Coach Day and Drinkwitz talk at the podium to preview the Cotton Bowl in Arlington Texas at AT&T Stadium.
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00:00 (whispering)
00:02 - Hey, we want to say welcome to Coach Drinkwitz
00:12 and Coach Day.
00:13 Thank you guys so much for coming
00:15 on your last day of preparation to join us
00:18 for this news conference.
00:19 We will begin our news conference by asking
00:23 our head coaches to make an opening statement
00:25 about their week in North Texas,
00:27 and then we will move on to questions from the floor.
00:30 And again, we'll be here for approximately a half hour.
00:32 Coach Drinkwitz, we'll come to you first
00:34 for an opening statement.
00:35 - Yeah, I just want to say our appreciation
00:39 for being included in the 88th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
00:43 It's been an unbelievable event.
00:45 It starts first with people,
00:46 and the people of the Cotton Bowl Classic
00:48 have been unbelievable as far as hosting
00:51 and taking care of our needs,
00:52 making sure that we have everything we need to,
00:56 especially on Christmas, you know, around the holidays
00:58 for our families, our players to feel the warmth
01:02 of the holidays here in Texas was really important
01:05 and very appreciative to them.
01:07 You know, but now we're to the point
01:08 where it's about the game,
01:09 and our focus needs to increase on the game.
01:14 It's a great opportunity to be in a New Year's Six,
01:16 but it's really important to play well.
01:18 To have 34 days off and play is a real challenge,
01:22 and so our focus is to try to focus on the fundamentals,
01:25 the things that are really going to matter
01:27 pre and post-snap penalties, ball security, tackling.
01:29 And so today in our fast Friday,
01:32 that's going to be an emphasis for us
01:34 to try to make sure that we play a clean game.
01:36 Obviously, we've got an incredibly talented opponent.
01:39 You know, they have all the makings
01:42 of a championship football team,
01:44 probably the most explosive team
01:47 that we've played offensively
01:49 with the combination at running back,
01:51 tight end, and wide receiver.
01:53 Their offensive line does an incredible job
01:55 of both protection and establishing lines of scrimmage.
01:58 Defensively, their front six is as tough
02:01 and as strong as anybody in the country.
02:02 I don't think their back end has a whole lot of weaknesses.
02:06 Their nickel player, I think, is a very talented player
02:10 because of his ability to play
02:12 both man and disguise coverage.
02:14 And then obviously, their special teams are elite.
02:17 So, tremendous challenge for our football team,
02:20 but we're excited to play,
02:22 and I know our guys are ready to compete at a high level.
02:25 And so, appreciative of the invitation to be here
02:29 and appreciative of all the opportunities
02:31 that were afforded to us while we were here.
02:34 - Thank you, Coach.
02:35 Now, Coach Day.
02:36 - Yeah, I'll echo what Eli said
02:38 about just how great everybody here
02:40 at the Cotton Bowl has been.
02:43 We was here in 2017 and, you know,
02:47 talked for a long time about the hospitality
02:50 that all the folks here shared with our team,
02:54 and it's been the same.
02:56 It's been better.
02:57 It's been better.
02:58 And like Coach said, being here for Christmas
03:00 is a different experience,
03:01 but our guys have really enjoyed the week.
03:04 But we've also had a great week of practice,
03:07 practicing in a first-class facility
03:08 like we're in right now.
03:10 Made it easy and seamless.
03:12 And again, a lot of people have a lot of pride in this bowl,
03:14 and so it's an honor to be a part of.
03:17 Practice has been good all week,
03:20 and ramping up to the game.
03:22 It started back in Columbus as we had our fundamental phase
03:26 and then game plan phase, put that in,
03:28 and then came here and went through a week of practice.
03:32 You know, it's been exciting to see our team
03:35 rally around our quarterback, Devin Brown,
03:38 who's going to be starting his first college game
03:40 in the Cotton Bowl against Missouri here,
03:42 who is a great team.
03:44 Very well-coached, very talented,
03:47 good in all three phases, played complimentary football,
03:50 and have a lot of momentum.
03:51 So we know it's going to be a battle tomorrow night,
03:55 and our guys are excited for that.
03:57 All right, Coach, thank you so much.
03:58 Let's go to questions from the floor.
04:00 Remember, raise your hand, the microphone will come to you.
04:04 And I think our first question will go on Coach's left
04:07 here on the aisle.
04:09 Yeah, Andy Anders, 11 Warriors.
04:11 This is for Ryan Day.
04:12 You've got a few guys in this game,
04:14 Xavier Johnson, Matt Jones, and Josh Proctor,
04:17 that have been with the program a really long time,
04:19 have actually seen out their full collegiate eligibility
04:22 with the team.
04:23 Just for those guys, what's it been like to see them
04:26 go through this process for their final game?
04:28 And I guess, what will the emotions be like afterward
04:32 when they depart from the program?
04:34 Yeah, we're going to petition to see if we can get some guys
04:35 from eighth years and see if that's possible
04:37 between COVID and medical.
04:40 These guys have been in the program a long time,
04:41 and each guy has their own story.
