What Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith said about Buckeyes

COLUMBUS — Ohio State will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday afternoon inside the Horseshoe in what was expected to be a marquee matchup before Penn State lost its first four conference games and fired long-time head coach James Franklin.

The Nittany Lions now defensive assistant Terry Smith as an interim head coach for the rest of the season, and he met with local media in State College on Monday to preview the matchup.

“We have a tremendous opportunity here on Saturday to go to Ohio State,” Smith said in his opening statement Monday. “They’re a very well-coached team, very talented. Coach Day that is done an amazing job with those guys. This is why you come to Penn State, to play this game like this and be able to compete against the No. 1 team in the country and have an opportunity to beat those guys. The staff is confident the way we’ve prepared so far. We had a really good week last week. We’re looking forward to having a good week this week. Everyone is positive and ready to go.”

Here’s everything Smith said about the Buckeyes:

On facing the Ohio State wide receivers…

“Yeah, this week will be an extreme challenge. Ohio State has a long history of great receivers. Arguably these two are two of the better ones in that list. Jeremiah Smith is as good as they come. We were hoping he would go through the sophomore slump but obviously he’s not. He’s just got everything. He’s big, strong, fast, runs great routes, competes. You know, we have or hands full. So our job on the back end is to make those guys earn it. We have to limit their explosive plays, keep the ball in front of us, and make them earn their way down the field and not give up one-play scores.”

Terry Smith on the challenge of facing the Buckeyes…

“You know, we have that type of leadership. Guys have been great. Worked hard. Had a great bye week. They’re buying into it. How do we go up and beat Ohio State, the No. 1 team in the country? We have to do it together and be as one. We cannot make mistakes. We have to be efficient with the football.

The most important thing we have to do is be able to run the football. We have to outrush Ohio State to have a chance.

Obviously their defense is elite. They’re the No. 1 in the country. They’ve got a lot of elite talent. They are big up front and fast in the middle and can cover on the back end. We have to be creative on offense, run the football, get Kaytron Allen going again. Have to find way to get Nick Singleton going because they’re our two best offensive weapons.

And we just got to continue to play mistake-free football. When we need to make a play we have to be able to come up with some type of scheme to make a play.”

Terry Smith on Penn State being a three-touchdown underdog…

“Yeah, you use it as motivation, but I don’t know if we’re allowed to because of what these gambling rules. Can I talk about point spreads? I don’t know.

“Obviously no one is giving us a chance. I’m going reemphasize that to our team. I don’t think we ever been 20 point underdogs since I’ve been here. But it’s motivation. No one believes in us and we’re going to come out and fight like we did at Iowa. We’re going fight a little harder.”