Ohio State’s spring camp is taking shape through competition, expectation and a growing sense of ownership across multiple position groups.
From a linebacker unit working to replace Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles with emerging leaders to a tight end room upholding one of the highest standards in the country set by Max Klare and Will Kacmarek, the Buckeyes are balancing development with urgency. The message is consistent throughout: roles are there to be earned, and nothing is guaranteed.
Linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, along with linebackers Payton Pierce, Christian Alliegro and TJ Alford, met with the media Thursday. Tight ends coach Keenan Bailey and tight end Nate Roberts also spoke. Below are videos and some of the top notes and quotes from those press conferences.
Linebackers coach James Laurinaitis
"It's when you are out there with your guys and you know what you're supposed to do so well and what's happening in front of you, then you just take control. and you own it."– James Laurinaitis on when the "light has come on" for a linebacker
- Just as Payton Pierce pushed Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese as Ohio State’s third linebacker last year, Laurinaitis wants competition throughout his linebacker room. “The standard was always to try to get our room to a point where you felt a healthy amount of pressure to perform in the sense of, if I have a bad day or two, I could be passed up by the next guy because of the talent level in the room. And I constantly want that grittiness to it, because I certainly felt it when I was here.”
- Laurinaitis said he first saw that Pierce could be a special player when recruiting him. “You knew how instinctual and tough he was, and he was a throwback Mike linebacker. And the thing that's great about Peyton is he's so competitive, and he's a perfectionist and all those things, as you should be as a Mike.”
- Unlike Christian Alliegro, Laurinaitis never played through a broken arm in his career, he said, but he still has a rib that pokes out from playing through a broken rib.
- On Alliegro, who stood out against Ohio State on tape: “To see him with the club on in that game fighting and the toughness, I honestly noticed his size on the field. I was like, ‘Gosh, zero over there is a big, big son of a gun.’ And just thought there was like a veteran, like we're very talented, but we're young and green.”
Tight ends coach Keenan Bailey
“We’re the only program in the nation that will have two tight ends drafted (this) month. The expectation is to come here, be the best tight end in the country, be the best tight end room in the country, right? And then go on and play in the NFL.”– Keenan Bailey on the standard of Ohio State's TE room
- Bailey said Nate Roberts has done all the right things this offseason. He worked hard in the weight room with coach Mick Marotti and has progressed well this spring. “We got high expectations. No one has higher expectations than he does for himself.”
- Bailey said he got “excited” when Ryan Day floated Arthur Smith’s name to Ohio State’s staff as the Buckeyes’ next OC. Given Smith’s expertise with tight ends, Bailey said he wants the new OC to be in as many of his meetings as possible.
- “He’s been a pleasure to work with and learn from… It’s been awesome.”
- When asked how his role at Ohio State has evolved during his tenure, Bailey said it’s very different but also much the same. “I think I’ve probably had every title known to man in this building,” Bailey said, acknowledging that his role has always been to help Ohio State win games, especially against Michigan.
- Bailey said Max Klare and Will Kacmarek have left “huge shoes to fill” at Ohio State. Bailey said that is true in the passing game, but also in the blocking game because Kacmarek was one of the nation’s best at the point of attack. “Huge shoes to fill, but we’re gonna attack it every day. The expectation is the expectation.”
- Bailey said he’s “super excited” to see how the Ohio State offense evolves under Arthur Smith. Bailey believes in the offensive coaching staff, from Day to Smith, Tyler Bowen, Carlos Locklyn and new wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton.
LB Payton Pierce
“When I was on a scooter watching everyone play as a true freshman, I dreamed about being this guy where I'm at right now. It's been a lot of long days, long nights since being on that scooter, But I'm super grateful for it.”– Payton Pierce on the opportunity to become Ohio State’s starting Mike linebacker
- On Christian Alliegro: “He's a very physical player. I live with him every day. So he's, like, one of us and he's a great dude and flies around there, brings a lot of juice. So it's really fun having him out there and it's been great.”
- There’s lots of turnover on Ohio State’s defense, just as there was in 2025, but Pierce has confidence in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to get everyone in the right place. “Every year there's new players, and everyone's got different strengths and stuff. And Coach Patricia does a really good job of putting the guys in the right spot to go make plays, and keeps everyone confident in the scheme and what we're doing.”