04:44 And I think with a lot of the focus around
04:46 the transfer portal and everything that's going on
04:48 across college football, these guys
04:50 embody what it means to be a student athlete.
04:53 They're all going to have great NFL careers,
04:56 but they've made an impact.
04:57 They've left a legacy behind in their rooms.
05:01 All of those guys have been leaders.
05:04 They've come up and really developed within the program
05:08 and left something behind for the younger players.
05:10 And that's a sign of somebody who really takes a lot of pride
05:15 in where they're at.
05:16 All those guys have had opportunities
05:18 to either go and declare early to go to the NFL
05:20 or possibly transfer somewhere else.
05:22 And they didn't.
05:23 They know what it means to be a Buckeye,
05:25 and they're going to be missed.
05:27 Josh Proctor specifically, just his story,
05:31 battling back from season-ending injury,
05:33 how last year went.
05:36 Just what does his story, I guess, say to you?
05:38 And what does it maybe say to other players for the future?
05:42 Resilience, perseverance.
05:44 We have our senior tackle, and Josh got up in front of the team
05:47 and shared some things that were private.
05:49 But he just kept putting one foot in front of the other.
05:53 And now you're seeing him play his best football.
05:56 Always believed that Josh was one of the most talented guys
05:58 coming out of high school, and now he's put it all together
06:01 after going through a lot of adversity.
06:03 Certainly the injuries were well-documented,
06:05 but he stuck with it.
06:07 And he's resilient, and he's stronger for it.
06:10 And not only is he going to have a great NFL career,
06:13 but he's going to be a great husband someday, a great dad.
06:16 And I know he wants to play his best football
06:18 and finish this thing the right way tomorrow night.
06:21 Let's go here on the right side.
06:23 Right here.
06:24 Joey Coffin, Columbus Dispatch.
06:26 Question for both coaches.
06:28 This is the first year for bowl games
06:30 where you can use the helmet technology for communication.
06:33 Was that something you guys will take advantage of?
06:35 If so, if not, why or why not?
06:40 Yeah.
06:41 We spoke about this, had a discussion about it.
06:43 And I think we both agree--
06:44 I don't want to speak for you, Eli--
06:45 but that down the road, it makes a lot of sense.
06:47 But to try to, with everything going on right now,
06:50 to try to manage a game without having done it all season,
06:54 we felt like it was probably something
06:55 we want to have a spring practice and a preseason
06:57 to work through because of the unintended consequence
07:00 for something new, a new variable.
07:02 I don't know if you want to add anything to that.
07:04 Yeah, I mean, December's got enough challenges for us
07:06 to try to figure out how to communicate on the sideline
07:09 and get the communication in was just
07:11 something that didn't make a lot of sense for us.
07:14 And so Coach Day and I have a good working relationship
07:18 and made a call and decided that that
07:20 made the most sense for us.
07:23 Go in the front row here on the left side.
07:25 Bill Rabinowitz also from the Columbus Dispatch.
07:27 For both of you, particularly Ryan,
07:29 this is the last year of basically every game
07:33 is a must win.
07:33 Next year, you go to a 12-team playoff.
07:36 Probably the pressure to win every single game
07:38 will be a little bit lessened.
07:39 I mean, obviously, you have a responsibility
07:41 to win every game.
07:42 But how different do you think it'll
07:43 be next year knowing that not every game is everything?
07:49 You want to start?
07:50 Coach Street?
07:51 I don't know what world you're living in, man.
07:53 In college football, every game is everything.
07:56 And I don't think that's ever going to change.
07:59 Everybody expects to win.
08:01 The players expect to win.
08:02 The fan bases expect to win.
08:03 And the coaches expect to win.
08:05 So I don't think you'll sense anything really different.
08:08 I think the margins, especially after what
08:11 happened to a couple of teams not making the playoffs this
08:14 year, I mean, yeah, there's going
08:16 to be some teams that can get in with maybe 10 or 11 wins.
08:20 But there's still going to be the which game did you lose,
08:24 and how did you perform, and all that different stuff that
08:26 are going to be variable.
08:27 So I really don't think the pressure will
08:29 change any, in my opinion.
08:33 Agreed.
08:34 I think the four teams that get a bye in the first week
08:37 will be significant.
08:38 So I think that'll be important because of the length
08:42 and number of games that are going to be coming.
08:44 Certainly, our focus is on finishing the season now.
08:46 But when you do look ahead, I think
08:48 it's going to be important to be playing your best
08:50 football down the stretch.
08:51 When you look at teams who make runs in the NFL playoffs,
08:54 they'll go through stretches where they'll
08:55 lose two or three in a row.
08:57 But if they get hot down the stretch,
08:58 then they end up winning the Super Bowl.
09:00 And so I think the first thing is
09:03 it's going to be important to try to get that bye.
09:05 But the second thing is you got to be playing your best
09:06 football down the stretch.
09:07 And I think the healthier team will be critical.
09:10 Is there more leeway to maybe let a quarterback develop
09:14 early in the year or maybe experiment a little bit,
09:16 knowing that if you lose in week two, does it disqualify you?
