Quick Hits: Carnell Tate Calls Julian Sayin “Crazy Accurate” at Quarterback for Buckeyes, Sonny Styles Already Believes Riley Pettijohn is an “Amazing Player”

After Ryan Day talked up his young quarterback's ball placement and timing on Wednesday, star wide receiver Carnell Tate followed by calling him “crazy accurate” with a quick release. Sayin responded in kind by complimenting how selfless and skilled his wide receivers are, as the QB and his weapons are on the same page with each other through two games.

Tate and Sayin were just two of the eight Buckeyes who met with reporters at the WHAC on Wednesday. Another player receiving a lot of attention is linebacker Riley Pettijohn, and Sonny Styles is calling the freshman an "amazing player" already. Brandon Inniss is ironing out some of the kinks in his punt return game as tight end Will Kacmarek is excited to rematch his former Ohio Bobcats squad.

Left tackle Austin Siereveld, backup quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and linebacker Payton Pierce also spoke with reporters during a jam-packed interview session.

QB Julian Sayin

“It's awesome because the receivers, they're all very selfless. they're not someone who's going to come off yelling at you if you don't see them, if you miss them. So, it's good. We have conversations on the sideline, hey, this is what I saw and they tell me what they saw.”– Julian Sayin on communicating with his wide receivers after he doesn't see one of them get open

• On Ryan Day saying he's excelled at ball placement and accuracy: "That was kind of always one of my strengths growing up and playing, but it's also timing with the receivers, getting on the same page with them. I think Coach Hart and Coach Fessler do a great job of making sure that us quarterbacks and receivers are on the same page."
• Sayin could tell "off his fingers" that his touchdown pass to Carnell Tate against Grambling State was going to be in a spot where Tate could make a play. "He made a great catch and made a great adjustment for me."
• On his ability to make quick decisions with the football: "I think I say this a lot, but I feel like my coaches have me really well prepared. Going into every week, I feel like I'm very confident in the looks that I'm going to get and then they show up on Saturday. So when I see the first read's open or first read's not open, I'm able to go on to my next read, my next read and, the coaches do a good job of having me prepared and giving me multiple looks throughout the week."

LB Sonny Styles

“I’ve seen him grow so much from spring ball to camp to now. You could tell wehen he got out there, you make a play, his confidence starts growing and he’s just flowing. … He’s an amazing player and he’s gonna keep growing.”– Sonny Styles on Riley Pettijohn

• Styles said he’s been pleased with how Ohio State’s defense has performed through two games. However, he said there’s plenty to work on, including putting opponents into more third-and-long situations and applying more pressure on the other team’s quarterback.
• On how Ohio State plans to defend Ohio dual-threat quarterback Parker Navarro: “You got to be aware of him at all times, you know, whether it’s plus-one runs, whether it’s he drops back, his first read’s not there and he’s scrambling, you know, you’ve got to have your eyes on him. We got to do a really good job in our pass rush lanes. We can’t let him get outside the pocket, extend plays and make plays downfield or scramble for the first down.”
• Styles said Tavien St. Clair and Lincoln Kienholz are simulating Navarro’s dual-threat nature on Ohio State’s scout team practice this week. “Sometimes, you do ones versus twos. You know, Lincoln’s super athletic. We’re doing ones versus twos, so he gives us a good look as well.”

WR Brandon Inniss

“Ultimately, we just want to get the ball back. I mean, the wind plays a factor. Seeing the ball off the foot plays a factor. A lot of things play a factor.”– Brandon Inniss on the decision to fair catch or return a punt

• Inniss said he must improve as a punt returner for the Buckeyes. Regarding his improvements, Inniss said, “I’m just tracking the ball off the foot. I’m trying to see where the wind is before the game. Helps to do a lot of things pre-practice and post-practice to make sure we catch every punt.”
• When told that Jeremiah Smith said he came out of the Texas game thinking, "Just catch the damn ball," Brandon Inniss laughed and said, "Facts. Me too."
• On Ohio State’s wide receivers as run blockers: “It’s going really good. We emphasized that in the past two weeks, running game blocking because we want this to be a more explosive offense and get some big runs. We know that for them to get big runs, we have to have big blocks on the perimeter.”

