The most interesting things I heard at Ohio State on Monday involved violence and experience.
“Oh, it must have been offensive line interviews,” you might say.
Except is that really what you think of when you picture recent Ohio State offensive lines?
They have talked more about being physical and tough than actually being physical and tough since, oh, the end of the pandemic really.
Yes, the Buckeyes figured out a way to win the College Football Playoff last season after suffering two potentially devastating injuries, but that came on the heels of three straight down years for the front.
Long gone are the early days of the Urban Meyer era when physical lines paved the way in a new-look version of the Ohio State rushing attack, not to mention an elite 2019 unit that was the backbone of Ryan Day’s first team that went undefeated in the regular season and made the College Football Playoff.
So, yeah, I was struck to hear more than one guy talk about not only getting dirty but even playing dirty in a group that could use some more nastiness.
“I bring a lot of energy. Obviously I love the game. I just want to throw people in the dirt and have fun. I’m looking to take out ribs and put people in the dirt every single play.”
"When you're beating on people… People don't like to get beat on. They're going to react and we're going to scuffle. Just me not reacting — I'm going to start winning and getting their head more. That's another mind game you can play on Saturday. It's cool or whatever, but I'm just here to get my job done. Sometimes you've got to get dirty.”
That was not the only good line from Daniels, who did not exactly come out of nowhere but was kind of an unknown entering the preseason.
Daniels is an interesting character because he was, in fact1, overlooked despite playing at a well-known Cincinnati high school — Princeton — and put in two years in the northern hinterlands (OK, just Minnesota) before finding his way back to the Buckeye State.
Meanwhile, Montgomery was one of the top-rated prospects in Ohio in the class of 2023, but he admitted being mad about not getting onto the field until the postseason last year.
“You know, if I'm being honest with you, I was just pretty pissed off I didn't get a chance before [the CFP against Tennessee] so I just was kind of like, ‘Here's what I'm gonna do. Here's how I'm gonna play.’ And we're gonna go from here.
Motivation is such a huge factor these days most coaches and players are obsessed with manufacturing it, but it seems to be genuine for these two dudes despite the fact they are suiting up for a blue blood program that happens to be the reigning national champion.
I remember that 2019 line with up-and-coming talents like Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis had a certain edge to it in the preseason that ended up translating into a successful fall, but we’ll see if history repeats.
If you want to see more of what the players and coach Tyler Bowen had to say after practice, check out my YouTube channel.
You can also read more about the offensive line at Press Pros Magazine, where I am also writing these days.
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1 This is worth noting because just about everyone seems to want you to think they were counted out or consider themselves an underdog even if they were highly rated recruits who get the best training, coaching and overall support.