09:21 I think it's an interesting question.
09:23 Haven't quite thought of it like that yet.
09:25 We'll kind of cross that bridge when we get there.
09:27 But I do think more than ever, you're
09:30 going to be wanting to build your team up
09:32 as the season goes on.
09:35 Swing back to the right side.
09:37 Cameron Seagate with The Athletic.
09:38 Ryan, this question's for you.
09:41 On Devin specifically, the year he's
09:44 had from the injury in the spring
09:46 where he couldn't play in the spring game, the competition,
09:49 getting injured during the season,
09:51 how has that year, the ups and downs, everything
09:54 he's had to go through, prepare him for a moment like this
09:56 and for potentially being quarterback in the future
09:59 as well?
09:59 Yeah, I think Devin has always had his mind
10:02 that he wants to get on the field.
10:03 He's been competitive since the day he stepped on campus.
10:06 I know he's looking forward to playing in this game.
10:08 I think he's also seen big games.
10:10 He's been around it.
10:11 He's seen a couple different quarterbacks play ahead of him,
10:14 so he knows what the preparation looks like.
10:17 And he was right there with Kyle in the preseason.
10:20 We talked about this before.
10:22 And then got him in a little bit in a couple of the games
10:25 just to kind of get his feet wet.
10:27 And then he got hurt in the Penn State game,
10:29 and so we weren't able to get him in the game as much.
10:32 But we were ready to put him in the game a few times
10:36 this season.
10:37 And you saw him play a little bit.
10:38 But now he gets an opportunity to play a whole game.
10:41 And so he's prepared at a high level,
10:43 and the guys believe in him because of what
10:45 he's done the last few weeks in practice.
10:48 OK, on the front row, left.
10:50 Natalie Jones, ABC 17.
10:51 Eli, I was talking to Brady and his parents
10:53 before we came down here.
10:54 And you said he remembered 10 years ago watching
10:56 this game on TV in St. Louis.
10:58 What has he communicated to you as far as how much this
11:00 is a full circle moment for him?
11:02 Yeah, I think Brady, obviously, growing up
11:04 in the state of Missouri, wanting
11:06 to play for the university, battling through adversity
11:09 throughout his year last year.
11:11 Now having an opportunity to lead a New Year's Six Bowl
11:14 is exciting for him.
11:16 You can tell the level of focus that him and Cody
11:18 have displayed all week.
11:20 They're really here to play and play well.
11:22 And they've taken their preparation seriously.
11:27 They've been going to the sauna in the morning
11:29 over at the Anatole Hotel.
11:30 So that was a nice perk for them.
11:32 So they're very focused and want to play
11:35 at a high level in this game.
11:38 OK, now on the right side.
11:39 Yeah, Tim May, Letterman Row.
11:41 For Ryan Day, who's playing in this game?
11:44 Who's not playing in this game?
11:45 Or who's not playing in this game?
11:47 Thank you for asking that question.
11:48 I've been waiting on this one.
11:50 You're welcome, Coach.
11:51 And you said you'd tell us sooner or later.
11:53 I mean, is Marvin Harrison Jr. playing in this game,
11:56 Tommy Eichenberg, et cetera?
11:58 You usually ask like three or four questions.
12:00 So--
12:00 Well, let me add this last--
12:01 I'll wait for the second and third,
12:02 because we're not going to answer the first one.
12:04 Oh, OK.
12:06 Really, you're not answering?
12:08 No.
12:08 No, like I said--
12:09 Marvin hasn't been practicing is what we've noticed.
12:11 Yeah, like I said, I feel like those are decisions
12:14 that the players make, they and their families.
12:18 And so I'd never want to be the one
12:20 to go out and put it out there.
12:21 So I want to respect that.
12:23 And I think our guys have been great and professional.
12:27 And these guys want to win the game.
12:29 So we'll know here in about 24 hours.
12:34 But Marvin, whether he plays or not, what is the legacy?
12:37 What is he leaving at Ohio State?
12:41 Marvin's been a pro ever since he stepped in our building.
12:43 And he started-- everyone wants to talk about his dad
12:46 and everything like that, and what he's done,
12:47 and being a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
12:49 And he certainly did a great job raising his son with his mom.
12:52 But Marvin's his own man.
12:55 And he had big shoes to fill.
12:56 He's got his father's name.
12:58 But from the minute he stepped in our building,
13:00 you knew that he was going to be a pro.
13:03 The hours and hours and hours he spends on that jugs machine,
13:06 the hours he spends in the film room,
13:08 the way he takes care of his body, everything about it
13:11 has been a pro, his professionalism.
13:13 I mean, there's been times where after a game,
13:15 I'll come over to the facility.
13:17 And maybe he-- it wasn't even a drop pass.
13:19 He's in the facility after a game, hours,
13:21 catching the ball, going over that same one again,
13:23 because it didn't get right in the game.
13:25 And I think that legacy that he's
13:26 leaving behind to the younger players is tremendous.
13:28 And I think it's been said publicly,
13:31 so I don't think I'm putting him out there.
