What Ohio State Coaches and Players Think of Georgia's Offense Heading into the Peach Bowl

But there's certainly a high amount of respect for Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, tight end Brock Bowers and other Bulldog playmakers on offense from Ohio State's coaching staff and players. When OSU faces Georgia in the Peach Bowl Saturday, the Buckeyes know they'll be facing an offense that ranked 10th nationally in scoring offense (39.2 points per game) and finished ninth in total offense (491.9 yards per game).

We compiled some of the best quotes from the week from Ohio State at media sessions to get the Buckeyes' perspective on facing the Bulldogs. We've also added a few additional tidbits from those sources regarding the upcoming College Football Playoff matchup.

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Ryan Day

• On facing Stetson Bennett: Yeah, a great player. Somebody who's already won a national championship. He can do a lot of things. He's got a quick release. He's accurate down field, can run. He kind of operates everything, gets in the right play, and he's got some real good weapons around him. Kind of similar to the way that I kind of came up, smaller school and just kind of overachieving in different areas, but, boy, he's really turned into a great player. He can beat you with his feet. He's accurate down field. The position of quarterback is one that you have to just continually overcome adversity. And that's what he's done. And you can just see that, and I think that's the trait of a really good quarterback. And, shoot, he's already won a National Championship and gone undefeated. Again, a lot of respect for him.

• On matching Georgia’s physicality: Well, the good news is we have great experience being in this style of a game. This is our third time playing in the CFP in the last four years. But we have some really good examples to draw upon of what is going to transpire in this game. So we've been talking to our guys about how — first off, just how much excitement there's going to be at the stadium, the atmosphere, the electricity, and how when you're in games like this, every yard is a fight. Every first down, every point is going to be that way. So we've been preparing that way. We've been practicing that way, and we'll continue to do that throughout the week because we know what a challenge we have here. But when you get into the CFP, certainly there's just a certain level that we have to make sure we're preparing for. I think our guys have been doing that, and they're working hard, and the leadership is going to have to play really well in this game. Our older guys, our veteran guys are going to have to lead the way because we know in big games like this veterans have to play veterans. So certainly have a great challenge and a great opponent in Georgia, we know that. They have a lot of great weapons. Certainly they play a high level of football. They're defending national champs and certainly undefeated this year. So we know what we're up against, and we'll continue to prepare for that.
• On dealing with Georgia’s core of skill players at tight end and wide receiver: Well, they've done a great job recruiting and have depth at so many positions. So I know one of their — something they take a lot of pride in is playing a lot of depth in offense and defense. I think there's guys who have roles in the front, there's guys who role in the back end, multiple running backs, multiple wide receivers. So when you're playing against a really good team who plays with a lot of depth and has recruited really well, that's one of the things you have to prepare for. What does that mean? Well, you just have to know that you're not going to just hone in on one or two guys. You've got to be aware of more than one of those guys, and that's the sign of a good team.

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles

• On handling Darnell Washington and Brock Bowers being on the field at the same time and if he’d consider that 11 personnel or 12 personnel: I mean, I think you have to, because of the versatility, the fact that they can lineup tight to the formation and wide, you have to prepare for those two tight end sets. And you know you're not going to get that all the time. But if you're not prepared for that, they can do damage from the line of scrimmage. And then you make the adjustments when they move out, but they're certainly dangerous wherever they line up.

• On the challenge the Georgia offense brings: Well, it's a huge challenge, one our guys have worked for all year. The versatility of the offense with the multiple tight ends who are extremely talented, receivers who can make plays in various ways throughout the field, running backs who can attack you both inside and outside and a quarterback who just does a marvelous job of managing the whole thing. It's a complete offense. It's developed like an NFL offense, and they have a bunch of tools at their disposal. So we need to be sound across the board and really play hard with great effort. It is still football, and that makes a big difference. The effort of the players really makes a big difference.
• On if there are similarities between Michigan and Georgia: You know, I'm not trying to be cliche, but they're all tough the way I look at it because our job as a defense is to stop the opponent. The stop rate is very important to me, something I think our guys take seriously, and we've done well in our stop rate over the season. So each team presents different challenges, and this is the reigning national champion. So you're talking about a bunch of guys that are going to play at the next level. You're talking about a serious program that has a consistency to it and multiplicity. So it's a huge challenge, but we need to take it apart piece by piece. That's what we've done, make sure everybody is on the same page and play hard.
• On trying to contain Stetson Bennett’s scrambling ability: You work on it all the time, but like I've always said, it's a balance. You don't want to hold your rush men back. You want those guys to be able to go. But you have to operate with fundamentals, with the knowledge of how this guy likes to scramble or at least create room for himself and where he moves to. So you establish game plans, and you show your guys and you illustrate it, but at the same time, you don't want them holding back. So you're right, it's part of the game. It happens at all levels. Some guys scramble more than others. But if you're going to be effective in your pass rush, you gotta be able to go. You just have to have knowledge of the seams and operate on multiple levels and have other players with eyes. That's important, have eyes on him, to be able to react to the scramble. 
• On Georgia rotating three offensive tackles: I think it all starts with preparation. Just being ready for whatever is being thrown at you. Great group of guys, great tackles. I think we just have to stay poised and just be ready for the changes. 
• On if he’s crossed paths with Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken: I mean, I know the Monken family well. I mean, I don't know Todd that well. We've crossed, but Jimmy Monken, it's a big coaching family, and Jimmy Monken was in my fraternity at Cornell. He's not a coach, but his dad was. So it's a big coaching family. He certainly does a great job, and you go back to all his stops, and he did a great job at Oklahoma State. So we have that in common. I don't know him well, but I know people that know him. Everybody knows each other in the profession, just have a lot of respect for what he does.
• On Georgia’s play action: That's what complete offenses do to you. They try to put you in conflict. That's the whole idea of an offense that's complete and total and has different tools and targets and ways to keep you off balance. And they do a great job of it.

Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg

• On Georgia’s rushing attack: I think all around, I mean they've got a good O-line, good running back, and a good scheme. So I think, when you put all those together, you'll be pretty good. I'd say just with running backs, every running back kind of plays different, sees the game different, sees holes differently. Some are faster than others, but I'd say overall they're all great running backs
• On Georgia’s tight ends: Yeah, they're good tight ends. They're effective in the pass game and also in the run game too, good as blockers. So I think, when it comes down to that, everyone's got to do their job.
• On his biggest concern facing Georgia’s offense: I'd say overall it’s just a great offense. They can do a lot with the ball, and I think that's hard to defend, but it comes down to us.
• On what advantages Ohio State’s defense has over Georgia’s offense: Everywhere. I think it just comes down to all of us just doing our job. And if we do that, we have a really good chance.

Defensive end Jack Sawyer

• On his biggest concern facing Georgia’s offense: I just think they got a veteran quarterback, obviously, who's a great player, and they got a really athletic offense line, too. So I think they like to play their offensive line strength with how athletic they are and big upfront with a lot of stuff they do. And having a veteran quarterback as good as Stetson Bennett brings a lot of challenges as well.
• On Georgia’s tight ends: I think they're really versatile, and the way they can bring them out of the backfield and do different route combinations really makes it difficult to defend and gives you a bunch of different looks, and they got three good ones, too. So they're always rotating and bringing another guy in here and there. So I think it poses a good challenge, and I think we're up for it.
• On what Big Ten team Georgia reminds him of: I'll just say scheme-wise and the way they use their tight ends and whatnot, Penn State probably is what I'd say.
• On what advantages Ohio State’s defense has over Georgia’s offense: I agree with Tommy. I think we got advantages across the board on both sides of the ball, and we just gotta go out there and execute.

Safety Lathan Ransom

• On his biggest concern facing Georgia’s offense: I think Stetson Bennett does a great job getting the ball into the playmakers' hands, does a great job with what the defense gives him, and I think they do a good job of motions, shifts. So at the end of the day, like Tommy said, it's up to us. Everyone just needs to be on the same page and to execute their job, and I think we'll be good.
• On Georgia’s tight ends: I think when you're looking at both those tight ends, they present different challenges, and they're different types of tight ends. So when you're looking at them and if you happen to be on covering one or covering the other, you just gotta know what you're getting and what this tight end likes to do. So I think that's the challenges they present.
• On what Big Ten team Georgia reminds him of: I feel like y'all know the answer to that, but I'm fixing to just say Penn State, too. (Laughs).
• On what advantages Ohio State’s defense has over Georgia’s offense: I think it just comes down to doing your job and executing at the highest level, and I think we should be fine.

Defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau

• On facing Stetson Bennett: Stetson Bennett is a great player, a great quarterback. I think we have to do our job and trust in each other. He has shown times he can be very elusive, and I think we have to stick to the game plan and trust one another and do our job.

Linebacker Steele Chambers

• On facing Stetson Bennett: I think it just comes down to doing your job and just trusting the guy next to you that whatever his assignment is, he is going to get it done. Yes, Stetson Bennett is a great player. He's got this weird little dead leg thing he does, that's annoying, whenever he is out in open space. But he's a great player, and I think it's going to take 11 guys to really stop him and stop that entire offense.
• On contending with Georgia’s play-action: I mean, yeah, it's certainly hard. I mean, they certainly bait you with a lot of play-action plays. I think at the end of the day, it's just following your eyes, just knowing your keys, knowing where you're supposed to be and what kind of situations. I think it's just having discipline, I think, being able to play both the running and also the play action.

Defensive end Zach Harrison

• On the footwork of Georgia’s offensive line: They're good. They're athletes, bro. They do a good job of staying in front of you. That's something we got to take note of going into the game. They're a bunch of athletes. Their footwork shows that much. They do a great job of mirroring guys, especially the pass game. They've got good punches, and they do a good job of getting their hands on you and trying to control the blocks.
• On keeping Stetson Bennett in the pocket: We've got to rush together. All four of us rushing together. When we do send guys, the linebackers are doing the same thing. Just nobody trying to get greedy and go in and get one and leaving a gap open. Just rushing together, and we'll get home.