Jim Knowles transcript: What the Ohio State DC said about the Notre Dame offense

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles spoke to the media Tuesday ahead of the College Football Playoff national championship game. Here’s what he said about the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense and much more about the state of the Buckeyes’ defense going into the big game.

On the goal line stand against Texas — breaking down all four plays

First play we got into big people, boom, stopped them.

Second play, we were still in big people which leaves you vulnerable to some crack tosses and things, and our guys practiced it and they read it and Caleb Downs pulled his trigger exceptionally and everybody rallied.

Third play, we were in a red-zone coverage that we haven’t used before. So I think we had a good thing there. And Jack actually got pressure on that play, and we had all the routes covered.

And then I decided to stay in the same call in the next play and it worked.

On the play J.T. Tuimoloau made on first and goal vs. Texas

Yeah, that’s how you coach. Just playing on a bad ankle, just dominated the block and got off the block and made the play.

On how the Ohio State offense pacing itself has affected the Ohio State defense

That’s huge. It’s huge. I’ve been in situations where your offense is hurry up and trying to get as many plays as possible. And that can take its toll over the course of the season on a defense.

Coach Day, with a lot of forethought about a long season, really a great strategy and it’s helped us a bunch.

On Notre Dame also having an elite defense

Yeah, I think it’s important to recognize that, and that’s how I led with our guys. We have to outplay their defense. They’re obviously very good in all aspects in that area. Our mantra has been, since I’ve got here, to be able to win games on defense. So, yeah, we embrace it.

On calling more aggressively when the Ohio State offense gets going

That’s always a goal. It’s always been a goal since I got here that everyone can look at the defense and know no matter what the situation is in the game that we’re going to be okay.

Fans, you men and women, everyone, we want everyone to have that confidence in the defense. And I know when an offense has that confidence in the defense, they can be more aggressive.

On if he thinks Notre Dame can take from the Texas screen game

Yeah, I do. And they’re really good at it. Screens are hard. That’s why people run them. You saw our offense run a pretty good one. They’re difficult. They’re hard on defenses. And we do our best to get better at them and recognize them. But that’s all you can do. Recognition is key.

On unlocking the Ohio State defensive line

I think we’ve disguised our coverages better and able to put them in better situations to execute the pass rush.

But they’ve been great. In my mind they’ve been great and they’re always doing their job. Sometimes the numbers don’t show that. But it’s nice as a coach to be able to see them get their due.

On finding balance as a play caller

Yeah, it’s a constant — it’s just constant. I don’t think I ever feel good about it. That’s why I keep working. I won’t take any days off. You’re always fighting for that balance.

I don’t remember all the plays, but I remember that one. We hit the quarterback right in his face and then missed a tackle, right? And it went a long ways. Then we held them to a field goal. It’s constant work.

On Ohio State nickel Jordan Hancock playing better

I’m glad you noticed that. Jordan Hancock had a great game last game. I don’t know how much it shows up, but I’m glad you noticed it because he was really exceptional. And I do believe it has played more into his skills to be able to do some different things with it. He’s really embraced it. And you just see him getting better every week.

On Caleb Downs knowing when to fire

That’s just who he is. You’re right, he is exceptional. He makes those plays all the time. I mean, and they show up. And it’s because he’s very talented but he also studies and he recognizes the play before it happens.

When you can be a player of his talent who also has the kind of work ethic that he has and preparation, you see things and you’re able to react even faster. So, very skilled but also a great student of the game, too.

On Notre Dame and Ohio State having the nation’s two best defenses

No, not really. We just, every game takes its own form and shape. And the statistics, they don’t get you any sacks or TFLs or anything going into the game. You’ve got to earn it.

So, it’s just a matter of executing the game plan and finding a way to win. That’s a big deal.

On batting 11 passes down at the line of scrimmage in the playoff

It’s a huge emphasis. Tips and overthrows. Gotta have those. Our guys know that. We repeat it. It’s been a mantra since I’ve been here. And I think you’re just seeing a lot of that hard work and habits of matching the hand and the things we’ve worked on consistently and Coach Johnson has worked on consistently since I’ve been here. I just think that’s paying off. It’s all about your habits.

On combatting 12 personnel, which Ohio State might see from Notre Dame

It really depends on the game plan. Really depends on the game plan. It’s week to week.

On what kind of 12 personnel Notre Dame likes to run

If they’re going to line up big and just try to run the ball in standard sets, that’s when you’ve got to get the nickel off the field. So it’s just a matter of seeing what they do and preparation and matching that. But you’ve also got to be able to adapt during the game, too.

On Downs saving a touchdown against Texas and why he is so good at those tackles

That’s a good question. I don’t know if I have an answer to that. Great players make great plays. You just can count on them in those critical situations. And he’s shown it time and time again.

On predicting the strip sack against Texas

I can’t say I predicted the strip sack. That would be bold. But I just know how our guys think and how we’ve trained them and that if you said to them give us an inch, they would say, we’ll defend it. They just have that attitude. So I’m going to have that attitude, too, and believe in them.

On Notre Dame’s physical running game

I see a physical nature of their run game. The back’s really good, the line. They challenge you in a lot of different ways in the run game.

On having known Steve Sarkisian’s tendencies and how much that helped in the Cotton Bowl

I’ve only coached against Sark one time at Oklahoma State. So I had some familiarity. It helps. It helps.