13:33 But when you ask him, what do you want to do in football,
13:35 he says, I want to be the best receiver to ever play the game.
13:38 Whoa.
13:39 I know your habits have to reflect that.
13:40 They do.
13:41 And that's what's special about Marvin.
13:44 Let's go in the far back on coaches left
13:46 for the next question.
13:48 Eli Ben-Arnet from KOMU TV in Columbia.
13:51 You've extended both your coordinators in the last week.
13:54 Can you give us a sense of the impact
13:56 that both Kirby and Blake have made in their time,
13:59 changes, attitude, just kind of the imprint
14:02 they've had on your program and their various sides of the ball?
14:05 Yeah, I mean, you're only as good as the people
14:07 you surround yourself with.
14:08 And I think there's been incredible vertical alignment
14:12 within our coaching staff where both Kirby and Blake utilize
14:17 their unique personalities to communicate
14:19 the message of the head coach to their side of the ball.
14:22 We have a sign in our staff meeting
14:24 that says low ego, high output, and preference
14:27 versus performance.
14:28 And I think both of those guys reflect that immensely.
14:32 Low ego, it's not about them.
14:34 It's about what's best for our program and our team
14:36 in order to win.
14:37 They're not concerned about either side of the ball stats.
14:40 They just want to work together to find
14:41 a way for our team to win.
14:43 And neither one of them has worried about preference.
14:47 Both of them came in in unique situations,
14:49 tried to utilize the foundations that were already
14:52 laid to best help our players get up to speed the fastest.
14:56 And this day and age in college football,
14:58 that's not usually what it is.
14:59 Most coaches come in with big egos,
15:01 trying to prove who they are.
15:03 These guys came in with, hey, I just want to help us win.
15:06 And very appreciative to them and their families,
15:09 and very appreciative to our administration
15:12 for stepping up and helping us create a place that
15:16 is where they want to be.
15:18 And so we wouldn't have the season
15:20 we have if it wasn't for Blake Baker and Kirby Moore
15:23 and the way they've coached and related and communicated
15:27 and connected to our football team.
15:31 OK, here on the second row, our first row.
15:33 Joe Nugent, NBC4 Columbus for Ryan.
15:37 This will be the final game for Gene Smith
15:39 as the athletic director.
15:41 How much credit does he deserve for what
15:43 Ohio State football is today?
15:46 Yeah, where do I start?
15:48 I try to get a collection together
15:50 to see if we can go four more years.
15:52 But he and Sheila have decided they're going to stay strong.
15:56 I've said publicly before what he's
15:59 meant to so many people, the impact
16:00 he's made on so many people.
16:02 Ohio State has over 1,000 athletes year in and year out,
16:04 36 sports.
16:06 It's a tremendous job.
16:07 And he's done it with grace, success on and off the field.
16:12 But the impact he's made on people
16:14 is really what it's all-- when it's all said and done,
16:16 that's what this is all about.
16:17 The reason you get into coaching,
16:19 the reason you become an AD is to have an impact on people.
16:21 He's done that.
16:22 He's done that to me and my family.
16:23 The opportunity he gave me as a first time head coach
16:27 and to believe in me and the support he's shown
16:29 and his guidance over the years has been tremendous.
16:32 I don't know all the ADs that have come before,
16:34 but he's one of the best of all time.
16:37 Second row on-- first row.
16:40 Frank Cusimano, KSDK in St. Louis.
16:42 Coach, can you discuss, in addition
16:44 to what he's done on the field, the overall impact
16:47 of what Luther Burden has meant to your program?
16:52 Yeah, it's going to be hard to measure as of right now.
16:55 But I will say, two years ago, we were a 6 and 6 program
16:59 that, for me, frankly, had a lot of talk but not
17:03 a lot of results.
17:05 And for Luther to choose to come to the University of Missouri
17:09 when he had some other opportunities,
17:12 and then for us, not only for our program to back it up,
17:16 but for the state of Missouri to back it up through NIL
17:18 and other opportunities to market Luther,
17:21 I think it's created a place where other players know,
17:27 hey, I can go there, create my own brand and value for myself
17:30 at the University of Missouri.
17:32 I don't have to go somewhere else outside of the state.
17:35 Resulted this year with Williams Nwari,
17:37 who was consensus number one D lineman in the country.
17:42 I shouldn't say consensus.
17:44 In one of the six rankings, he was number one in the country.
17:46 But to choose to play here, we've
17:49 had other players in the portal choose to come back.
17:52 And I don't think that would have happened had Luther not
17:55 chosen to come here.
17:57 And then I can't say enough about the maturity and growth
18:00 that he's made as a player off the field.
18:04 Last year he played, he relied mostly on talent.
18:07 Now he's relied on preparation.
18:09 And when preparation and talent come together,
18:11 you have an opportunity to be a special player.
18:14 And that's really what's happened with him.
18:17 OK, here on the front row, here on coaches right.
18:20 Aaron Ladd, KSHB 41 out of Kansas City.
18:22 Wanted to ask about your big three.
18:23 You talked about Brady, you talked about Luther.