- On how he’s stepped up as a leader: “I've gotten to step up a lot more, be more vocal. I mean, I've considered myself a leader since I was really young. I was a two-time captain on my high school team. And I felt like there was opportunities, even in my freshman year, I could lead the freshman guys and stuff like that. So I feel like I've done a good job of leading up until now. Obviously, my leadership role has stepped up even more with the whole team.”
- On Garrett Stover: “Stove's my guy, like my day one best friend. So it was really good seeing him get Iron Buckeye, competing every day, and his confidence is going up and you love to see it. And he's playing real well. So I'm glad, and nobody's more happy for him (than me).”
LB Christian Alliegro
“I just wanted to come somewhere that could help me for the next level. Obviously Ohio State has the best players, best coaches to do that, so it was kind of a no-brainer.”– Christian Alliegro on his decision to transfer to Ohio State from Wisconsin
- Alliegro said he’s been practicing primarily on the edge and at Sam linebacker so far this spring. He expects to practice more as an off-ball linebacker in two-linebacker sets in the second half of spring.
- On Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis: “His knowledge is off the charts. He played in the league for a very long time, so he knows literally everything.”
- Alliegro broke his arm in the first quarter of Wisconsin’s loss to Ohio State while tackling Bo Jackson, but he returned to the game. He said the toughness he showed in that game was one of the first things Ryan Day brought up when he met with Day on his visit to Ohio State.
LB TJ Alford
“Coach Laurinaitis, he's a great coach. He's got two top-10 picks, and then he's got a lot of young guys behind us. I feel like he's done a great job of developing us to be ready to play when our number is called.”– TJ Alford on James Laurinaitis
- Alford said Ohio State’s linebacker room has a bunch of “dawgs.” He said Payton Pierce has been the leader of the room as an older, experienced player. Alford also said Christian Alliegro has assimilated well as a transfer from Wisconsin. Alford said Garrett Stover, Eli Lee and the younger Buckeyes have been pushing the room as well.”
- When asked where he’s made the biggest strides from year one to year two, Alford said, “I’m just more confident, more knowledgeable about the system.”
- Alford said Ohio State’s current linebackers cannot be Arvell Reese or Sonny Styles, but they can be the best version of themselves. Alford said that takes pressure off each linebacker to contribute in their own way.
- Alford said Stover has worked extremely hard this offseason to be the best version of himself. “He’s always been in the weight room working. He makes you want to work harder.” Alford said it’s Stover’s time to take the next step for the Buckeyes.
TE Nate Roberts
“We want to be a tough, hard-nosed offense that can run the ball and attack defenses deep or short game. We're just wanting to be one of those offenses that can do everything.”– Nate Roberts on what Ohio State wants its offensive identity to be
- Roberts feels like he’s ready to be Ohio State’s No. 1 tight end this season. “Obviously, I want to come in here and be the No. 1 starter … If you come to Ohio State, that's what you want to be. So that's been my goal all offseason. All of last year, I was trying to work in, help the team as much as I could, but this year, I'm trying to help the team even more and be that starting guy.”
- Roberts thinks Ohio State fans will see this season that he’s a much more complete player than he was able to show last season, when he primarily played fullback. “I'm ready to show that I'm the all-around tight end and able to do everything.”
- On new Ohio State offensive coordinator Arthur Smith: “He's a great coach, and just being able to listen to him and how he runs his offense and knowing that he's been at every single level, he's such a smart guy that he comes over in our (individual drills) and teaches us and helps with our footwork and some of our routes just because he's been through the game for so long. But listening to his offense and being in it for a couple weeks now, I really enjoy it. I love it. I love his offense, and I know it'll help me for the next level.”
- Roberts said he’s bulked up to 250 pounds this offseason. He was around 235-240 pounds last year. “It doesn't feel too different, but I can see a difference on the field,” Roberts said.
- On Julian Sayin’s growth in his second year as starting quarterback: “He's taking into that leadership role and being more vocal. He's really done a really good job taking into that leadership role, which everyone can tell, and we all have 100% confidence in him that he'll go out there and do his job.”
