Aug 2, 2026 · 5 hr 27 min · 10 segments
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Chip KellyGuest
TreVeyon HendersonGuest
Ryan DayGuest
Jeremiah SmithGuest
James LaurinaitisGuest
Tyleik WilliamsGuest
Keenan BaileyGuest
Jim KnowlesGuest
Larry JohnsonGuest
Mitchell MeltonGuest
Justin FryGuest
Jack SawyerGuest
Not to get too much into scheme, but we've definitely benefited, and me personally, learning every day.
Keenan, when you look at the, I guess, relative inexperience for your group, has that changed [coughs] the approach compared to other years, the urgency, intensity, the toughness you're talking about?
I hope not, right? I think, I think the energy was still there with a guy like Cade.
Now, again, it might have been, like I said earlier, Austin, it might have been, you know, the, the 3,000 level course with, with Cade because he's ran that play for four years before I got him.
Um, and yeah, I mean, I hope the guys feel like the energy's picked up 'cause the urgency has.
I mean, eight, number eight's not in the room anymore, right? We're, we're gonna play somebody in a couple months, right? And there's gotta be a tight end out there.
The, the way the room is structured now, I mean, G's been in this program for a long time, but it felt like year after year there was the veteran guy, the next wave, the veteran guy, the next wave coming behind.
That's, like, different dynamic in the room right now.
Does that mean you have to provide more leadership for the guys? You know what I mean? Does that have to become more of you to set the tone, or is that just G's job even if it's not the role?
I'm not gonna put it all on G, right? But again, the leaders drive the culture.
Now whether it be G or whether it be Pat, who's been here for a long time and played a lot of football, or whether it be Will, came in and said, "No, this is what it should look like." I mean, I want those guys to take it and run with it.
Now, again, my job as a coach is to make 'em hear things they don't wanna hear, you know, push 'em to do things they don't wanna do.
Keenan, you were in the room with, with Kevin, was in the offensive meeting room for so many years.
Uh, does, does having Chip kind of get you guys back to where you guys were with Kevin? I know that the room as an offensive staff, you guys were kind of young last year, and now to have Chip with that experience, is that kinda like what you guys have with Kevin?
We're talking about Kevin Wilson and Chip Kelly are two of the brightest, you know, minds in offensive football, um, in the last several decades.
Um, but yeah, I, I, I think it's allowing Coach Day maybe to delegate, you know, to Coach Kelly and, uh, let him be the best version of himself.
And Coach Kelly's been an, uh, an awesome leader, right, of driving us and listening and, um, and providing input.
I don't know if it's exactly like it was with Coach Wilson, but it feels great however it is right now.
Keenan, was there initially a bigger role expected for Jelani in the Cotton Bowl, and did that not get to come to fruition as much just 'cause the way that game played out?
Um, and certainly we wanted him to contribute from the jump and keep him in there contributing.
The game kinda, uh, started off, uh, uh, you know, not ideal, and we had Cade in there and, uh, uh, you know, that was his last game as a Buckeye, so we felt comfortable riding out with him.
Let's see.
Did you-
Okay, players report to the bus.
Number 10.
Have you guys seen Coach Rahain during the, the bowl prep that was a step forward at all?
If you are painting an ideal situation for the fall, what does the depth look like in terms of how many guys you trust?
I'm not trying to just give you the coach speak, but I mean, however it shakes out.
Hopefully we can play 13 personnel, 14 personnel, and I got guys out there that are gonna go, uh, uh, wreak some havoc, but I don't know.
Right now I'm worried about whatever Thursday's practice, getting the toughest dudes on the field.
Are you seeing enough of that to feel comfortable saying that that can happen by fall?
Keenan, uh-
What's it been like for you having more of a role this year as a punter and kicker?
Uh, punt return and kick return and, uh, getting to coach other positions too, right? I mean, it, it...
I mean, special teams comes down to technique and effort, right? And that's the ultimate test of the brotherhood and no one, no one signed up to be a Buckeye to be on punt return.
What about-
Have you guys, Caleb got through for punt spot throughout fantasy yet and, uh, moved back there at all?
When you guys were thinking about putting Jelani in and maybe having a bigger role, what was, what did he give you guys that would make you think that he was ready for that?
I mean, he had more time, right? Just because we have that whole month of kinda December for development and, uh, you know, the bowl prep's a lot like spring ball in that he has those three or four weeks, you know, uh, uh, to get the reps he wasn't getting during the year 'cause Cade was taking 'em, right?
For someone like G, how important is that one game to have starting all these snaps as a wide receiver and then having to be-
So to put our trust in him and he went out and made a lot of plays and both those kids played really well.
Keenan, uh, did-
How about-
When you look at, when you look at G now, do you, and this will be a facetious question maybe, but do you see a tight end now? You understand what I'm saying? From a couple years ago-
A couple years ago he was a...
You know, he moved over from wide receiver and all this kind of stuff.
What, what just jumps out at you about what he brings to the tight end spot, I guess?
Yeah
Yeah.
