INDIANAPOLIS (WCMH) — Ohio State made its annual pilgrimage to Indianapolis on Wednesday to take part in the Big Ten media days with the season just over a month away.
Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr, defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and tight end Cade Stover represented the Buckeyes, who start preseason camp on Aug. 3.
You can watch the best moments from their press conferences in the video player above.
All three players were asked several times about OSU’s two-game losing streak to Michigan and what lessons the Buckeyes learned from the 2022 season.
“Team Up North is the game. Everyday that’s what we work for. We grind blood, sweat and tears for that game, so to have that game in our mind every day; man, it just pushes us even harder and it pushes us to challenge each other,” Tuimoloau said.
Tuimoloau is back to lead a Buckeyes defense that’s led by second-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
“Being in the second year with Coach Knowles it’s very comfortable,” Tuimoloau said. “We know Coach Knowles and this year our defense is just going to play fast, play physical and have fun and that’s one thing Coach Knowles has always preached and always reminding us what it means to be a Silver Bullet.”
Marvin Harrison Jr. was sitting below his dad’s name, which is etched into the rafters at Lucas Oil Stadium in the city where he built a Hall of Fame career with the Indianapolis Colts. His son has a chance to be just as special in the NFL but has his sights set on another dominating season with the Buckeyes.
“I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot from an individual stand point,” he said. “I’ve played in big night games, to me I played in a national championship against Georgia, played in the Team Up North game, but the one thing I haven’t done is beat That Team Up North or win the Big Ten Championship, so for me that’s my main focus going into the season.”
Harrison and Stover were also asked about the ongoing quarterback competition between junior Kyle McCord and sophomore Devin Brown.
Harrison said the most important trait the starting quarterback can have is leadership and pointed to former OSU quarterback C.J. Stroud, calling him the best leader he’s ever been around. Harrison played with McCord in high school in Philadelphia and said the area he’s grown the most is being a leader for the Buckeyes. But both Harrison and Stover gave their full endorsement for McCord and Brown who will compete in fall camp for the starting job.
“Just very fiery, good people, good leaders,” Stover said. “Either one of those guys will leave us in great hands, so we definitely trust both of them.”
Stover was also asked about Ohio State being picked to finish second in the Big Ten East behind Michigan, which received 27 of 37 first place votes in the media poll.
“I don’t pay any attention to who favors us and who’s not, because they’ve got to put the ball down and play anyway, and last two years, they got us,” Stover said. “They can favor us as much as they want or they can favor them as much as they want. I mean, the game’s going to get played, and I know we’re going to be ready to play this year.”