 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:13.480 this is my job, this is my spot. I'm not 337 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:15.119 going to lose it like I did last year. And 338 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:16.960 then he lost the job last year but still played 339 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:19.440 and eventually played more minutes or more snaps than Taiwan 340 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:22.279 Malone who was starting. So it's like I say, lose 341 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:24.799 his job. It's like Malone started most of the games 342 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:28.000 and that was supposed to be Edric Houston this year. 343 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:32.920 I don't really get all hung up on defensive line 344 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:36.920 starters because they all play. You know, if you're in 345 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:38.839 a rotation and you're playing regular minutes, I don't really 346 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:42.000 care who starts. But he does need to show that 347 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:44.079 this is the year. This is supposed to be the 348 00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:47.000 year he produces. So I think let's continue to see 349 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:50.839 that through practice, finish on a strong note, and be 350 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:54.839 one of the effective members of this defense. Because this 351 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:58.440 defense when it's got a strong defensive tackle, whether that's 352 00:17:58.440 --> 00:18:01.480 a three tech or nose tackle, so many more things 353 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:03.519 can happen. And they've had some really good three techs 354 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:07.480 at Ohio State, Draymont Jones, Tyler Williams, guys like that. 355 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:12.279 And if Edrick Houston can finish this string of this 356 00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:15.319 next two weeks of practice and hit the season running 357 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:19.839 and then also pair with James Smith like this is 358 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:22.960 this could be something special. But we just haven't seen 359 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.359 a ton of production from him in his time, and 360 00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:27.519 I think that's really why he's on this list. For 361 00:18:27.559 --> 00:18:29.839 me is I want I want to see that production. 362 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:33.079 So he has to finish. I think it would help 363 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:34.920 if he finishes strong, I guess, is what I'm trying 364 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:35.160 to say. 365 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:39.519 Tom, Yeah, for sure. And you know he started his career. 366 00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:41.519 I mean he came in as a defensive end and 367 00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:44.799 then halfway through the season you saw him playing at 368 00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:47.960 free tech and playing actual meaningful minutes. I think he 369 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:51.039 played like against Penn State as a true freshman at 370 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:53.599 a position that is more physically demanding than the position 371 00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:56.599 he initially came in at. So that was that was like, Wow, 372 00:18:56.680 --> 00:19:00.200 this guy's destined for enormous things, and then first of 373 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:03.720 fall camp last year twenty twenty five, hurts his knee, 374 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:06.119 and I mean that was really like, that was a 375 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.440 big oof for Ohio State. That was a big oof 376 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:10.960 for Everard Houston, And it felt like it took him 377 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:12.680 quite a while to get back up to speed. But 378 00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:14.400 then by the end of the year it was like, Okay, 379 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:16.759 it feels like he's maybe back where he sort of 380 00:19:16.759 --> 00:19:18.279 thought he would be at this point. Now, can he 381 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:21.000 take another step forward this year? And it feels like 382 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:24.720 we're kind of still asking that same question where he's there, 383 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:28.240 He's going to play, He's going to be contributor this year. 384 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:30.480 I think he's going to have a good season. But 385 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:32.240 is he going to have a yeah, that was a 386 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:34.000 pretty good season, or is he going to have the 387 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:37.000 you know, this is the five star guy who was 388 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.200 good enough to get out on the field midway through 389 00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:42.960 his true freshman season plus two years that you know, 390 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:45.640 that projection is that guy's a really you know, all 391 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:50.160 conference kind of player. And they do not have Caden 392 00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:52.599 McDonald in the middle that defensive line this year. And 393 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:54.480 I think, you know, John Walker and Will Smith will 394 00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:56.720 be fine, and I think James Smith, I'm expecting big 395 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.319 things from James Smith. But if you can get a 396 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:02.599 you know, a really good season, too great season out 397 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:05.640 of it, Edward Houston, that raises the ceiling for what 398 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:08.559 this Ohio State defense can be. And if it's just 399 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:10.720 kind of like, yeah, it's an okay season, then that 400 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:12.279 kind of limits you a little. 401 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:15.480