18:25 Add Cody Schrader in there.
18:26 What impact did those three make on getting you to this point?
18:29 What impact will they make on the game on Friday?
18:31 And then specific to Luther and Brady, what impact
18:33 do they make going forward?
18:36 Yeah, it's going to be hard to say.
18:40 But those three together have had a tremendous impact
18:43 on our team.
18:44 And I think it's been because of the dedication
18:46 that they've put in outside of just the games.
18:50 Their work ethic, their preparation,
18:52 their lifestyle outside of the game of football
18:55 reflects on the field.
18:58 Cody Schrader is one of the best stories in college football.
19:01 A young man who bet on himself, walked on from a Division II
19:05 school, started eight on the depth chart,
19:08 and worked his way up to being a complete running back.
19:10 A guy who I believe has an opportunity
19:12 to play in the NFL.
19:14 And it means nothing more to him than to play for his teammates.
19:19 And the connection that him, Brady, and Luther, and Theo,
19:22 and Javon, and X, and Arman, and Cam, and Conor have,
19:26 it's pretty special to watch.
19:28 I think the coolest thing about all three
19:31 is they really don't care who gets the credit.
19:32 They just want to win.
19:34 They just want to win football games.
19:35 And there's been games where Cody's the man,
19:38 and we celebrate it.
19:39 And there's been games where Luther's the man,
19:41 and it was celebrated.
19:43 And I think at the end of the day,
19:45 that's what's made our season so much fun,
19:48 is there wasn't the drama.
19:50 There was just, let's win.
19:51 And let's find a way to win.
19:54 Let's go toward the back here on the outside aisle, right side.
19:59 Clint Switzer from Starcade Media.
20:00 Coach Drinkwitz, this has been a very--
20:03 the team has been so tight knit all year.
20:06 And to culminate here with an event like the Cotton Bowl
20:09 versus the last two years playing in bowl games
20:12 or before Christmas, spending the holidays together,
20:14 what has that meant for team chemistry and the camaraderie
20:16 that's existed all season?
20:18 Yeah, I think it's just been a fun way to finish off
20:20 the year with an opportunity to play in a New Year's Six Bowl
20:24 and spend some more time together, quality time,
20:26 to have Christmas morning together as a team.
20:28 Something they'll always remember and be able to share.
20:31 I think it was a great ending to a great season.
20:35 OK, let's move back to the left side.
20:36 I think the mic's on the second row, third row.
20:39 OK.
20:40 Tyler Danburg, Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio.
20:42 Ryan, in what ways has the offensive line
20:45 made strides this year?
20:46 And what needs to improve tomorrow night?
20:50 I think we found our identity in the run game.
20:53 Probably about midway through the season,
20:56 certainly getting Trey back made a huge difference.
21:00 That was a big part of it as well.
21:01 And then it started to flow from there.
21:04 This game's going to be just like any other game.
21:06 It's going to be one up front.
21:07 And so our guys have to play well.
21:10 But I feel like that last third of the year,
21:13 we started to pick it up in that area.
21:15 We understood what we were up front, what our backs could do.
21:20 And so then I think we grew from there.
21:22 Plus, you had Josh Simmons, who came in in the summer.
21:27 Hadn't played at a Power Five school before.
21:30 Was learning the offense.
21:31 We had a redshirt freshman at center.
21:34 And then Josh Fryer was really a first time starter right
21:36 tackle.
21:37 So I think they gained more experience
21:38 and got better as the season went on.
21:41 Next question comes from the left.
21:45 Ari Wasserman with The Athletic.
21:47 This is for both coaches here.
21:48 Eli, you mentioned earlier on in the press conference
21:51 about all the stuff that you guys had going on in December.
21:54 I was just wondering, if you were in charge, both of you,
21:56 of the recruiting calendar, what would be the thing that you
21:59 would change about the way things are going right now
22:01 in that realm?
22:03 I mean, that is a loaded question.
22:07 I don't know that there's any one thing that
22:09 has to be changed.
22:10 I think there has to be a collective group that
22:12 gets together and decides that really we
22:14 have to rearrange a lot of it.
22:16 There's no other-- I mean, we've talked about the 12 team
22:19 playoff.
22:20 I mean, there's no way possible for us
22:22 to have a 12 team playoff next year
22:24 and be recruiting in an open period
22:26 and have transfer portal additions and subtraction going
22:30 on and preparing for a game.
22:33 It's just not possible.
22:35 So there's going to have to be a reset of college football,
22:38 looking back, OK, this is what we've become now.
22:40 Right now, we've got like a wheel with a bike,
22:44 a sickle wheel, and we've taken the middle part right out.
22:48 And then we just decided, all right,
22:50 we'll just see how it figures out.
22:51 We've got to start all over and build it back out again.
22:54 And it's going to start with having
22:56 to figure out the calendar.
22:57 I don't have a simple answer for you.
22:59 It's not as simple as, well, we'll just move signing day.
23:02 That's got consequences.
23:04 The reality of it is the decisions that have been made
23:08 have not been thought through about what
23:10 are the unintended consequences of just saying, all right,
23:13 we'll have two transfer portals.
