Jim Knowles frustrated: 5 key takeaways from Ohio State football press conference

Posted by Admin September 24, 2024 Football

Spread the love

Ohio State opens Big Ten play Saturday night at Michigan State.

After drubbing their three nonconference opponents by a combined 137 points, including a 49-14 win last week against Marshall, the No. 3 Buckeyes are ready for a bigger challenge.

“I’m really excited. I grew up watching the Big Ten,” said quarterback Will Howard, a Pennsylvania native. “Spartan Stadium is a cool place. A night game. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be popping. It’s a cool opportunity.”

Michigan State (3-1) is expected to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten, so how much of an upgrade in competition it really is remains to be seen. But it is Ohio State’s first road game of the season.

“We always say the opponent doesn’t matter, but going on the road and a conference opponent, everything’s got to ramp up,” Day said. “We’re into Game 4, and we’ve got to keep upgrading each week.”

Day, Howard and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles spoke Tuesday at OSU’s weekly press conference. Here are five highlights:

Jim Knowles frustrated by Ohio State defensive performance

Ohio State did not name a defensive player of the game following its 49-14 win over Marshall.

“You’ve got to speak truth,” Knowles said. “While we had some (players grade as) champions, we had no one that we thought really showed a Silver-Bullet-of-the-game performance.”

Knowles said he was irritated that Marshall repeatedly converted third downs on their two touchdown drives.

“The expectation has to be perfection and domination all the time,” he said. “I thought we had a slow start. I thought I could have done a better job.”

The defense tightened in the final 30 minutes, allowing only 61 yards. Ohio State has not allowed a point in the second half.

“I think Bear Bryant said you learn a lot from a loss,” Knowles said. “We’re not allowed to lose around here, so you learn even more from a win where you didn’t play your absolute best.”

An injury contributed to Jayden Fielding’s kickoff woes

Jayden Fielding was benched from kickoff duty in the second half after hooking three straight kickoffs out of bounds in the second quarter.

He kicked the extra point after OSU’s first touchdown of the third quarter. Austin Snyder, who took over kickoff duties, kicked the final two extra points.

Day said Tuesday that an injury was at least partly responsible for the errant kickoffs.

“He gave me some information about a little tweak that he had,” Day said. “He felt a little something somewhere early on and wasn’t able to quite make the adjustment. Nothing long-term or anything like that.”

Day said that Fielding needed to find a way to kick effectively or at least communicate with coaches that he had an injury.

“I talked to him a little about that and how much we need him moving forward,” Day said.

Tyleik Williams’ replacements play ‘a mixed bag’

With the defensive tackle’s status unclear, Day and Knowles made clear they want better play from his replacements.

Hero Kanu got the start for OSU last week, but Twyone Malone, Kayden McDonald and Jason Moore also got double-digit snaps.

“It was a mixed bag,” Day said. “Do we want to see more consistent play? Yeah, we do.”

Malone got the most praise from Day and Knowles. On a fourth-down play when the game was still close, Ohio State got a stop when Marshall quarterback Stone Earle slipped, but Malone was in position to make the stop.

Day also liked Malone’s reaction on a screen pass.

“I thought Twyone definitely flashed a couple of times in terms of being athletic and running to the ball,” Knowles said. “I thought he made some good strides for himself.”

He and Day were non-committal on who would start if Williams can’t play.

Michigan State is rebuilding after the Mel Tucker debacle

The Spartans have turned the page from a difficult 2023 season in which coach Mel Tucker was fired after two games following a sexual misconduct scandal.

More: Ohio State football reporters roundtable: On Chip Kelly’s impact, nonconference schedule

Michigan State hired highly regarded Jonathan Smith away from Oregon State, where Smith had turned around a moribund program.

The Spartans are early in the rebuilding process, but they have some enticing pieces. MSU won at Maryland, 27-24, in the season’s second week but fell in the rain at Boston College, 23-19 last week.

More: Jonathan Smith taking different approach than Mark Dantonio to Michigan State-Ohio State

Quarterback Aidan Chiles, who came with Smith from Oregon State, has a strong arm and can run. But he has thrown seven interceptions already and is playing behind a shaky offensive line.

The Spartans’ defense has been a strength, but it hasn’t faced an offense nearly as potent as Ohio State’s.

“Jonathan’s done a really good job already of establishing an identity there,” Day said. “They have a good young quarterback who can do a lot of different things. He can beat you with his feet. He’s made some really nice throws in some big games for them.

“On defense, they’re playing really, really hard. You can tell they’re well-coached.”

What’s the picture at right guard for Ohio State?

Tegra Tshabola has started the first three games at right guard, but with left guard Donovan Jackson’s return, the Buckeyes want to get reps for Austin Siereveld. The sophomore showed promise while filling in for Jackson.

Against Marshall, Tshabola got 32 snaps. Siereveld got 26, mostly but not entirely with backups.

“We’re going to keep moving forward just like we did and let these guys both play,” Day said. “As of right now, Tegra is going to start, but they’re both going to play. I think they’re excited about that, and I do think it’s good for them, especially early, to have a series to catch their breath and get back in there.”