Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Pregame Quote, 12/26/2019

Did you go to a hospital or outings or anything like that?

CHASE YOUNG: We did stuff for kids. We took kids to the store and stuff like that.

How do you keep the NFL out of your head at this stage? Not just you, but any player who’s poised to make that move?

CHASE YOUNG: I feel like I still have a job to finish ‚Äì we have a job to finish. I feel like you can’t look at the future until you finish the task at hand. That’s really my focus right now against Clemson.

Those two weeks you had to sit out, how nerve-wracking was that? Did you think you were going to be back? What did you do to keep your head in the game?

CHASE YOUNG: Yeah, that was the thing that kept me nervous. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was blessed to just miss two games. Just had an opportunity to help my team make its run. That’s the only thing I can say.

Can you size up Clemson’s offensive line? Because not a lot of people know about them.

CHASE YOUNG: They’re definitely a good offensive line. They’re definitely the best offensive line we’ve played against this year. But it’s definitely going to be a good one to watch.

The last two games for you, I think no tackles against Michigan and against Wisconsin. Did that get into your head?

CHASE YOUNG: I feel like it’s a respect thing. As you watch the game, I was getting double, triple-teamed every play. I feel like that’s a respect thing. And it definitely gives my guys on the other side a chance to get the one-on-one and make the play.

Chase, in the last two game, it seems like teams have been able to slow you down a little bit the entire games. How has the defense learned to work around that and come to expect that?

CHASE YOUNG: I guess now it’s expected. I guess in practice, we do everything to prepare for a double or triple team. We just know that if I’m getting doubled or tripled, then we’re going to have some one-on-ones over. We have to step up and win them.

What’s the experience been like for you so far?

CHASE YOUNG: It’s cool. First time being in Arizona. It feels good. It’s not cold, so it’s good.

When you’re preparing for these teams, how much are you looking at the stat lines versus the film? Is it important who you’re playing or just how they play?

CHASE YOUNG: I think it’s how they play. Watch film. We could care less about stats. It’s definitely just how they play on film.

You mentioned something that somebody said on Twitter. Can you explain more what that was? We didn’t see that.

CHASE YOUNG: He was explaining how he could stop me, something like that? It is what it is. We’ll see.

Who tweeted it? Since Clemson can’t tweet…

CHASE YOUNG: I don’t know. Some random media account, something like that.

Have you been in touch with Markelle Fultz this week? Did he have any words of encouragement?

CHASE YOUNG: He actually told me he would call me today or tomorrow, because he’s really busy all the time. But I’m sure he’s going to give me words of encouragement. Markelle, as you see, he’s been through the fire. I feel like he came out a champion. He’s playing really good ball right now. I’m definitely proud of him. He always has words of encouragement for me and all these things that I can do to stay focused.

Can you measure your team’s confidence, learning about how you’re going to play and now you’ve finally arrived, it’s going to happen. Can you express the confidence you feel amongst your locker room?

CHASE YOUNG: I feel like we’re a confident team anyway. But what you don’t know about a team at first, you start to study film on them and you start to study who you’re going to go up against. Just preparing, preparation right there just elevates your confidence. I feel like with when each person is preparing and watching film and just elevating, I feel like as a team as a whole, when we’re prepared, then our confidence is definitely skyrocketing through the roof. That’s where I feel like we are right now. Just because how well we’re preparing for this game.

Dabo Swinney said that he thinks his offensive line against your defensive line, Jackson Carman is must-see TV. What do you think about that?

CHASE YOUNG: It is what it is. It is what it is, man. We’re going to see.

You watched this offensive line you’re going against on tape. Do they stand out at you? What are some of the things you noticed? Do you compare them to someone you’ve seen this year?

CHASE YOUNG: They’re probably the best offensive line we’ve played against thus far. They’re real good with games. We’re definitely doing our best to prepare for them.

How well did you – maybe not at all – get to know Jackson [Carman] when you were going through the recruiting process? He was on the way to Ohio State when you made the decision. Did you get to know him at all? He would have been your teammate.

CHASE YOUNG: I’ve met him. Never really talked to him, just because I was a freshman when he was a recruit. So yeah, I never had too many conversations with him.

What do you think of him? Have you talked about that?

CHASE YOUNG: He does pretty good. He’s somebody you have to be, I guess, a technician with. But that’s what I’m doing.

Use the whole tool box?

CHASE YOUNG: Yeah, yeah.

They have a guy named Isaiah Simmons, who you know, I guess, from earlier this year. You’ll be on the sidelines when he’s on the field and vice versa. Is this a game where you’re the one who got invited to New York, he got the All-American, but maybe he didn’t get mentioned as much. Just thoughts about knowing there’s a guy as talented on the other side, with as much acclaim as you have. Is there kind of that battle within the battle?

CHASE YOUNG: Not really. I just try to go out there and play my own game. Isaiah, he’s a freak. He definitely can wreck a game. We’ll put up the best game plan for our offense and I’ll just go out and play my game. You can’t get distracted.

He said about you, he says he hopes you have a great game, but don’t rough his quarterback.

CHASE YOUNG: I definitely wish he has a good game, too. I’m sure he will. He’s one of the best in the country.

How do you feel about being an underdog in this game? It’s kind of unusual.

CHASE YOUNG: I feel like we were underdogs the whole season, kind of. Going into the Big Ten, they didn’t have us as number one. I felt that right there was a smack in the face. I feel like we’ve been here before. We’ve been the underdog plenty of times. What are you going to say about it? You’ve got to do what you do.

Do you like that?

CHASE YOUNG: It doesn’t really matter to me. I’m going to go out there and play the same game as we were underdogs as if we wasn’t.

We were talking to Jackson Carman earlier, and he said one of the things that’s most impressive about you, you don’t just use your talent, you’re pretty good at the fundamentals. Have you always been good at that? Was that something you had to learn along the way?

CHASE YOUNG: I had to develop it. It’s definitely a process. Coach Larry Johnson, I give him credit for that. He’s been on me every day, just fundamentals man, using my hands and stuff like that. I feel like everything else is just watching the field. Putting yourself in the best position to make a play. I would definitely put it on Coach Johnson. He’s definitely helped me big time.

I read somewhere where you meditate at times. Is that something that helps you?

CHASE YOUNG: It’s definitely something that helps me. It clears my mind. I feel like it helps you focus throughout the day.

How often?

CHASE YOUNG: Probably like twice a week, on Monday and Fridays. I feel like it definitely helps me just focus on what I need to focus on.

How long? What do you do exactly?

CHASE YOUNG: I sit there and I try to clear my mind of any thought. I don’t know. Just let my mind free and let it go and not worry about anything. Let all the stress off me.

It helps?

CHASE YOUNG: Yeah.