23:14 I mean, now you've got players who are making decisions
23:17 about leaving a university, life-changing decision,
23:20 before they've even finished their finals, which, again,
23:24 is a big deal.
23:26 I mean, we're here to-- like Coach said,
23:28 we're here to influence and impact people.
23:30 And the number one way we can is for them to get an education.
23:34 I firmly believe in our guys receiving NIL
23:37 and receiving payments and making financial gains
23:40 through playing the game of football.
23:42 I think I've been adamant about that.
23:44 But I also understand that getting a degree
23:47 is going to be significantly more important for them
23:50 in their future.
23:51 I think not only for having that and being
23:54 a positive contributor to society,
23:56 but for a lot of these guys, they're
23:57 going to be the first in their families to get a degree.
24:00 And now they change the trajectory of their family tree
24:04 forever, because now it's a standard for that person's
24:07 family to go get a college degree.
24:09 And so again, unintended consequences
24:13 of all the things adding up into one month.
24:18 And it's just not possible for us
24:19 to continue forward with this cycle.
24:24 Yeah, I agree with really everything Coach just
24:27 mentioned.
24:27 I think when big decisions like this need to be made,
24:34 we struggle in college football, because everyone's
24:38 coming at it from a different point of view.
24:41 I mentioned this before.
24:42 Coach has got his issues.
24:44 We have our issues.
24:45 Different demographics, different size of school,
24:48 group of five, power five.
24:50 But we've got to figure out a way to make, first off,
24:53 December work.
24:55 December's not working.
24:57 And whether that means coaches don't go on the road
25:01 in the month of December, moving the signing date
25:05 has got to be looked at.
25:07 But it's not that easy, because I don't have a date.
25:09 Because I know what the issue is.
25:11 You do it in the summer, or you do it in June,
25:13 and there's coaching changes.
25:14 Now all of a sudden, when would that date become available?
25:16 So while I don't have good answers,
25:19 we all need to come together and make some hard decisions.
25:21 And like Coach said, I don't think
25:24 we can just patch it up and say, let's put a patch on this
25:27 right here.
25:27 We've got to look at this thing from a big picture,
25:30 and then start from scratch and go from there.
25:33 And there's a lot that goes with that.
25:36 We'll stay on Coach's left, toward the middle.
25:40 Patrick Murphy with 24/7 Sports.
25:42 Ryan, yesterday Cade was talking to us
25:44 about he's going to play in the game,
25:45 but he may not play the normal amount of snaps.
25:48 I know you're not going to go into detail on how guys will
25:51 play, but balancing guys like that,
25:55 upperclassmen that are maybe playing their last game,
25:57 versus getting young guys opportunities
25:59 in a game like this.
26:00 How does that work in your mind?
26:02 Well, we want to win the game.
26:03 That's the number one thing.
26:05 So we're going to go in and do everything we possibly
26:07 can to win the game, and then go from there.
26:10 But there are going to be some opportunities for guys
26:12 to take on new roles in this game, different
26:15 than has been this season.
26:16 So I'm excited for them, and we've seen that before.
26:20 You think about the Rose Bowl a couple of years ago,
26:22 where Marvin Mech went into the game
26:24 and did a great job that freshman year,
26:27 and it really built momentum into the offseason for them.
26:30 So both, both.
26:32 I mean, I think guys are going to play,
26:34 and we're going to win the game.
26:35 That's the number one thing.
26:37 But at the same time, opportunity
26:38 for some younger guys to get in there and build
26:41 some momentum for their future.
26:43 Now on the right, second row.
26:46 Joey Van Zamren with Fan Nation.
26:47 Eli, a few weeks ago you talked about how,
26:49 because you weren't calling the offensive plays this year,
26:52 you're really able to focus more so on your relationship
26:55 with players, instead of just the X's and O's of the offense.
26:58 Can you talk a little bit more about just your change
27:00 in your coaching approach this season?
27:03 Yeah, it really began after the bowl game.
27:06 Going back to the month of December,
27:09 I just wasn't doing the best that I
27:12 could for our football team.
27:13 We have a sign in our building that says, do your job,
27:18 put the team first.
27:19 Embrace your role, put the team first.
27:21 And I wasn't doing that.
27:23 I wasn't embracing my role as the head coach.
27:25 I was trying to hold on to my ego of being the play caller.
27:28 And I needed to step back and say,
27:31 the job as a head coach is to build this team,
27:33 empower other people to do their jobs,
27:36 and really build connections amongst our players,
27:39 from player to player, coach to player,
27:41 and from our team to our university and community.
27:45 And it begins with investing in your guys.
27:49 And I just didn't have the time that I needed to do that.
27:51 And so that really became my mission.
27:53 How could I support our strength and conditioning
27:55 athletic performance?
27:56 How could I be around our players more?
27:58 How could I engage our coaches more in a real way?
28:02 How could I engage our players more in a real way
28:05 to create a more connected team?
28:09 Football is a powerful game.
28:13 And there's always elite teams.
28:15 But it's really not about elite talent.
28:17 It's about elite teams.