But like Kevin talked about when they, you know, first made the move, you wanna, you wanna get this guy some confidence playing tight end, uh, meaning- I'm not gonna say against lesser opponents, but having some success out there, you know, like in the run game, uh, the blocking aspect of things and stuff, and he seems to have progressed big time from that.
I mean, do you feel that way too?
He's gotten way better, and again, at practice he's, um, if he's on the left side, he's against JT.
Yeah.
You're, you're playing against the best every day, so yeah, he's definitely progressed.
Do you think that collaborative effort you guys are having on special teams, do you think that's benefiting you guys in terms of just how you're coaching up game to game?
Dan has, you know, as far as ownership goes, right? Like, I mean, I'm not saying I wasn't invested last year, but shoot, I'm punt returner and kick returner.
I, I mean, that's, that's Coach Hartline and I's product out there, and if there's not tight ends all over those units, then they're not gonna play tight end at Ohio State.
When, when Co- when Coach Day brought that up, what did, what did you think about that change? And number two, what has he told you he wants that he wasn't getting from special teams a year ago or-
Yeah.
Like, whatever, the janitorial staff's supposed to be the best in the country.
So I got to work with Coach Hartline and Coach Keyes and everyone else, learning the scheme and techniques, and now we gotta put it on the field.
But do you, do you find yourself studying punt returns-
... how are you doing your prep work, I guess?
Coach Hart, Coach Keyes, Binks, Gunner and I, I mean, we locked ourself in a room for a week there, and I don't think I did any offense, so.
Wow.
Do you already have pretty good knowledge of the, the return game, or did most of you have to like start from scratch there?
I mean, it, it's all ball, and that's the, that's the coolest thing about special teams is if you're on special teams, it's gonna make you a better tight end.
It's gonna make you a better DB or running back, and it's like the technique and everything like that.
I think I had a pretty, pretty fair foundation, and then maybe some tweaks and, you know, kinda...
I know you talked a lot about Pat last year and how he walked on and kind of played a big role for you guys.
Where do you see his development, and what trust did you, I guess, what kind of trust has to have in him to say that
Yeah, I think I, I think he proved it on special teams 'cause he played on special teams before he played offense.
Um, and then just, just reps at practice, again, against blocking the best linebackers in the country.
Uh, but to that point, I think sometimes there's a mentality of, "Oh, but he's just a walk-on." That does not exist with Pat.
Does that help coaching your room to tell guys like, "Here's a guy who came in-"
Almost 11:30
... having stars in high school-
... does that help you?
I think everyone in my room knows, and, you know, guys I talk to on the recruiting trail.
Pat and I, I'm gonna put the toughest dude out there who goes the hardest, right? I don't, I don't care if you're from Ohio, your dad's a Buckeye, if you're a walk-on or a five-star.
Yeah.
With Sherri and Max not here yet obviously-
... do you still work with them or follow? How does that kinda look right now?
I mean, with, uh, Max and Toe, it's FaceTimes, and it's encouraging them to get here and watch practice so that when they get here right after graduation, um, we can hit the ground running.
But yeah, as much prep work as we can do on the front end with, you know, sending them tip sheets and, and that sort of thing.
With technology nowadays, like, I mean, COVID we had to do it, so yeah, we can get to work right now.
Two more questions, folks.
The, with the special teams question, uh, the collaboration that you guys have, it's three people in one room.
How, like how does that work semantically where you guys are all putting your heads together-
... to get one idea? Just h- how does that play out in the room together?
Yeah.
Right
And then Coach Keyes does a great job of kinda setting the direction, uh, giving us some, uh, expertise, and we just kinda have a flow off each other.
Okay.
Have you seen the guys react to that, to your coaching of special teams?
Again, if, if my tight ends aren't on punt return or kick return, they're not playing tight end-
Mm-hmm
So I think across the board it, it gives us a platform to coach other positions.
See, and in a time when the transfer portal's so big and a guy like Gee probably could've left multiple times if he wanted to, what does that do for the room to have a guy who's the leader have... be just so steadfast and like, "I wanna stay here.
I wanna stay here and make an impact" as he goes into his senior-
And I know it sounds cliché, and people read it on Twitter and kinda roll their eyes at brotherhood.
Um, but also, I mean, you look around our roster, how many guys could've either left for other opportunities in the portal or in the NFL.
Is it, is it different at tight end with the transfer portal maybe 'cause for some positions it's such a development position at tight end where you have to develop run blocking, and you have to learn the passing game.
Like, is it different trying to keep kids around maybe in the portal era at tight end?
Yeah, maybe it is, and I haven't, I haven't really thought about that 'cause it, it's still so new.
Yeah.
Right.
I- I- if you think I'm gonna walk into a living room and say, "Come be my starting tight end next year," you're crazy.
Right.
Now, come prepared and get to work before you get here, and, you know, I'm gonna give you the opportunity to.
Are you kidding me? What is this, NFL? No, it's Ohio State, right? So yeah, I think it's a little bit, uh, different, but you gotta be honest on the front end.
end.Keenan, thank you very much.
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