Five Ohio State players met with the media on Wednesday. One message stood out.
"We haven't done nothing yet," defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. said. "Forget the individual awards. Whatever. We haven't done nothing yet. The job’s still not finished.”
Jackson's mindset seemed to be one he and his teammates share entering the Big Ten Championship Game, as Jaylen McClain said the Buckeyes still have "a run to go on" this season, and Julian Sayin said he's more focused on winning a conference title than individual awards.
Joining Jackson, McClain and Sayin on Wednesday were offensive tackle Phillip Daniels and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. We collected their best comments and quotes from the media sessions, as well as video of the interviews below.
QB Julian Sayin
“He’s done a great job with us, and will continue to do a great job with us throughout the rest of the season. And I’m excited for him because he’s getting elevated and taking the next step in his career, so I’m excited about him doing that.”– Julian Sayin on outgoing offensive coordinator Brian Hartline
- Sayin said the Buckeyes turned the page from Michigan to the Big Ten Championship Game when they arrived at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Sunday. “I think as soon as we came in on Sunday, everyone had that look in their eye because we haven’t won the Big Ten since 2020. So we know what’s at stake here, and we’re excited about the opportunity to go play in Indianapolis.”
- Sayin said he’s focused on the team’s goal of winning the Big Ten championship, not trying to win the Heisman Trophy.
- On Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza: “He’s a great player, and seeing their tape and seeing them on TV, he’s a really smart player, great decision-maker with the football, so really tough challenge.”
- On Ohio State running back Bo Jackson: “I think Bo’s just getting better each and every week, and it’s exciting to see a true freshman like that just keep getting better and keep growing and keep making plays for our offense. The sky’s the limit for him.”
- Asked if the shushing gesture he made at Michigan was something he would have done at the start of the season, Sayin replied, “I think I would have, but I think you definitely gotta keep building confidence.”
OT Phllip Daniels
“Finally, we all just – I feel like we were just really in sync that game. All together, working as one unit, and we was just out there killing people. It was pretty fun.”– Phillip Daniels on the offensive line’s dominance against Michigan
- Daniels didn’t even remember the pregame speeches in Ann Arbor. “I was just trying to murder them, just get pancakes, rack it up and score. And we were just saying anything, they would say anything. You know, we were the victims.”
- On the progress the offensive line has made since the Wisconsin game: “We all locked in on movement or just anything, and we've all been studying together, working together, getting extra work. Just playing with that edge and not going over the edge.”
- Daniels said it wasn’t difficult to move on from the Michigan game quickly and focus on Indiana. “Business as usual. Going in and out of every week with the mindset of being (about) whoever's in front of us until it's at the end and we're hosting that (national championship) trophy.”
- On the tight ends also getting knockdowns and contributing in the run game: “It warms my heart. I'm from Minnesota, running the ball ... I've always been around good tight ends coming here, Will Kacmarek and 85 (Bennett Christian), we out there just keep killing. And any chance we get with (the formation) Trey or any time I'm doing something with them on the outside, it's just fun seeing them out there just killing and doing their thing.”
- On the pride of winning The Game with physicality: “We (were) the ones attacking instead of getting attacked, and just seeing everybody go out there, Tegra (Tshabola) grading out a champion, seeing Luke (Montgomery) and Austin (Siereveld) just over there throwing dudes and standing over there brings a little tear down my eye. We all from like ten minutes down the street from each other, all from Ohio and everything. So it’s cool.”
DT Kayden McDonald
“It hit me during the week, just the preparation throughout the week. Because I knew when The Game was going to come, I was going to dominate.”– Kayden McDonald on when it sunk in that he would win his first pair of gold pants
- On winning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year: “I want to thank God first because without him, this wouldn't be possible. And I want to thank Coach Johnson for believing in me when everybody else didn't. This started when I was a freshman, coming in at the back of the bench, but working my way up and learning from the older guys like Tyleik and Ty Hamilton, Jack Sawyer, JT, Mike Hall, and everybody else. And I'm just so thankful for Coach Patricia, Coach Day, strength staff, Coach Mick, Kaila (Olson) for getting my nutrition right. And everybody plays a part into that. So I would say this is an award for everybody.”
- On his embrace with Matt Patricia after The Game: “We've been struggling for a couple of years now. And I knew on Saturday that I would get a chance to get some gold pants. And Coach Patricia, I always have a moment with him every week before a game, and he hugs me, and I'll do anything for him. He'll do anything for me. And I'll forever appreciate him, forever.”
- On what he learned about himself through the process of being pushed to improve his game and improve his body: “I realized that I got a lot in me. All the preparation, all the work, no one's going to do it for you. And one thing I knew that, I got to go get it myself, and I am.”
- Indiana’s offense starts with quarterback Fernando Mendoza, McDonald said, but the run game makes the Hoosiers dangerous too. “They got a good running back, and the coach, Curt (Cignetti), he's a great coach. They've been winning. They've been blowing teams out. So we got to come up and show up and be ready to play.”
DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
“We haven’t done nothing yet. Forget the individual awards. Whatever. We haven't done nothing yet. The job’s still not finished.”– Kenyatta Jackson on his mindset entering the Big Ten title game
- On what it meant to beat Michigan: “It meant a lot. We’ve been falling short to those guys, you know, years in a row. I’ve seen the hurt from the guys that could do it — Jack (Sawyer), JT (Tuimoloau), Tyleik (Williams), Ty (Hamilton). It was pretty much doing it for those guys more that doing it for us. It was really emotional.”
- Jackson said he’s done his job this season, which has led to success. Jackson said his conversation with Matt Patricia earlier this season about using him more as a pass rusher has unlocked parts of his game.
- On Ohio State’s defense not allowing a touchdown or any second-half points against Michigan: “It felt great. Your rival didn’t score no points on you. That’s a huge job.”
- On what stands out about Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza: “He’s pretty athletic. He don’t really show it against other opponents, but when he shows it, then he’s pretty athletic when he moves.”
S Jaylen McClain
“We go against one of the best quarterbacks in the country every day, one of the best receivers in the country every day, so that helps us out a lot, especially going against good teams like this.” – Jaylen McClain on how Ohio State’s offense helps the Buckeyes’ defense prepare
- McClain said Indiana is a “really good team,” but he thinks the Buckeyes are “up for the challenge. If we think we’re the best in the country, like we say we are, then we gotta be up for the challenge.”
- On Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza: “He’s a really good decision-maker. He has a really strong arm and he trusts it a lot, so he’s able to make good throws.”
- McClain thinks Indiana’s wide receivers will be the best Ohio State has played all year. He said Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr., E.J. Williams Jr. and Charlie Becker are all “ballers” who “go get it.”
- On moving forward from the Michigan game: “It was a great win, but we’ve got a run to go on. Big Ten Championship, Indiana, really good team, so you can’t be stuck on that forever. You’ve got to move on.”
