Illibuck Week & Needed Changes! / Ohio State Primetime LIVE 103 Presented By FanDuel

Ohio State Primetime LIVE 103 — Illibuck Week & Needed Changes Presented by FanDuel | Hosts: Garrison Gaddy & Riley Burnett OhioStateVOCFB Denzel out (under the weather)

Intro / Weekend (00:00–01:12)

• Welcome to Ohio State Primetime Live. Denzel not on the show; send well wishes.
• Riley’s weekend: watched a lot of football (college Saturday, NFL Sunday), prepped high school football coverage.

Kent State postgame — what they liked / didn’t (01:12–03:36)

Liked

• First four drives looked great. Tempo, composure, “chill” offense. Riley wasn’t stressing.

Didn’t like

• Next two drives: failed two fourth-down conversions.
• Defense was fine vs. Kent State (QB-driven game plan didn’t materialize).

Peyton Pierce

• Worst PFF grade on defense.
• Riley: trying to be a field-general/Luke Kuechly-type reader of offenses, but lacks the physicality and aggressiveness that match that IQ. Becoming a “major problem.”
• Riley Pettyjohn looked great again (most snaps this year). TJ Alford doing the right things.
• Serious film-room conversations coming as conference play starts.

Garrison: “Everything you said is completely correct.”

Jeremiah Smith — record, growth, Heisman, “supremacy game” (03:49–10:55)

• Smith broke Michael Jenkins’ Ohio State receiving yards record (held ~22–23 years) in two years + three games.
• Riley: bittersweet — “we’re gonna blink and Jeremiah’s not going to be there anymore.” Hardest worker on the team (Ryan Day and past coaches). Work ethic, not just star rating.
• Garrison flashback: pre-practice interview — Smith asked if he’d be fine starting; response was essentially “why can’t I?”
• Heisman: still in the mix (Garrison notes Kamario Taylor jumping). Vegas still has him on pace.
• Where is Jeremiah’s “supremacy game”?
  • Possible: Oregon (he’s scored vs. them both times as a freshman; “team he claims he hates the most”).
  • Indiana (revenge; he was still the X-factor in last year’s loss).
  • Riley’s lean: last game of the season vs. Michigan in the Shoe. Last time they walked into Columbus they took care of Ohio State.
• Garrison’s projection (law of averages, ~5 rec/game, 1 TD/game): records likely fall somewhere between at Indiana and vs. Oregon at home. USC also a candidate given how they bracketed KJ Duff.
• Current: 19 receptions, 5 TDs.
• Watch USC-Rutgers tape for how they covered Duff — expect 110% of that vs. Smith, but Ohio State should have more complementary weapons by then.

Luke Fahey / QB room / 2027 outlook (11:04–16:17)

• Garrison liked Fahey’s HS tape: gamer, good thrower, held up vs. California competition. Ohio State had no QB in that class; they viewed him as Buckeye material (project, like Tavian or Lincoln Kienholz).
• From what they’ve seen (spring + limited in-season reps): Fahey has looked better than Tavian at every step.
• Three-star taking the No. 2 role — not just a tactic to light a fire under Tavian. “There was a fire under Luke Fahey and it’s starting to show.”
• High IQ, field-general traits fit the offense; arm talent standing out more than expected. 100+ passing yards vs. Kent State. Chris Henry Jr. nice hitch-route TD (length/strides cover ground; body work showing).
• Chat: Aaron wants a portal QB next year; Steve says QB1 (Julian Sayin) is returning. Garrison agrees Sayin is likely back for senior year.
• If Sayin leaves: they should still go portal. Not because Fahey/Tavian can’t be ready, but to create competition or bring in a solidified guy. Hypothetical: if a JKS-type is in the portal, Day’s job is to get him.

Team identity heading into Big Ten — what they need (16:18–19:12)

Riley’s big picture:

• Both sides must settle on an identity. Can’t live on Jeremiah bailing them out of 3rd-and-medium/long all conference.
• Can’t keep rolling the dice then asking a just-off-the-field defense for another stop.
• Get complementary pieces going for four quarters:
  • Devin McEwen — recapture Week 1 usage.
  • Brandon Ennis — always targeted early (first 1–2 drives), then disappears. Need him throughout. Huge underneath/red-zone threat (short crossers, shallow routes). Exhibit A: wide open vs. Kent State when Sayin didn’t take the easy look (or the run lane).
• OL must protect and run-block for four quarters.
• Defense: Earl Little Jr. loved; want more from Jalen McClain and Devin Sanchez (inconsistent). Finding identity + comfort in conference play.

Defense specifics — PFF, Jason Moore, Kari Wilder, rotation (19:12–22:29)

• PFF: Tarvis / Riley Pettyjohn 1–2 (90 and 90.5). Jermaine Matthews playing well. Jay Timmons “talk of the town.”
• Jason Moore (top-100 DT recruit): flashes last year; two straight games of better tape, more reps vs. Kent State. Has he earned starting reps? Riley: he never got the same developmental snaps others did. If they need multiple stops, fresh Moore (and Kari Wilder) matter.
• Kari Wilder snap count: Garrison relays Day’s postgame comment — they have him as a starter on third-down packages. Kent State only had those situations in Q1 and Q4, which is when he played. Goal is for him to own that role, then expand.
• Patricia versatility / nickel on 3rd down changes the look and gets more of those “workability” guys snaps.

Garrison’s full OOC report card / needed changes (22:29–30:16)

Overall: Ohio State is in a good spot. Texas exposed weaknesses early; fans expected them all fixed in one week. “We’re greedy.”

