The spotlight was on Ohio State’s running backs and defensive tackles during this week’s Wednesday media interviews at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Running backs Bo Jackson, Isaiah West and James Peoples all met with the media on Wednesday, as did defensive tackles Eddrick Houston and Will Smith Jr.
Jackson and West talked about their breakout freshman seasons and how they believe they complement each other, while Peoples talked about how he’s adjusted to being in a four-man running back rotation with Jackson, West and CJ Donaldson. Houston talked about how the extra work he’s put in after practice has helped him improve over the course of the season, while Smith talked about how his confidence has grown this year as he and the rest of Ohio State’s defensive tackles used the preseason narratives about their position group as motivation.
RB Bo Jackson
“I feel like there’s always home run potential… I feel like I always got that potential to make big plays.”– Bo Jackson on whether he’s confidence in his home run potential
- On his first season at Ohio State: “It’s been very fun, just being able to get adjusted and play as much as I’ve been able to play as a freshman.” Jackson said he takes pride in his toughness but said he has to work on “everything in my game” and continue improving as a runner, pass blocker and pass catcher.
- Jackson said it was a “bummer” to have his 75-yard touchdown run against Purdue called back because of a block in the back penalty on Jeremiah Smith. Jackson said he and Smith “made jokes about it” after the game and have “laughed at it” since. Jackson is confident he will break off a long touchdown run soon.
- On what it took to earn playing time as a freshman: “You just gotta put your head down and trust the process, trust the coaches and just buy in and believe everything they say.”
RB Isaiah West
“Bo, he’s a slasher. You put him in, big play at any moment. Then you put me in to switch it up, I feel like that controls the pace of the game and it keeps us two fresh.”– Isaiah West on how he and Bo Jackson complement each other
- West said his relationship with Bo Jackson is getting closer every day. They’re roommates during road trips.
- West said his high school (St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia) had a six-man running back rotation, so he’s used to playing in a deep rotation of backs.
- On running backs coach Carlos Locklyn and his high expectations for his players: “One of the many things I love about him is he’s real. He keeps it absolutely real. He’s the same dude that recruited me back in high school and he holds us to that standard and I appreciate that.”
- West believes vision is the key to success as a running back. “Everything begins with vision as a running back. At the end of the day, it don’t matter how fast your little feet can move if you don’t know where you’re going.”
RB James Peoples
“I'm hungry for it, man. I came here and I want to be a contributor to this team, of course. So every time I'm in there, I'm gonna give it my all.”– James Peoples on his mentality when he’s in the game
- Peoples thinks Ohio State has done a good job of using the running backs to their individual strengths. Asked what he thinks his strengths are, Peoples said he’s worked on making everything in his game a strength. “I love running between the tackles, catching the ball, being put out in space, making people miss, getting downhill.”
- Peoples said he didn’t see a four-man running back rotation coming, but he thinks it’s been a positive. “Seeing everybody eat, seeing everybody go out there and perform and do their absolute best has been something that's really good and unique about it.”
- Asked if it’s been frustrating not to get as many carries as expected, Peoples replied, “That comes with it, absolutely,” but said he’s keeping his focus on the team’s goals.
- Peoples said he started out as a receiver when he began playing football, which he thinks makes him good in the passing game out of the backfield.
DT Eddrick Houston
“Just being able to take on that role, listen to the coaches, because that comes with a lot. There’ s a different animal inside. Being able to listen to the coaches and them beong able to help me out with whatever I need really helped me through this process.”– Eddrick Houston on becoming more mature while transitioning from DE to DT
- Houston said putting in extra work after practice has helped him improve as a player. “There’s plenty of things that people do well and people need to work on. Being able to take that time out of practice instead of going straight home, just with different coaches, having that time out to just work on whatever I need has helped me a lot.”
- Houston said his teammates and his desire to play at the next level have motivated him to improve. “Coach (Matt) Patricia, Coach (Larry Johnson), anybody in the facility will tell you if you want to get to the next level, you got to be willing to put in the work. Or if you want to get on the field and contribute, you got to put in the extra work after practice or whenever you can.”
- Houston said Johnson wants his defensive line room to have a “King Kong mentality.” While he didn’t elaborate on what that means, Houston said Johnson has been willing to help him with everything he needs and always has his door open.
DT Will Smith Jr.
“There's a lot of talk out there and sometimes it's hard to block it all out. So it's definitely a big motivating factor for me, I feel like, and I know for Eddrick, K-Mac and Tywone and everybody else, it's just like, we need to put ourselves on the map and we need to show people who we are.”– Will Smith Jr. on how public conversation about Ohio State’s defensive tackles motivated them
- On where he’s improved this season: “I feel like my confidence has grown a bunch and I feel like my strength is showing. I feel like I've been working at getting stronger, and I'm feeling out there on the field.”
- Eddrick Houston’s approach to practice every day made him ready to start, Smith said. “I see his hustle. Like, he's a hustler for sure and he loves the game. I just, we be joking back and forth in film, just talking, and we can just tell like we got something special. I feel like we're getting better and we both just want it.”
- Slowing mobile quarterback Nico Iamaleava is simple, though not easy, Smith said. “Just cage the pocket, really.”
- On how last year’s starting defensive tackles, Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton, taught him and other defensive tackles to stay healthy throughout the season: “They taught us a lot on how to stay healthy throughout the season while you're playing, like, 40 to 50 plays (a game).”
