Beau Atkinson

And I wonder if there's gonna be some opportunities for the Ohio State D line to kind of contarry-- con-continue that momentum that they feel like they got from the Iowa game and, and, and continue to trend in the right direction, especially as you got guys like Zion Grady now, you know, another game back healthy, being part of that mix.

Quay Russo, Bo Atkinson, you know, you and I pointed out, ha-had a couple good plays in that game against Iowa.

Like, can, can he continue-- Can this unit continue to take those steps forward against a Maryland team that's probably gonna give you some opportunities? Also, a Maryland team that cannot run the ball.

It's very, very similar to Iowa in terms of, like, there's not a gre- a lot of great production in the run game.

And, like, you know, th- Texas is going for it on fourth down, and, and fourth and eight, and they're throwing the ball.

For me, sometimes it's also like, yeah, like, putting him out there instead of Bo Atkinson in a moment-

[laughs]

...

Because look, I agree with you.

Elite standards, no, do your job, all that are really, really important.

But at the same time, I need a break in case of emergency, 'cause, like, while elite standards, like knowing your job, are important, I'd rather see this kid who has some fuckup tendencies over Bo Atkinson when I need you the very most.

It's, it's the Jaron Cage thing.

Quay Rasaw was second at 29, then Zion Grady at 23.

Bo Atkinson only with 11.

I mean, so q- you know, Justin, you've been talking about Quay a lot, even-

Yeah

A much stouter rush defense performance, and there's still just this, you know, uh, hanging topic out there that we got asked about a number of times immediately after the game, and even while it was ongoing.

It's like, "Well, why isn't Khari Wilder playing?" Well, even, even Bo Atkinson contributed on Saturday right after we were-

Bo played pretty well

... were ready to, you know, close the book on that chapter and, and so well now you have to have 34 out there instead of 12, and it, it doesn't, it doesn't have to be, like, you must find this true freshman opportunities right now, when I think a week before there was, you know, some frustration even when he flashed, even when he produces, that, like, some of the Kenyatta Jackson hero ball conversation on Tuesday I think could be applied to someone who's still finding their way.

Or did Ohio State's rush defense take a step forward and everyone did their job like Kenyatta Jackson was saying? Also, like, we can't ignore that.

Like, Quay Russo and Bo Atkinson looked really good in that game.

Okay, is that something that we're going to consistently see? Or is that just like a, oh, they popped, but like, I don't know, in three months we're like, hey, you remember that one time Quay Russo and Bo Atkinson played well? Like, it's just, I'm just trying to just figure it all out still.

Like, I'm not, I don't think I have, like, I have an answer for Ohio State's run game.

I'm not sure I have an answer yet for Ohio State's defense.

Is that going to change at this point? They played 22 people against Iowa.

And a lot of them, like a lot of these dudes... 18 of them played at least 21 snaps.

And then Will Smith played 18 and Bo Atkinson played 11.

Five tackles, one and a half tackles for loss, a sack.

Bo Atkinson on the other side played reasonably well, had a quarterback hurry.

How big of a difference does that make for this defense to have other guys stepping up at the end position? I

mean, for sure.