LT Austin Siereveld

“Every play, we’ve gotta strain. We’ve gotta strain to protect the quarterback. Make life easy on him so he can make plays and get it to our receivers downfield.”– Austin Siereveld on Ohio State allowing zero sacks through two games

• On Sayin: “He's really stepped up. You can feel the offense starting to flow a little, like we know that play is gonna hit, he's gonna get us (in) a nice spot. If there's an alert, he's gonna alert it. And we’re just gonna roll. He's really stepped up being vocal in the huddle, too.”
• On the offensive line’s run blocking: “Right now we're good, but we gotta get better. Every day we gotta get better with our run blocking, pass blocking, with everything. It's all about the little details, (Day) tells us all the time. You can't just be satisfied, and you just can't be satisfied with what you do.”
• Siereveld couldn’t name one backup offensive lineman who stood out from the Grambling State game because he felt they all did. “You're not gonna like this answer, but everyone. Everyone really stepped up, just all the hard work they put in. They don't really get all the reps that the ones get, but they really took and maximized their opportunity out there.”

TE Will Kacmarek

“That opportunity opened up the whole world for me in football, so I’m forever grateful.”– Will Kacmarek on his time as an Ohio Bobcat

• Asked if he would have imagined a few years ago when he was at Ohio that he would be playing at Ohio State now, Kacmarek replied, “Absolutely not.” He said the idea that he could play at the highest level started to feel real near the end of the 2023 season, his last year at Ohio.
• Kacmarek said he still talks to his coaches from Ohio to this day and that some of his best friends still play for the Bobcats.
• Kacmarek said he is close friends with Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro. “He’s a great guy. Obviously a dual threat. He’s got a really good arm and he’ll make people miss … his scramble skills are insane.”

WR Carnell Tate

“Julian gets the ball out quicker. He’s crazy accurate.”– Carnell Tate on the difference between Will Howard and Julian Sayin's throwing motions

• Tate has been friends with Ohio State walk-on wide receiver Nolan Baudo since the two were in eighth grade, and a smile came to his face when a reporter asked about him. “I transferred high schools over to Marist High School, and then I joined the summer camp late, and then Nolan was like the first person I met. And then ever since then, we've been together. Ever since then, he's been coming everywhere with me.”
• On his massive touchdown catch against Texas: “It was a double-move. I was first read. I came off the ball, I knew I was going to get the ball at the line of scrimmage once he pressed. Other than that, hoped Julian gave me a catchable ball and then go out there and make a play.”
• On the focus for the team this week: “Just get the ball in our playmaker's hands all around, like we've been doing this entire time. Everyone's out there more comfortable. We've got guys who's embraced their roles and showing us what they can do.”

QB Lincoln Kienholz

“I’m just going to go out there each and every week if I get the opportunity and just try to ball out.”– Lincoln Kienholz on his mentality as the No. 2 quarterback

• Kienholz felt like he “made the most” of his opportunity to play against Grambling State, in which he completed six of seven passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. “I think overall, I did well. There’s one incompletion that I could have probably made, but other than that, it was solid.”
• Kienholz said it was hard to accept being the No. 2 quarterback, but “God has a plan for everything so I’m just going to trust that.”
• Kienholz said he thinks it’s “really important” to prepare like he’s the starting quarterback. “Coaches say all the time I’m one play away from being the guy.”

LB Payton Pierce

“They’re a really good team. We’re not gonna underestimate them. They play fast, got a fast quarterback. We’re just gonna do our job. It’s never really about them. It’s about us.”– Payton Piece on the Ohio Bobcats

• On Riley Pettijohn: “He’s a freak athlete. He’s got a good sense for the ball. He studies a lot and he’s a good student of the game and cares and works really hard. He’s got everything that you want in a linebacker.”
• Pierce said he’s learning to “be loud out on the field.” He added: “Being in the Shoe against Texas, that was real loud. But I mean, Coach (James) Laurinaitis has done a great job of getting us prepared for the game, like I feel really prepared when I’m out there.”
• Pierce praised Styles and Arvell Reese for their leadership on the field: “I think Arvell and Sonny do a really good job too of whenever the young guys are out there, holding them accountable to the standard we want the Silver Bullets to be at. It’s just great.”