CHICAGO - Defensive end Jonathon Cooper and wide receiver K.J. Hill see themselves as leaders on this team.
Cooper finds himself as one of the few veterans among the defensive ends, and he feels that responsibility to help the younger players develop as other veterans did for him when he came to Ohio State.
“Just being a leader, showing them the standard, how hard we work and what it takes to be at Ohio State or be a starter,” Cooper said. “I try to show them every day with how hard I work, how I carry myself, how I speak and how I talk to others. They let me know I do a pretty good job with that. My younger players have a pretty good respect for me, and I appreciate it.”
With four defensive ends in the incoming recruiting class of 2019, Cooper will have his work cut out for him with guys like Noah Potter and Zach Harrison stepping onto the field, and Harrison is already setting up big expectations.
“Zach has made huge strides. I couldn’t be more proud of the guy,” Cooper said. “He’s an extremely hard worker and he’s a great kid. He listens and he goes extremely hard. That’s all you can really ask of a freshman right now. I have big expectations for him.”
With so much depth on defense for Ohio State, Harrison and other incoming defensive ends are expected to receive significant playing time, and Cooper thinks Harrison is ready based on his growth in the spring.
“In the spring, he was just coming in. Being fresh and new, you don’t really know how to take it. You don’t really know how to go hard or what the expectations are at Ohio State. It’s hard,” Cooper said. “But I think he’s in a more comfortable spot and more comfortable with being around us and accepting us as his older brothers. He’s going extremely hard, and I’m proud of the guy. I’m happy for him.”
Hill finds himself as one of four senior wide receivers, so the deep receivers room is prepared to help grow and develop the young players like phenom Garrett Wilson.
“Me, Austin [Mack], and Binjimen [Victor], we've been grabbing young receivers to come out, work out, show them the ropes, show them the work ethic and what you've got to do to be the best,” Hill said. “Garrett Wilson is standing out, Jaelen Gill, Jaylen Harris, Ellijah Gardiner, those guys. I think they're making a push to have a breakout season.”
Speaking of breakout seasons, wide receiver Chris Olave is expected to make big strides this year after making himself known with big games against Northwestern and Michigan.
Olave took direction and guidance from Terry McLaurin, and Hill is hoping that he and his fellow receivers can fit into that role and own that responsibility of helping to develop these young guys.
“Guys like Chris Olave experienced it being a freshman. His big brother was Terry. Terry took care of him and now he can do the same thing for a Garrett Wilson or me do the same thing,” Hill said. “ I feel like that culture stays around forever because even before Hartline was the receiver coach it was like that. They took care of me like I was their little brother.”
Cooper and Hill have taken direction from some of the Ohio State greats in the past like Nick Bosa and Parris Campbell, but as the season approaches they’ll have to step into that role to help prepare their units.
