The Silver Bulletin was at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center today following Ohio State’s seventh practice of the spring.

Coaches James Laurinaitis and Keenan Bailey met with the media, as did players Christian Alliegro, TJ Alford, and Payton Pierce. Here are some key takeaways and insights from both coaches, starting with linebackers coach James Laurinaitis.

Linebackers Coach: James Laurinaitis

LB coach James Laurinaitis discussed his room and the Buckeyes’ replacements for Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese. He highlighted Payton Pierce’s and TJ Alford’s growth and expectations for them this season. Laurinaitis also walked through the importance of on-field vocal leadership and quick processing to diagnose the opposing offense to play fast. The Ohio State assistant coach also hit on NFL development.

• LB Room Competitiveness: “The standard was always to get our room to a point where you feel a healthy amount of pressure to perform. If I have a bad day or two, I could be passed up… because of the talent level in the room. You find out the mental toughness of your room… who’s going to make a play when their number’s called.“
• Payton Pierce: “You knew what he was about: tough, instinctual… a throwback Mike linebacker.” He’s so competitive, and he’s a perfectionist… as you should be as a Mike… He’s pushed the guys in front of him because of how hard he practices…He earned respect right away, freshman year.“
• TJ Alford: “TJ’s grown so much from last season…so much. There’s been a maturity… there’s been a seriousness. I expect to see a lot of football out of TJ Alford this fall.“
• Player Development: “When they get to the NFL, they’re not intimidated… because they’ve already been through it here at Ohio State.“
• LB Rotation: “Their practice reps will determine how many guys we play and rotate. That’s reality. I hope it’s five or six… or it could be two. It just depends on how they prepare and perform.“
• On-field Readiness: “The offense will tell you the story every time… you just have to pay attention.“
• Vocal Leadership: “There’s an urgency and a confidence that comes with the volume we have on the field. If you’re loud and wrong, all 11 play together. If you’re soft and right, it doesn’t work. You’ve got to be loud. It’s the only way it works.“

Watch James Laurinaitis’s full remarks on The Silver Bulletin’s YouTube channel here.

Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach: Keenan Bailey

Co-OC/TE coach Keenan Bailey mentioned the production and blocking losses from last year’s team and explained Ohio State’s strategy to replace them through transfer portal additions and roster development. He expects Nate Roberts to lead the room this year, taking a major step forward, and then discussed the rest of the room.

Most notably, Bailey praised Ryan Day as the “best offensive mind in the country,” highlighted each offensive assistant coach, and expressed excitement to work with Arthur Smith and learn from his NFL experience.

• Nate Roberts: “It started in the weight room. Every day, we’re competing in there. That’s why he got the first crack at it… Now he’s got to keep improving. We’ve got high expectations. No one has higher expectations than he does for himself.
• TE Room Outlook: “We lost about 90% of our production… but we’ve got a lot of guys in that room that have played in big moments. It’s going to take everybody. I don’t think one person is going to replicate what we lost.
• TE Room Culture: “Every day we’re earning trust… and every day we’re getting a little bit closer.“
• “I’m not going to recruit someone whose expectation isn’t to be the best in the country. Period.“
• NFL Development: “The expectation is to come here, be the best in the country… and then go play in the NFL. There’s only 140 NFL tight ends in the world. There are thousands of Navy SEALs… what we’re trying to get to is really, really hard.“
• Arthur Smith + Offense: “I’ve never been more excited for the direction of this offense. We already had the best offensive mind in the country in Coach Day, and then you add a guy who’s been a head coach in the NFL and an offensive coordinator in the NFL. I’m super excited.”

Watch Keenan Bailey’s full remarks on The Silver Bulletin’s YouTube channel here.

Stay locked in with The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) and follow @BlakeBiscardi on social media for coverage, clips, and weekly picks throughout the season.

NEXT: Read how Jeremiah Smith’s mindset is fueling his junior season preparations.