Would I rather have them smashmouth or trick? Hmm. I don’t know if I have an answer to that. I think when you see the tricks and you recognize them, you know, you have a real good shot to be successful.

When it’s just smashmouth, it’s a fight for every inch. So, to me, it’s a little bit less predictable when it’s just smashmouth.

On Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer

He’s done it since I’ve gotten here. He’s just a great young man — personality, respect, work, smiles, can be tough when it’s time to be tough, he can have fun when it’s time to have fun. He’s the kind of guy you want to coach that you can always count on because if it’s a fistfight, he’ll fight. If it’s a finesse, he’ll finesse.

If somebody needs to be talked to on the team or if something in the locker room, he’ll do that. So he’s just a consummate team guy.

On Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom

Lathan loves the game. He loves his teammates. He’s had his ups and downs, both on the field and with injuries.

That’s just a guy that you always pull for because, you know, he’s experienced both ends of it. And you just love to see him do well because he’s earned it. He’s fought through the adversity.

On Ohio State corner Jermaine Matthews Jr.

All of it. I like it. Again, I’m from Philly, so I like that confidence. But it’s challenging. Jermaine is one of those guys that if you say something to him in practice, he will bark back at you, which I’m okay with because he’s competitive. He’s a competitor. And he is fun to be around. He’s got personality.

On former Notre Dame WR Lorenzo Styles making a play against Texas

That’s right.

More on Styles playing against Notre Dame

He doesn’t get that excited. Both he and his brother, what a great family, the way they’ve been raised. They just show up for work and they want to be coached. Lorenzo is the same. They want to be coached.

They’ll do everything you’ll ask them to. If they’re off on a play, they take the coaching and they want to get better. They’re just really coachable guys.

On thinking about being this close to a national championship

Nope, just staying in the process. Just the game plan, formulating a plan, teaching, preparation. I’ll think back on all that some day when I’m old.

On the impact of Notre Dame’s special teams

A ton. Their special teams do have a lot to them, nonstandard things that you need to prepare for. We’ve been practicing it a bunch.

On people being back on the Ryan Day bandwagon

I’m happy for our coach. I mean, he really is a great head coach. He’s involved in all aspects. He’s in touch with the players. He knows your problems. He knows your struggle. And whatever was going on there, I don’t get to pay attention to it because I’m involved in my own world, but thanks for telling me people abuse me, too. I didn’t know that.

I tell that story, I have teammates in town, college teammates, one of them owns a restaurant, one’s a big lawyer. In the beginning, they’d say: Hey, don’t worry about everything everybody’s saying about you. I’d say: I didn’t know they were saying that about me; thanks for telling me, though.

But in terms of our head coach, there’s not a person in this building, no matter what your job is or anybody who knows him, doesn’t — we all know he would do anything for the team or the players and he works extremely hard. He doesn’t let anything from the outside world affect us. He’s very protective of our job and the players and making sure that we have it the best that it can be.

So, yes, I’m very happy for him. He deserves it. He deserves all the recognition and support from anyone — anyone who is a fan of this program, if you had any — if you saw inside how Coach Day works and the feeling the players have for him and how consistent he is and supportive, and then look at the players — I mean, we have really good kids, really good kids. Well, they’re young men. But, I mean, so how the players operate in the community and all the good things that happen and the negative things that don’t happen, the kind of discipline and selflessness we have in the program, that’s all a function of Coach Day’s effort and what he puts into it.

On how he deploys Caleb Downs within the defense

JIM KNOWLES: I’m not going to divulge any of that information.

On the injury status of corner Denzel Burke

As far as I know. Again, that’s above my pay grade. But as far as I know everything is good. Minor thing that he’s working through.

On every Ohio State defensive starter being a junior or senior but two

I don’t think you can really quantify it. It’s amazing. It would be hard to put it into actual words. Everywhere I’ve ever been, when you get in the system and you learn it and you can see what’s happening before it happens or why I’m calling things, it just pays off in dividends. It’s a veteran group I trust completely.

On how the experience has helped his defense in preparation and in games

It’s both. It’s week-to-week. It’s learning the game plan while we’re doing things. And there are always unscripted plays about the game. I mean, there are things you practice all week and they never happen, and then there are things that you didn’t know were going to happen and they happen. So how they react to that and how they handle that is huge and much better with a veteran group.

On the Texas right tackle doing nothing to stop Jack Sawyer on the fumble return touchdown

I don’t know. I don’t consider what they did. I consider Jack making a play and never think about it — I don’t think about it from that standpoint. But there is four quarters, and what Coach Mick does in the weight room and everything these guys prepare for, we knew that was going to be a slugfest. And we expect that this week. First two games we got ahead, but let me tell you something, Texas is really good. Really good. Really good.

On Texas scoring on two wheel routes

Coach better. That’s the lesson learned. You need to coach the wheel route better. It’s not the kid’s fault, it’s my fault. Thanks for reminding me.

On the Notre Dame offense

Great running back. Great quarterback who is an incredible competitor. I know him from Duke. He came in after me. But the way everybody talked about him there, he’s a guy that, you know, he’ll scrape himself off the ground and keep playing. He’s just going to keep coming at you. And he’s tough and he’s fast.

So you’ve got the running back, but then you’ve got the whole quarterback run game, which is different, and the scramble game, where he makes a lot of plays.