Ohio State: Denzel Burke Makes It Extremely Clear How Much Michigan Game Means To Him
Ohio State star cornerback Denzel Burke spoke about the rivalry game against Michigan on Tuesday. While he didn't flat out guarantee a victory, he made it awfully clear how important it is to the Buckeyes to win on Saturday in Ann Arbor.
Transcript
00:00 >> Just go out there and do our job, hold each other accountable, play physical.
00:05 Next play is the most important play, stop the run, run the ball.
00:08 Can't get no better than that.
00:09 >> What stands out to you when you watch this again on film?
00:12 >> Nothing.
00:13 We just gotta go out there and do our job, man, and really compete,
00:17 play hard for each other.
00:18 And we're gonna be the villain walking in there.
00:21 And this game is really just about respect for us, especially my class.
00:25 Last two years, we haven't got it done, no go pants.
00:29 So we just gotta go out there and just be us.
00:31 >> Do you like that role, villain?
00:32 Do you like that role?
00:33 >> Love it, love it.
00:35 Just to be able to go on someone else's hometown and compete, play hard,
00:40 play for each other, and yeah.
00:42 >> How much has the memory of last year's game, has it stoked you at all?
00:46 Has it stoked you and your teammates?
00:47 How much has it burned in you since last year's game?
00:52 >> Yeah, it's horrible, man, cuz especially when you're at Ohio State,
00:57 livelihoods are at stake, you gotta win this game.
01:00 It's mandatory.
01:01 We had to live with it 365 days, and now it's here, so we're ready.
01:06 >> You mentioned that, that your class goes hemispherical.
01:08 Do you feel like an extra level of pressure this year,
01:11 knowing that there's so many guys just giving you a last chance?
01:14 >> There's no pressure, man.
01:15 We just gotta go out there and ball and do what we know we can do.
01:18 >> Even if it's not pressure, does it change the vibe of this week,
01:21 that there's so many guys who are trying to do this for the first time?
01:24 Do you guys have experiences?
01:26 >> Yeah, it's gonna be fun.
01:29 Just thinking about the game, my heart kinda, my blood boils.
01:32 So I'm really just ready to go out there and do what we can do.
01:35 >> How much healthier are you this year?
01:37 >> I'm 100% healthy, thank God.
01:40 >> How hard was it?
01:42 I mean, you won last year.
01:43 >> Yeah. >> How hard was it to play in that game?
01:46 [INAUDIBLE]
01:48 >> Yeah, it was hard, man,
01:49 especially my freshman year and last year.
01:51 Not fully healthy, but that's not an excuse.
01:53 And but since I'm healthy now, it's even better for us.
01:56 >> Jordan, he's been moving around a lot.
01:59 He's almost playing in the nickel, taxi run, I can say for some time.
02:03 How are your thoughts on his development, his growth now that he's been healthy?
02:07 >> Man, he's such a dog.
02:09 Him being at that nickel spot has really helped us a lot.
02:12 And I feel like if he would have had a year under his belt last year at nickel,
02:15 and him playing now, probably would be a whole different story.
02:18 But yeah, he's balling, man, and he's really helping us bring BIA back.
02:23 And with this defense.
02:24 >> Back in the practices this offseason, some of you guys have talked about if you
02:27 give up in the post-season playing practice, you have to run against or
02:30 you have to- >> Yeah.
02:31 >> Apparently you and Latham started that.
02:33 >> Yeah, me and Latham had brought it up, and Coach Watt.
02:35 So thing is, if a ball is caught on you, or at least go over your head,
02:40 it's a half gasser.
02:41 If it's a touchdown, it's a full gasser.
02:42 >> You think that helps, sort of like you guys haven't given up a lot of it.
02:47 >> Mm-hm.
02:47 >> That mindset that you guys carry into the season?
02:50 >> Yeah, definitely, what you think?
02:51 >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah.
02:53 >> What's that like in the big pass play you guys got last year for
02:57 you against Michigan?
02:59 It seems like you guys have talked about it and focused on that for a whole year.
