Cotton Bowl Preview
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00:00 You know Ohio State when their defense is out there this year.
00:03 There have been very few teams across the country that have statistically
00:07 performed better. You know you're going up against a team that you've had a month to scout
00:12 and as you pointed out on the offensive side you know it's it's basically I don't want to
00:19 call it entirely a three-man show but there are three guys statistically that jump off the page.
00:24 Bray Cook's a really good quarterback. Cody Schrader's had a terrific season.
00:29 Truly one of the most accomplished running backs in the country and Luther is a hell of a wide
00:33 receiver and he's going to be a difficult matchup. It'll be fun because we haven't seen this Ohio
00:38 State defense in about a month right and it's like we got so used to watching them every week
00:43 and watching them dominate and this is truly a great test for them. This Cody Schrader kid
00:48 is very good when the football's in his hands. He's a little bit on the smaller side but he still
00:52 makes big plays. His first team all-american has 13 touchdowns on the year just over or just at
00:58 1500 yards. He's got 1400 or 1499 yards on the season so he makes plays happen and when you're
01:05 the quarterback with guys like with him and with like Luther or with guys with excuse me like
01:10 Luther Braden it makes Brady Cook's job very easy. He's not going to light up the scoreboard. He's
01:16 very efficient playing the quarterback position but he's very good at it so the guy circled for
01:20 me and if I'm Ohio State is Cody Schrader in the backfield because he's electric and he can really
01:25 make a lot of things happen. You know this is the kind of environment that is set up to basically
01:32 celebrate what you've accomplished this year but it's been very difficult I think for Ohio State
01:38 fans to be too locked in on what's still to come today because there are still so many questions
01:43 about what you're going to see next year. Obviously National Signing Day just happened and
01:47 it was a bit more of a dramatic although successful dramatic signing day maybe more so
01:51 than normal. You know the quarterback question is an important one for sure. There's probably going
01:58 to be changes I think on Ryan Day's staff. How many and how soon I guess we'll wait and see.
02:04 You know I remember a couple years ago Matt Barnes as the defensive coordinator it was announced
02:10 while the Buckeyes were in Pasadena that he was leaving and taking the job to go to Memphis.
02:14 I don't know how quickly some changes may or may not be announced by the Buckeyes today but
02:22 you know there are a lot of people clamoring for some changes of certain coaches.
02:25 We're going to find out if that happens. You know it's hard to be too focused on the here and now
02:31 when you know you're building toward next year's hopeful National Championship caliber team and yet
02:37 I think you're missing the point a little bit if you get too caught up in what's to come because
02:42 this is a really good team and the reality is when you lose one game that really stinks but
02:48 man this group has been really worth celebrating this year. Yeah no question and the thing that's
02:55 always the hardest part about a day like today is like you said it's a celebration of this season
03:00 of what they've accomplished but it's also the last time this group is going to be together.
03:04 You know what there's going to be changes. Guys are going to leave. Coaches are going to leave
03:09 and that's a sign of a good program. You know when your coaches start getting plucked that
03:12 means you're doing the right things and obviously that happens at Ohio State whether it's hiring a
03:17 new job or moving on to find somebody better but this is the last day that this group is going to
03:22 be together as a team and it's that bittersweet part of it so while it stinks and while it's
03:27 such a bummer there's so many good things to look back on from this group and tonight's the
03:31 culmination of it. Put together a great show. Send everybody off the right way and put the season to
03:37 bed and then let's get ready to kind of run it back and go bigger in 2024. All right let's talk
03:46 a couple keys to the game here and while the national anthem rendition is being practiced
03:50 behind me I'll let you start. What are you most looking forward to watching? Yeah we touched on
03:54 it. It's on offense it's Devin Brown. You know what is he going to show us? For me what I'm
04:00 looking for is efficiency. Okay one of the big things about him is he's got the arm. He's got
04:05 everything that you want when you're throwing the football and he's athletic. We watched him run
04:09 around and make plays with his feet but the decision making is what's been his downfall.
