Ohio State CB Jermaine Matthews spoke with the media ahead of the Buckeyes matchup with Wisconsin.
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00:00 >> Jermaine, what do you think against Western Kentucky,
00:03 you step in front of that pass?
00:05 Are you thinking, I'm about to take this to the house, and
00:08 I can't believe this is happening.
00:09 My first year here at Ohio State, I'm about to get a pick.
00:13 >> Before the play, I kinda knew that they were gonna throw it over there.
00:17 So I was getting ready, and when the ball was coming, I thought I was gonna just
00:21 bat it down, but it was getting closer, so I just grabbed it.
00:23 Then my only thought after that was just don't get caught.
00:25 >> [LAUGH] >> My only thing, just don't get caught.
00:28 >> Jermaine, there's not too many defensive backs in the league that can
00:31 [INAUDIBLE] So I mean, how does that feel to be here?
00:36 You still got time ahead of you, you're in a position where people are looking
00:41 upon you to really be the future, if you will.
00:46 I mean, not to put too many lofty expectations on you now,
00:49 I know you're still early, but just saying,
00:51 there's a lot of hype going through around you up to this point.
00:55 >> Yeah, I just wanna take it day by day, every day, just keep getting better.
00:58 >> Jermaine, when you came here a year ago, and you camped at Ohio State, and
01:02 you were competing for an offer,
01:04 did you have a vision at that point that you would already be playing this much as
01:08 a Hawkeye?
01:09 >> I really just, I think I feel like everything just happened for a reason.
01:14 And I feel like I'm just blessed to just be in this position, so
01:16 I just take everything in, don't take anything for granted.
01:19 >> How much did it help to see Denzel, if it was two years ago, come in and
01:22 play as much as he did this year?
01:23 >> I didn't really watch him too much when he was a freshman,
01:29 so I don't really know.
01:31 >> How much has he helped you get ready to play as a freshman?
01:34 >> He's helped a lot, the whole corner room, we all very tight, and
01:38 I asked a lot of questions, like I said, I asked a lot of questions to him,
01:41 and he just helped me.
01:42 Coach Walt, he's a big part of that too.
01:44 >> What are the biggest things that Coach Walt has taught you so
01:47 far that have made you a better player?
01:50 >> Just playing with my eyes, making sure my eyes are in the right spots,
01:54 that's probably the biggest thing.
01:56 >> When you enjoy the special teams, it seems like a couple weeks ago,
02:01 you put some big hits out there on kickoff coverage, is that, do you like it?
02:06 >> Yeah, special teams, it's a part of the game that people really don't
02:10 talk about enough, and it's very important to us here.
02:13 So I feel like if you're on special teams,
02:15 you're out there, you might as well make a play.
02:17 >> Do you think that that was probably more important to getting confidence
02:22 in the coaching staff, learning the rules, and even to pick six on the West Coast?
02:28 Are you willing to do that to ready to attack those?
02:31 >> Definitely, definitely, you gotta get the trust, definitely.
02:35 >> What was that moment at Purdue when you had to come in kind of on the fly?
02:38 >> They kept you off guard, but you gotta be ready for it.
02:42 That's why they put you out there, you gotta be ready for it.
02:44 I just feel like I'm ready.
02:46 >> You and Denzel talking a lot, I think he's gonna Penn State,
02:49 like he gave me words of encouragement, saying any praise for you.
02:53 >> I said we'll go get paid.
02:55 >> [LAUGH] >> There were two plays I think that
02:59 stood out on Saturday, it was in third down tackle, you made solo on the tight end.
03:04 It was the pass break up the back of the track,
03:07 you got a shot against two at West.
03:09 Which of those two plays, I guess, do you favor?
03:12 What's your favorite pick of them?
03:14 >> PBU. >> PBU, why is that?
03:17 >> It was third down, we got off the field.
03:19 It's a good play.
03:20 >> That's really hard.
03:23 >> What was the secret to holding up impress man there?
03:25 [INAUDIBLE] >> What's the secret to holding up
03:30 impress man on a play like that?
03:31 >> You gotta use your technique, you gotta be able to run.
03:36 >> Jim Knowles said he felt like he didn't really know how big the moment was
03:41 being out there, were you thinking about playing a top ten game right now or
03:44 you were just thinking, I'm just playing.
03:46 >> I was just playing football.
03:47 I've been playing football my whole life, so for the stage,
03:50 it really don't matter, you gotta still go out there and play.
03:52 >> And Coach Knowles was saying that you have moxie.
03:54 What does that word mean to you, moxie?
03:57 >> To be honest, when I first heard it, I looked it up in the dictionary.
03:59 >> [LAUGH] >> What did it say?
04:03 >> I forget, I guess it's a good thing though.
04:06 >> Last question.
04:08 Do cornerbacks, if they wanna play early especially,
04:10 do you have to come in with an attitude about yourself?
04:13 You understand what I'm saying?
04:15 When did you find that you kinda had that?
04:18 >> You definitely, at the cornerback position, you gotta have a short memory,
04:20 you gotta be mentally strong because one missed move,
04:24 one bad move is a touchdown, it's a big play.
04:27 So you gotta really be on your, you gotta be on everything.
04:29 And I think it's really just staying focused.
04:32 You gotta stay focused every play.
04:33 You can't take a play off, they gonna come for you.
04:36 >> Jermaine, one thing we've heard from a lot of the players about you is that
04:38 you're competitive.
04:39 I remember hearing that in the spring right away,
04:41 as he's coming in, he's competing right away.
04:44 You feel like you have to have that chip on your shoulder to not even just be
04:47 a freshman at corner, but just be a standout corner regardless?
04:50 >> Definitely, you gotta have confidence when you're at corner.
04:53 So I feel like keeping your confidence up is just gonna make you play better.
04:56 So I feel like I'm a confident player, and
04:58 I think I'm very confident in what I can do on the football field.
05:01 >> All right, Jermaine, thank you.