Ohio State’s players are ready to take on their second big challenge of the season.
After following up their season-opening win over Texas with games against Grambling State and Ohio, the Buckeyes feel the intensity ratcheting up again this week as they prepare to travel to Washington to take on the Huskies in their first road game and first Big Ten game of the season.
Ohio State’s players are expecting a challenge from the Huskies’ offense and defense and the loud environment at Husky Stadium, but they’re confident they’ll be ready for the challenge.
“This is why you come here. To play these type of games, go against some of the best players in the country,” said Ohio State cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr.
Mathews was one of six Buckeye players to meet with the media on Wednesday along with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, safety Caleb Downs, linebacker Sonny Styles, defensive end Caden Curry and center Carson Hinzman. We’ve compiled notes, quotes and videos from all six of their interview sessions below.
CB Jermaine Mathews Jr.
“This is why you come here. To play these type of games, go against some of the best players in the country.”– Jermaine Mathews Jr. on facing Denzel Boston and Washington
- On being a full-time starter for the first time this year: “This is really why I came here, to go be on that field and just show the world what I can do. So it’s been fun. Just a start. Got a lot of games left, a lot of football ahead, so it’s just a start.”
- On playing nickel vs. Ohio: “I’ve been preparing to do whatever they ask me to do all offseason … I trained a lot in the nickel this offseason, got my technique better, so I was ready for the moment.”
- On Devin Sanchez: “I don’t think the moment’s ever too big for him. I think he’s always ready for whatever we throw at him. I think he’s just been training for just why he came here as well, to go out there and prove why he’s the best.”
- Mathews said the last two years were tough for him acclimating to Ohio State and working his way up the depth chart, but now that he’s on the field, he says “you just gotta enjoy it, enjoy every second of it.”
WR Jeremiah Smith
“I know what I set out to do and what I want to do and what I want to achieve. So I'm very hard on myself and the things I want to accomplish.”– Jeremiah Smith on the high standard he sets for himself
- Smith said he is “very proud” of Julian Sayin for how he’s grown in his first three games as a starter. He says Sayin has become more of a leader and taken more command of the huddle with each game.
- Smith said he’s “very proud” of his younger brother Angelo after his commitment to Ohio State on Sunday. He says he tries to be a role model for his brother every day.
- With Washington cornerback Tacario Davis battling a rib injury, Smith says he’s “gonna go out there and play my game and dominate no matter who’s out there.”
S Caleb Downs
“I respect that man to the highest level. Just everything he does, even walking in meetings, talking about Marcus Aurelius, talking about things outside of football, it’s a great thing to listen to and be around.”– Caleb Downs on his relationship with Matt Patricia
- On what stands out about Washington’s offense: “Really good offensive coordinator (Jimmie Dougherty). He’s been a lot of places. He coached with Coach (Patricia). Really good coach, combined with a lot of good players.” Downs said Demond Williams Jr., Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston stand out on film. “They have a lot of talent around the field with a good OC calling the plays.”
- Downs had high praise for Williams: “He can throw the ball. He has a really good arm. He’s really fast and quick and can do a lot of things when he gets out of the pocket. But he’s playing a high level right now.” Downs added that Williams’ dual-threat nature creates a “tough challenge for a defense.”
- Downs complimented Jermaine Mathews Jr. for his versatility. “He’s a very versatile player. He understands the game well. And just having the confidence to play at a different position is a big thing. He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now. I think that’s gonna be a big thing and allow him to play well in any position he’s at.” Downs also shared similar praise for Jaylen McClain and Devin Sanchez.
LB Sonny Styles
“I think sometimes when guys are spying on the line of scrimmage, as the pocket goes back, you don't approach the line. You stay back, and you create more space. And then I would just say, taking the right angle, you gotta just go shoot your shot.”– Sonny Styles on the key to being a good quarterback spy
- On the environment in Husky Stadium: “I know they've had a lot of great success at home. And they're a great team that's gonna be an amazing environment to play in. So it's exciting, it's our first road game, it's a really tough one. And I think we're gonna walk out of this game figuring out a lot of stuff about ourselves.”
- On Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr.: “The kind of athleticism he has, he's like, you turn the film on, he's super fast, super shifty, making a lot of tough plays, extending plays, making plays downfield, making plays with his legs, quarterback runs. So you gotta really account for him. He's a great player.”
- Freshman wide receiver Phillip Bell has been simulating Williams in practice, Styles said. “He's not a quarterback, but he's super shifty.”
- On defensive end Caden Curry: “I think he's just a playmaker, always making plays. I think when you turn with him, also the biggest thing that stands out, he plays so hard. He's the hardest playing guy on the field, and he's consistent.”
DE Caden Curry
“The coaches here, the coaching staff, Coach Day, Coach Johnson. When Matt Patricia came in, he definitely got me to stay close, my defensive line. The brothers and the connections I've made definitely made me not want to go anywhere else.”– Caden Curry on why he never transferred from Ohio State
- On what gives him an advantage lining up as a defensive tackle in certain fronts: “You kind of think first thing, speed mismatch, but honestly (I’m) just doing my job, winning my one-on-ones.”
- There was adversity for Curry as he went through his first three seasons as a backup. “Kind of the same ups and downs everybody, every player here kind of has to go through because you're playing at one of the best football teams in the nation. I mean, you got to go through the freshman process. You got to go through not starting when you want to. You got to go through everything like that. Now in this day and age, you can definitely get up and get out if you need to and stick with it and kind of go through those highs and lows.”
- On the importance of sticking to rush lanes and containing the legs of Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr.: “He's a great player, great athlete. You definitely got to cage the pocket and not let him play his game. And if you let him play his game, he's going to do a lot. So we definitely got to keep him caged in and do what we can.”
C Carson Hinzman
“I think it’s just communication. Poise in the noise. It’s gonna be a really great atmosphere.”– Carson Hinzman on how Ohio State’s offensive line will navigate a road environment
- On what stands out about Caden Curry: “He’s insane. I mean, well, I got to go against him a little bit this past week and some stuff and, man, it’s tough. I’m used to kind of like the big guys, like (Kayden McDonald) and stuff like that. When you get a true edge in there, like gets off the ball before you do, it’s like crazy, it’s tough.”
- Hinzman said Washington’s front seven will be a significant challenge for Ohio State’s offensive line to block on Saturday. “It’s gonna be a great challenge for us and what we wanna do this year. We need to be really dominant in that aspect.”
- Hinzman said Ohio State’s offensive line will be prepared for a hostile environment at Husky Stadium. “You hear all the stories — they’re 22-0 at home right now. It’s gonna be a really big challenge. But then again, we’ve had a lot of experience playing in high-pressure situations and high-noise situations. We’ve had a lot of veterans on our O-line. Not only that, but we’ve had almost two weeks now, we’ve been able to kind of iron some of those things out. … I think we’re set up for it.”
