Presser Bullets: Kerry Coombs, Shaun Wade and Ohio State’s defense dissects match with Trevor Lawrence and Clemson’s strong attack

Here’s an overview of what Coombs, Jonathon Cooper, Haskell Garrett, Justin Hilliard, Tommy Togiai, Shaun Wade and Pete Werner had to say:

Kerry Coombs

• Coombs sees many similarities between Ohio State receivers and Clemson’s receivers, and he hopes the Buckeyes’ defense will have the opportunity to practice against the talent in their own reception room.

• Coombs says Trevor Lawrence is “deceptively fast” and is “one of the best colleges of all time.” He says Lawrence does an excellent job of stepping into the bag, avoiding pressure, his recognition from before the head and improvisation when the play is changed.

• Ohio State and Clemson are recruiting against each other for the same players: ‘I think they are good recruiters and do a phenomenal job when they get kids on their campus. I think it’s a big fight. I think we are doing a great job of identifying the same children across the country. ‘

• Coombs compared Tommy Togiai to Robert Landers in terms of their ascension. He says Togiai is ‘strong as an ox’ and ‘relentless’.

• Coombs said he has never seen anything like it in his coaching career like he did this year with Haskell Garrett, who was shot in the face in August and is now an All-American defensive attacker, and ‘I’m glad. I hope I never see it again. ”

• He believes that Garrett “got a new way of life” and that his interaction with Garrett after his gunshot wound was clear and uplifting.

• On Clemson’s explosive offense: “I do not think anyone is stopping them. You want to try to slow them down … If you were to join a match and said we were going to take this one thing away, they have other ways to beat. you. ‘

• He says that Jonathon Cooper ‘pressed all his chips in this match’ and that ‘we will see Coop’s best effort in this match’.

• Coombs says that this game means a lot to Shaun Wade and that there is’ no doubt ‘that the ejection in the first half of last season’s Fiesta Bowl’ was very difficult for him.

Shaun Wade

• Wade respects Clemson’s receivers on the outside and in the lock and says the Tigers have a group of talented playmakers on whom the Buckeyes ’secondary focus should be.

• About his first-class All-American honor: “I feel at the end of the day, I can always do better … I’m not set on it, I’m just trying to win a national championship.”

• Wade was sent off in the first half of last year’s Fiesta Bowl match with Clemson, but he says there is no pressure to play well this time: ‘At the end of the day it’s a team sport, not a sports not. . It’s a new team, a new day, a new us. I’m just looking forward to getting a chance to play. ‘

• Wade believes his goal penalty did change the momentum of the game and helped give Clemson an advantage.

• On whether Ohio State-Clemson is a rival or not: ‘I characterize it because we’ve never beaten Clemson. So we have to beat them. … In our previous history we never beat them, so that’s our goal and we’ll go from there. ‘

• Wade believes that everyone in the team played a role in the loss to Clemson last season this year and that everyone in the team has a bad taste in their mouth after the defeat.

• He says Sevyn Banks is a player to watch on Friday: “Just look, he’s definitely going to make plays … He’s laser oriented.

Jonathon Cooper

• This is the third time Cooper Clemson has faced off during his career in the state of Ohio: “My first year I did not see the field too much and last year I was out so I did not see the field. This year , to have the impact I do in the team and to be healthy means the most. ‘

• Cooper says he’s no regrets’ about returning for another season, despite the fact that this year would not go as he had planned with the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Cooper does not believe Ryan Day approaches this game differently than any other: “With Coach Day approaches every game with the same intensity and the same mindset.”

• On Pete Werner’s position switch: “I feel like his biggest thing he’s increased in is his leadership … He’s someone guys can rely on.”

• Cooper says the players would love to go to New Orleans to enjoy the city and the food there – and for him, personally, the seafood – but he says in the end “we’re going there to win a football game. all matters. ‘

• Cooper: “Our key word is fighting, and with everything we’ve had to deal with this year, we keep fighting. … With Coach Day as our leader, he has done a fantastic job.”

• Cooper laughed and said he would “probably not” return to Ohio for another year.

Haskell Garrett

• On his All-American award from the second team: “I’m really honored. It’s not just me out there. It’s a group of guys. It’s not just my honor, it’s theirs too. .. My success is our success. ”

• Garrett was impressed with Travis Etienne’s vision, speed, downhill ability and his tendency to punch holes: ‘We have a big challenge ahead of us.’

• Garrett is glad that there is not so long a build-up for this season’s playoff game, as opposed to the gap that lasts during most seasons.

• Garrett, who did not participate in Ohio’s Virtual Senior Day, says he has not made a decision on whether to return for another season or enter the NFL draft in 2021: ‘I’m still debating it, and it’s something I’m going to have to go to after the season with myself and my family. ‘

• On the importance of putting pressure on Trevor Lawrence, but also on guarding against his running ability: ‘It’s going to be a big challenge. He is a dynamic quarterback. Usually guys run so big and long not much … But we know game changes a lot and a lot of these quarterbacks are double threats … We need to be aware that he can expand the plays and if the play breaks and there is good coverage , he will try to deal with it with his legs. ”

• Garrett does not believe that Clemson does much differently in attack or defense than any of the teams that Ohio State has encountered in the Big Ten, but the Tigers are disciplined and consistently adhere to their commands.

Tommy Togiai

• Togiai believes Clemson’s attacking line works very well together and does a good job of opening gaps for Etienne and the Tigers’ backs.

• Togiai says he worked during the early part of the quarantine to get faster and faster, and he believes it is being shown on the field.

• Togiai graduated from Highland High School in Pocatello, Idaho, the same school where Taysom Hill’s quarterback / utility player attended: “I’ve only talked to Taysom a few times, but he’s a good guy. He’s one of the “Guys you look up to, because he’s one of the guys who made it out of Idaho.”

• Trevor Lawrence is ‘faster than he looks’, Togiai says, and the Buckeyes need to be aware of their racetracks and stay disciplined.

• Togiai is incredible to see the adversity that Haskell Garrett has overcome to get to this point in his career.

Pete Werner

• He says the biggest challenge in defending Etienne is the fact that he is dangerous in both running and passing.

• Although the state of Ohio has only played two games since its fight against Indiana, Werner believes the Buckeyes ‘defense has solved some of the problems shown during the game:’ I can’t wait to show the country to show for everyone that we jumped back from the issues that were shown on film. ‘

• Giving up big plays, he says, is one of the biggest reasons the state of Ohio lost to Clemson last season. He acknowledges Lawrence for his great playing ability and says Buckeye’s defense must remain disciplined to defend him.

• It was a great journey to work from a special team player to one of the defensive leaders and team leaders, says Werner.

• On Ryan Day’s leadership: “He was for the players first. We’re talking about so many obstacles that fall in our way, and he’s a man who will always be there for you. He consistently asks the players what he can do for them. and what we can do. of him … He is a man you always want next door and want to be surrounded by his leadership. ‘

Justin Hilliard