28:19 Ryan alluded to it earlier.
28:22 When NFL teams get on a run, it's teams that are connected.
28:26 And I felt like we needed to be more connected so
28:29 that when that moment came and we broke through,
28:32 we would be able to sustain it.
28:34 And that kind of happened for us after the Kansas State game.
28:38 So yeah, it really just came down
28:41 to me being more living my integrity,
28:45 not just talking about it, but being about it
28:47 and putting the team first, embracing my role
28:49 as the head coach.
28:50 And Kirby Moore came in and did a phenomenal job
28:55 to coach the offense, call the offense,
28:57 and couldn't have had it happen any better for us.
29:01 We're approaching the end of our news conference.
29:03 Maybe two or three more questions.
29:05 I think the next one should come from the left
29:08 on the outside aisle.
29:09 Nathan Baird from cleveland.com.
29:11 Ryan, how much does Devon's performance on Friday
29:14 play into what this quarterback room is going to look like next
29:17 spring, whether you're going to bring somebody else in
29:20 potentially?
29:20 Or is that something that's decided more holistically,
29:23 not just based on one game?
29:27 Well, I know that everybody in this game
29:31 has got an opportunity to build some momentum for next year.
29:35 And Devon's exactly in that situation.
29:38 This is exactly what he wanted.
29:39 He wanted this opportunity.
29:41 And so he's taken it and run the last few weeks.
29:44 And I think the guys on the team feel it.
29:47 They feel his presence out there.
29:48 And so this is-- what a great opportunity for him to do that.
29:54 And once the season's over, we'll
29:57 kind of figure out where we're at with everything.
30:00 But as of right now, he's our quarterback.
30:03 And we're moving forward.
30:04 And this is a great opportunity for him
30:07 to go build more confidence with the guys around him
30:10 as we head into next season.
30:12 OK, let's come on this side, maybe two questions.
30:14 And we'll finish up with one on the left.
30:17 Daniel Stivit, Fox 2 St. Louis.
30:19 Coach Shrinkweeds, I want to reflect a little bit
30:21 on the last question from this side.
30:23 When you look back at your career,
30:26 App State to Mizzou, the trials and tribulations leading
30:28 to this moment, how do you see yourself
30:31 in this moment going up against a team like Ohio State
30:33 to the point that you've gotten this program to?
30:37 Well, first off, I have a tremendous amount of respect
30:39 for Coach Day and the job that he's done.
30:43 When they introduced him today, the reality
30:45 that in every year that he's been a head coach,
30:48 he's played in a New Year's Six Bowl
30:49 or the college football playoff, is
30:50 about the most impressive thing I've heard in coaching.
30:54 When you get to the top, the wind's twice as strong.
30:58 And so for him to be able to sustain excellence
31:01 while people just assume that that happens,
31:04 it's incredibly hard to do.
31:05 And so they're a blue blood for a reason.
31:08 But it's not just because they're the Buckeyes.
31:13 It takes strong leadership.
31:14 And Coach Day has set the tone for leadership,
31:17 not only in the Big Ten, but around the college football
31:19 world.
31:20 And so for us to have the opportunity
31:22 to match up against him, we know it's a tremendous challenge.
31:25 But it's one that we're ready to embrace.
31:27 We play in the SEC.
31:28 We know what tremendous challenges are.
31:30 The one thing when you watch their tape is,
31:32 you see a team that is very similar to the elite teams
31:36 in the SEC.
31:36 They're built in the trenches.
31:38 They have dynamic playmakers on the outside.
31:41 They're going to play man to man, in your face,
31:43 check your breath, defense.
31:45 And you're going to have to make plays.
31:47 And that's the way we designed our team with Theo,
31:50 with Luther, with our quarterback that
31:53 can create with his feet.
31:54 So it's going to be a tremendous matchup.
31:57 We're going to have to do the things that we
31:59 know to do, which are to play clean football
32:01 before and after the snap.
32:03 We're going to have to be great tacklers.
32:04 They're running back as an elite player.
32:07 And we're going to have to limit takeaways.
32:10 And we got to take care of the football.
32:12 So it's going to be a tremendous challenge.
32:15 But we're excited for the opportunity.
32:17 I mean, this is why you coach college football,
32:19 to get an opportunity to play against teams like Ohio State.
32:23 OK, two last questions here on the right, outside aisle.
32:27 Yeah, Rob Aller, Columbus Dispatch.
32:28 You both referenced the changes that
32:30 have happened to college football,
32:32 and more are coming, I'm sure.
32:34 To look at it big picture, Chip Kelly
32:37 was very vocal about what he thinks
32:40 where the game should go, separating
32:42 into larger divisions.
32:44 Just curious what you think of his comments, where
32:48 you see this sport going.
32:51 Man, I'm just trying to beat Ohio State.
32:53 I just listed all the issues with going
32:56 against their game plan.
32:57 He lives on the beach, man.
32:58 I mean, he's got time to look at the waves
33:00 and figure out this stuff.
33:01 Like, I'm trying to figure out what my kids are
33:03 getting for Christmas.