03:05 And you are as good as any defense in the country in terms of explosive.
03:09 What's it like when you guys sort of have a goal and focus on it and then execute?
03:15 >> Yeah, it's just a testament to all the hard work we put in all the offseason.
03:20 Every single day ever since the last game after Georgia, we had a plan.
03:24 And every day, starting the spring, started being more competitive, and
03:27 in the fall, just taking care of the situations.
03:30 And I feel like we're doing that on the field, and
03:33 we go against the best every day, so it helps a lot.
03:36 >> [INAUDIBLE]
03:47 >> [LAUGH] It's respect for them.
03:52 We didn't get it done the past two years, and
03:54 our job is to go up there and get it done.
03:56 >> And so how do you balance trying to make winning plays on defense and
04:01 win games on defense without playing too aggressive?
04:03 Be aggressive but not overly aggressive.
04:05 >> Yeah, most important thing for us is have controlled aggression.
04:08 Don't do nothing that can have a detriment to the team.
04:12 And play hard for each other and do the right things always.
04:16 >> Can you picture what it's gonna be like to go into the big house and
04:20 watch the game against you guys and see who you beat off?
04:23 Is that something that would help?
04:25 >> Yeah, it does, it's fun.
04:27 I remember my freshman year, it was crazy, coming out the tunnel.
04:30 It's all racket, it's crazy.
04:32 And we're looking forward to that, so it should be fun.
04:35 >> It's worth it to hear about that.
04:37 I'm sure people prepared before.
04:38 You're a true freshman, 18 years old, you never really played in an environment
04:42 like that, you're from Arizona, so you probably never played in the snow.
04:45 Anything about that environment get you off the line?
04:48 >> Yeah, it definitely did, especially as a freshman, coming in as a freshman.
04:53 I never really knew the importance of that game.
04:56 And these last two years, I really got a different whole perspective.
05:00 And we got a different mentality coming into this game.
05:05 >> What is that perspective?
05:06 What is it you've learned about this game?
05:08 What is it that you're going to do?
05:09 >> The history, the past couple years, the bad brawls,
05:14 the respect between coaches, and just doing it for the city of Columbus.
05:19 It's important here, and we're gonna get it done for it.
05:23 >> And especially the position you play,
05:25 I mean, you don't know this game could swing on any big play.
05:29 Do you like that kind of pressure from the standpoint of knowing every play could
05:34 be that play, your job is to stop it?
05:36 How does that mess with your mind?
05:41 >> It doesn't really mess with our mind.
05:42 It just kinda shows that every play is important.
05:44 This is a game of inches.
05:46 You never know when that play could be the game changer.
05:49 So our mentality is to take care of every single play, play hard,
05:54 make plays when your number is called.
05:57 >> You see some locker room, but
05:59 you just couldn't describe to high school fans who don't live it like
06:05 you're a player, where are you emotionally and
06:08 mentally just right now thinking about this game?
06:13 >> I'm very emotional.
06:13 I'm trying not to get out of character, but this game means a lot for us.
06:17 And we're gonna get it done for the state of Ohio.
06:20 >> You talked about history.
06:20 Is there anybody on the staff that kind of filled you guys in?
06:24 I mean, you guys' history is five years ago, maybe, going back 10, 20 years.
06:28 Is anybody coming in and kind of teach you guys about some of the old school stuff?
06:32 >> Not really, just watching the videos online,
06:36 seeing the history of everything, some of the coaches on our staff,
06:39 they used to play on the team.
06:40 So they kind of give us a little insight of what it used to be like.
06:44 And we wanna get it back to what it used to be like, and that's dominance.
06:48 >> If you could play a play,
06:50 you're saying you're really emotional right now, are you trying to?
06:55 >> I'm not just doing it for myself, man, I'm doing it for my teammates.
07:00 I'm doing it for my head coach.
07:01 I'm doing it for our coaches.
07:02 I'm doing it for the state of Ohio, and we don't wanna let them down.
07:06 >> Denzel, thank you.