Following head coach Ryan Day’s weekly press conference, offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Kevin Wilson stepped to the podium to talk with the media for roughly 15 minutes.
Here’s a brief recap of what he had to say:
- Wilson said practices tend to get shorter late in the season and players can go on autopilot as a result. The key is to keep the team focused.
- “This is a very talented team, but they’re young,” Wilson said, noting how eager this players are to learn and get better.
- On games against Maryland and Rutgers before bigger tests against Penn State and Wisconsin, Wilson said, “We’re just trying to keep the momentum we have.”
- Wilson on the tendency for successful teams to rest on their laurels. “Just as soon as you think you got it, you get (knocked off).”
- Wilson mentions the old cliche about leading a horse to water, but said the key is making it thirsty. The same can be said about player development. They have to want to get better.
- “Guys that work hard become great players,” Wilson said, mentioning former Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson as someone with a strong work ethic.
- “I’m very happy for those guys,” Wilson said of his former school, Indiana, which is in the Top 25 for the first time since 1994.
- Wilson said offensive guard Jonah Jackson, who transferred from Rutgers this offseason, has been crucial to the offensive line’s development.
- Wilson said backup quarterback Chris Chugunov has “really developed into being a quality backup for us right now.” Added the passing concepts he learned at West Virginia are similar to what Ohio State uses and that helped get him acclimated.
- Wilson said he asked defensive line coach Larry Johnson about playing fifth-year senior Rashod Berry on defense. “I was happy to see him get a sack.” Berry won’t have the full playbook on either side of the ball to allow him to play both ways.
- Wilson said he told Jackson, upon entering the transfer portal, they “have a tremendous team and a real need” once Michael Jordan left for the NFL.