In his first start as a Buckeye, redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Phillip Daniels held up against an immensely talented Texas defensive line.
During a media availability at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Wednesday night, Daniels discussed how he contributed to the Buckeyes’ 14-7 win over the previously top-ranked Longhorns on Aug. 30 by drawing a penalty on Texas star pass rusher Colin Simmons.
“I was just chilling. I was like, ‘OK, cool, I’m going to go against him.’ I didn’t really see too much of anything on film,” Daniels said of Simmons. “And then before the play he was like, ‘You’re trash,’ I was like, ‘Huh? Me? I know you’re not talking to me.’ I hemmed him up. He took my helmet off, I’m still going, had a few choice words.”
The play in question came on a third-and-four in the second quarter when Ohio State was on the Texas 44-yard line. On the play, redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin attempted to find receiver Brandon Inniss down the field, but the pass fell incomplete. However, Simmons knocked off Daniels’ helmet and was flagged for a facemask penalty that gave the Buckeyes an automatic first down
The Buckeyes went on to score the game’s first touchdown after picking up the first down.
“It was cool, after I did all that, the whole stadium erupted,” Daniels said. “It was kind of like a movie, a little bit.”
It wasn’t the most efficient day for the Buckeyes’ offense, as the unit totaled only 203 yards in the win, but Daniels and the rest of the offensive line did an excellent job in pass protection and didn’t allow Sayin to be sacked a single time.