04:15 I'd love to see him be making really really good decisions today delivering the ball where it needs
04:19 to and then using his athletic ability and using his arm to make big plays. That's kind of when
04:25 he's on the field that's what I'm looking for. When the defense is on the field I'm excited to
04:28 see how they stop Cody Schrader. You know this like I said I'm a fan of his just from watching
04:33 from afar. He's fun to watch with the football in his hands. What is Ohio State going to do and how
04:39 are they going to stop him? Obviously you're going to be down Tommy Eichenberg potentially
04:43 as you mentioned but what are they going to do to stop him because he can get you in
04:49 the pass game he can get you in the run game. I'm excited to see that and then the last note
04:53 that I'm looking for I touched on it. Who's next up for Ohio State? Who's going to be that next guy
04:59 that next Marvin Harrison Jr., that next Garrett Wilson, that next Jackson Smith and Jigba. Who's
05:04 it going to be? I think we'll get a get a view into that answer later today.
05:10 I definitely share those sentiments I guess to expand maybe a little more detail on a couple of
05:14 them. I want to see the freshman wide receivers right. I mean I hope that we get to a point
05:19 where it's not just Emeka, Buka you know taking a lot of spotlight. The fact that you don't have
05:25 Julian Fleming on the team anymore because he's transferred and assuming Marvin Harrison Jr.
05:30 is not going to play. Those are two guys that have been really really important to this offense all
05:34 year long. So the question becomes who gets the majority of those next reps and history would
05:40 tell us Carnell Tate would be first up there but beyond him to Brandon Ennis, Noah Rogers. Who
05:46 slides in next because that group is ridiculously talented and you know always the group that
05:52 Buckeye fans want to pay attention to. I hope Treveon Henderson puts on a good show today.
06:00 I'm very interested to see what Treveon's decision is regarding his status for next year. Is he
06:05 coming back? Is he going to go to the draft? I have my personal feelings but I'm going to leave
06:10 that out of that today. I think Treveon is a terrific running back and I hope that he plays
06:17 his heart out for Ohio State tonight. His speed is really difficult to match even though they've
06:22 done that certainly with some some quick backs in the SEC. He is a very dynamic weapon for the
06:28 Bucs and when they get him in space things look really good. So I'm looking forward to watching
06:31 him play. And then on the defensive side specifically at linebacker you know Cody
06:35 Simon's already announced he's coming back and and that's a huge asset for the Bucs next year.
06:40 But when he's not on the field if Tommy or I should say I guess when Tommy Eichenberg's not
06:45 on the field is it basically just going to be Cody and Steel Chambers? Do we see some CJ Hicks?
06:52 Does Gabe Powers get some opportunities? Where do those next linebacker reps come from?
06:58 That's going to have a lot of my attention on the defensive side for sure. So looking forward
07:03 to a really fun day man. The 88th Cotton Bowl just a couple hours away. Can't wait.
07:07 I would say would add to outside of the football it's pretty sweet looking at you and Jerry World
07:12 on the field right now. I mean this is a stage that's unlike anything ever and I know you've
07:16 been able to get to walk around and see some things and it's just that's awesome. That's
07:20 an awesome environment. It's going to be an awesome environment for some college football and
07:24 I'm excited to watch it. It's truly one of the great cathedrals in the United States for this
07:29 great game. There are very very few places that are as special as this one and I know it's not
07:35 what the Buckeyes wanted but it's the opportunity they've got. Ryan Day made it very clear yesterday
07:40 at that press conference that he wants to win and the Buckeyes are here to win. So let's see if they
07:45 can get it done against a very talented Missouri Tigers team coming up in a couple of hours.
07:50 For Anthony Meglin, I'm Brendan Gulick. Thanks for joining us pregame here at AT&T Stadium.
07:54 Can't wait to get this one kicked off in a couple hours. We've got all the latest
07:57 news and info for you that you need over on BuckeyesNow.com.