33:04 And I had no idea.
33:06 So I don't know where the game's going.
33:08 I know it's the greatest game in the United States of America.
33:11 College football is unbelievable.
33:13 And it's an opportunity for young men
33:15 to get to do something that they wouldn't get to do outside
33:18 of the game of football.
33:19 God's given an incredible gift and talent
33:21 to play the game at such an elite level.
33:23 And I just don't want to see it disappear.
33:25 And I do think that there's been such a grab for the finances,
33:31 the financial part of it with the TV stuff,
33:33 that we've lost a little bit of why we're doing it
33:37 and what's best for the student athlete.
33:39 And I will say, I really felt like this in August.
33:42 And I still feel like even Chip carried out the message.
33:45 Like, at some point, football's got
33:47 to make decisions that impact just football.
33:51 We're never going to be able to sit in a room as an NCAA
33:56 and make decisions that are positive for football
33:59 and other sports, Olympic sports or track and field
34:03 and all that.
34:04 We don't live in the same realm.
34:06 And so at some point, we're going
34:07 to have to make decisions that are just about football
34:11 in order for us to have the success and sustainability
34:14 that we want.
34:16 For student athletes to have to play a soccer
34:19 game all the way across the country on a Tuesday night
34:22 and then come back and take a final the next day,
34:26 that's really challenging.
34:28 And that's really tough.
34:29 Because at the end of the day, those
34:31 are football decisions that are being made.
34:34 Yeah, I agree.
34:35 I think we can probably talk about this for hours.
34:38 Obviously, I know Chip very well.
34:40 And he's very well thought out.
34:43 He's always been a guy who thinks outside the box.
34:46 And I think it's going to take a little bit of that thinking
34:48 here.
34:49 It's something that maybe we're not all used to,
34:53 but something that's best for the student athletes.
34:55 And it's going to take some creative thoughts.
34:58 And then it's going to take a lot of hard work
35:00 to actually execute it and then enforce it.
35:04 And I think we all know that.
35:06 But I think that's why we need to get
35:08 some of these great minds in a room together
35:10 and get this thing figured out.
35:12 There's a quote that says, "Ideas are everywhere.
35:15 Execution is everything."
35:16 And that's what it's going to come down to.
35:18 Everybody can have ideas.
35:19 But at some point, we've got to get in a room
35:21 and execute the ideas to create the college football that we
35:25 want moving forward.
35:27 Our last question here on the inside aisle, left side.
35:30 Tony Gerdman, Buckeye Huddle.
35:32 For Coach Drinkwits, is it easier for you
35:36 and your defensive staff to prepare
35:37 for a quarterback who's throwing 300 or 600 passes or 22
35:42 like you guys are facing this month?
35:44 You know, as soon as it was announced
35:46 that Devon was going to be the starting quarterback,
35:49 we pulled every one of his plays to watch it.
35:53 And that was probably a big mistake
35:56 because it shows the diversity of things that he can do.
35:59 And then understanding Coach Day's past
36:02 and Coach Hartline's past, you realize
36:04 that there's such a variety of things
36:05 that they'll be able to adapt and make this offense
36:08 go with his skill set.
36:10 So it'll be a challenge.
36:12 We'll be reactive.
36:13 We'll have to react to see what his style of game plan is.
36:16 I was hoping he would tell us today,
36:18 but y'all didn't ask any of those questions.
36:21 So we'll figure it out.
36:22 You know, I think the one thing about Blake
36:24 and his style of defense is we have the ability
36:29 to create width with our defense and our odd front.
36:31 We have the ability to get into heavy personnel
36:34 if they go heavy and try to establish the run.
36:37 So we'll just have to figure out what style of game it becomes
36:41 and then react to it.
36:42 But like Coach said, their quarterback's very talented.
36:45 He throws the ball very well, runs it very well.
36:49 And you can tell that he's very good as far as leadership.
36:55 I was hoping that he would give me a speaker too,
36:57 but I didn't see that in my locker.
36:59 So I mean, I thought that was extended courtesy.
37:04 No, no speakers for you.
37:06 [LAUGHTER]
37:09 OK, that completes our news conference
37:11 and the only thing we have left to do
37:13 is to ask our coaches to pose with the Field Skull trophy.
37:17 Give us a moment to maybe clean up the stage just a tad
37:21 and get things re-situated.
37:22 And we will give Hammond Communications the first shot
37:27 because they are in place.
37:29 And after the TV shot is done, then we'll
37:31 ask the photographers and other digital cameras
37:35 to come forward.
37:36 But the first shot will go to Hammond.
37:38 [VIDEO PLAYBACK]
37:41 We look good, Scotty?
37:58 [SIDE CONVERSATION]
38:10 OK, we ready?
38:11 OK, TV shot from Hammond.
38:13 Yeah, look like you are like one another.
38:26 [LAUGHTER]
38:29 OK, we good with TV?
38:32 OK, let's go to everybody else.
38:34 Photographers, front of the stage.
38:36 [SIDE CONVERSATION]
38:53 Yeah, one more handshake.
38:55 One more handshake.
38:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]