Offense

• Don’t need a true WR2 — need guys who do their jobs. Brock Boyd most WR snaps last week, then Chris Henry Jr. (getting them ready with Kyle Parker out).
• Tight end room “has to get better overall… they’ve been bad.”
• No. 1 offensive success rate in the country.
• Sayin over-critiqued (worse than Kyle McCord treatment; some would give Devin Brown more leeway). Still things to fix: two Kent State plays where he had a run lane / Ennis wide open and didn’t take them.
• Short-yardage / critical runs: ball in Bo Jackson’s hands. Jacoby Jackson averaging 7 YPC and has been good, but if he’s in and doesn’t get it, you wonder if Bo would have.

Defense

• Healthy LB rotation: Pettyjohn starter no matter what. Tarvis and Christian Allegretti rotate. Pierce rotates in when needed — “get his ish together.” Mind and body not on the same wavelength (late to the play, missing tackles). Captain, respected, has the IQ; body has to catch up or he’s not playable.
• DL pecking order Garrison’s leaning: John Walker III, Edrick, Jason Moore (back and forth), Will Smith, Jameer Perez. James Smith falling off — talent, hasn’t put it together.
• DBs: individually good flashes; need it as a unit consistently. Closest to flawless: Jay Timmons and Earl Little Jr.
• Want Patricia to dial up more pressure (Riley: send the nickel on a blitz occasionally).

Illinois isn’t the measuring stick, but it’s a rivalry, Big Ten opener in the Shoe. Want a good product.

Perspective tweet after Kent State: watching other teams keeps him from overreacting. Indiana slow-started vs. WKU then blew them out; USC gave up 35 to Rutgers; Oregon vs. cupcake; Michigan ugly first half. Ohio State takes care of lesser teams; Texas 4Q collapse is the exception.

AP Poll rant (32:25–37:26)

• Ohio State drops 1 → 6 after 1-point road loss at Texas. LSU drops only 3 after losing to Ole Miss. Confusing.
• Too easy to just say “SEC bias.” Rankings don’t mean much this early. Look at the schedules of teams ahead of them.
• Shocked USC held after the Rutgers performance.
• Penn State creeping up. Louisville jumped 7 — shoutout Lincoln Kienholz / Brohm.
• Florida still favored over Ole Miss this week.
• Iowa 17th, just ahead of Michigan (they play in Ann Arbor).
• Texas A&M still ranked — Garrison doesn’t know what Marcel Reed is doing. Last year’s late-season turnover binge (12–13 in final 5) turned him off; those issues showed up again. Smaller than Sayin, limited arm.
• Louisville defense has kinks; interesting close to the year vs. Kentucky (Governor’s Cup).

Illibuck preview — Ohio State vs. Illinois (38:09–46:06)

Noon, Big Noon Kickoff, Illibuck Trophy in Columbus. Garrison not thrilled about the window; it’s Ohio State + rivalry.

Riley’s keys

• Last year they used width/perimeter well (Carnell Tate, Bo, Jeremiah). Need that mentality again. Chris Henry Jr. can take it in space.
• Establish the run first so Illinois packs the box, then get outside. Starts on the first drive. OL has to win inside-out.

Illinois personnel

• QB Caden Houser (ex-Michigan State — “QB factory that ships them out”). 758 yards, 74.1%, 8 TD / 2 INT.
• RBs Valentine & Laurie: 177 and 159 yards, 4.7 and 7.2 YPC. Decent year.
• Limited receiving threats.
• Second-best offense Ohio State has seen after Texas. Bielema wants to run and play-action. Houser can move.
• They’ll study Texas film for the 5–7 yard gashing runs.

Expectations

• Garrison: should be a rout. Something like 40–10. Anything less is a disappointment given what both teams have shown.
• Comfortable scores they floated: 38–6, 42–6, 42–10. Hold them to two field goals.
• Uncomfortable: 14+ points allowed, especially if Illinois stays on schedule with 5–6 yard first-down runs and converts 3rd-and-short.
• Spread ~27.5 — they should cover easily; four touchdowns better.

Linebackers will be tested more than any other group (stuff run, then keep pressure on Houser so he can’t live on easy completions).

Week 4 FanDuel best bets (Garrison 4-for-6 last week) (46:06–53:04)

1. Texas vs. Tennessee — UNDER 55.5 Both want to run. Tennessee leading SEC in rushing; true freshman QB playing well. Texas needs to run to settle Arch. Clock should tick. Riley agrees (Tennessee less sideline-to-sideline this year).
2. Virginia Tech –14.5 vs. Boston College BC “sucks,” no Malik Washington. VT beat Maryland. Should control tempo and cover (17–21 point win range). Only worry: BC scores off a turnover.
3. UCLA –2.5 vs. Maryland UCLA for real after Purdue. Can win by 3+. Riley also likes the over (Maryland gunslinger Malik Washington vs. shaky UCLA D).
4. Iowa vs. Michigan — UNDER 37.5 Iowa not scoring 10. Michigan not dropping 27–30 on Iowa’s defense. Classic 20–10 or 24–10 type. 0–0 / 3–0 at half would surprise no one.
5. Michigan State +5.5 vs. Nebraska Spartans competitive vs. Notre Dame (dropped TD, bad TO kept it from being closer at half). Encouraged afterward. Home after a tough road trip. Nebraska struggled at home vs. Ohio U (MAC). Riley could see MSU winning outright.

Lock them in.

Outro (53:04–end)

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• Monday 7 p.m. ET Primetime (Garrison, Riley, Denzel).
• Mark Rogers Wednesday 4 p.m.
• Friday 7 p.m. call-in show with Garrison & Denzel.
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• “OH.”

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