TE honors late Fireball-drinking, tattoo-sporting mom
So, Joe, what’s the secret to happiness?
The secret to happiness I’d say just doing what makes you happy, doing what you love. I hear a lot of people say they’re not happy with what they do in life; then I hear people say they love their job. (Former Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson), one of his sayings was he had never worked a day in his life because he loved his job. That was something that always kind of stuck with me. So I think doing what you love. Obviously, people have certain opinions of what you should be doing, but just be you.
What do you love to do, besides football?
I’m a pretty simple man. From the west side of Cincinnati, it’s just what we kind of do over there is hang out with my friends. I’m a big napper. Obviously, football makes me tired, so every time I get a chance to take a little nap, I’m all for it. But, I mean, I love music. I love just hanging out with my guys.
Power naps? Nap as long as you can? Blankets? No blankets? What’s the formula for a great nap?
It depends how much time I’ve got. I’m full go for a power nap if I only have 30 minutes. I’ll take a quick 20-minute one. But some days if I don’t have anything, I won’t set an alarm and play the game of whenever I wake up, I wake up.
Oh, a danger nap!
Yeah, danger nap.
What’s the best thing that has happened to you this year?
I guess the Georgia game was this year. Just that because my mom passed away last September, so I missed some time. Being able to play in that game and progressing as the winter, spring, and summer went on, that meant a lot to me. I had a good offseason. I was ranked gold by (strength coach Mickey Marotti), and that’s one of the highest standards he has, so I was pretty proud of that.
Coach (Ryan) Day emphasizes mental health. How much did that help after your mom’s passing?
I always tell people my mom was my best friend through and through. We talked every day, countless times. She got me through many hard times up here. Obviously, she was my mother, but she was more of a best friend to me. There’s not enough good things I can say about
her. I have all these great memories of her, so I have those to bank on . ... Then being at a place like this, they have so many good people here trying to lift you, motivate you, give you whatever you need – literally whatever you need, they’ll do that. Coach Day is a huge advocate for mental health. Unfortunately, he lost his father when he was a kid, so he kind of understood what I was going through. Having him and the support staff here was huge.
What are some things you do and think, “I see mom’s influence there”?
I’d say our personalities are really similar. She was very – eh, I’m not as outgoing as she was. She loved to have a good time. That’s kind of what she was known for. Her favorite drink was Fireball, so take what you want from that.
I love her already, Joe, but tell me more.
She loved to have a good time. She was always the light of the room, spark of the room. Always cheered me up. She had the right kind of balance ... of being a mom and being a friend. And as I got older and I didn’t need as much discipline and stuff from her, we (formed) this inseparable bond. Yeah, she loved to have a good time, and I see it in my personality. And her sense of humor was very outgoing
and sometimes vulgar, and I kind of got that as well.
I assume that’s mom in your tattoo?
Yeah. I always kind of had plans to get a tattoo. I was just always struggling with what I wanted because I’m like, ‘It’s going to be on me the rest of my life.’ So I was really trying to think it out . ... She had a couple tattoos, and we would always talk about some ideas, and when she passed, as time went on, I started thinking, and it just came to me. I was like, ‘Wow. That’s going to be my first tattoo, sort of a memorial for my mom.’ So I did it for her, so I can always have her with me at all times. And I couldn’t have thought of a better first tattoo than my mom right here.
What’s your next ink?
I have no idea, honestly. I want to finish this arm here, but I’m still not too sure. Not rushing it. Obviously, I’ve got some better things to focus on right now in the season, but when the time comes, I’ll start adding to it.
What’s the best gift you have ever given?
I would say this past Christmas me, and I have two older sisters, we kind of got together and tried to give my dad a pretty big and good Christmas, with everything that went on. So there was a bunch of things in there, but I would say this past Christmas was a good one getting him some things that he likes and some of his favorite things.
So you’re close with your sisters?
My older sister Rachel, she lives down in Houston. She’s married to Trey Holtz. He used to (be a graduate assistant) here, grandson of (former Notre Dame football coach) Lou Holtz. She’s 25. Her and I are really close. We have the same kind of personality. Then Sam’s the middle one. She just turned 23, and she lives in Cincinnati. She’s a lot more mellow than the two of us. We find a nice little medium.
What’s your dad do?
He’s a mailman.
Do you have any dogs?
Yeah. And he always carries dog treats with him when he’s on his route, because obviously there’s a stereotype that dogs go after the mailman, and he doesn’t want any encounters with that . ... So I think all the dogs and families are a fan of him. But he loves dogs. We have, well, Rachel just took the Doberman to Houston, but ... (he has) a rottweiler.
What’s something that Ohio State fans might not guess about you?
Some people question if my hair is a perm or if it’s real, but it’s natural. So I’ll throw that out there.
There’s a barber who works out of (the Woody Hayes Athletic Center) who cuts the hair of football players. How often do you see them?
I don’t go to him, honestly. I’m really kind of big on my hair, so I go to – my mom got me into it – I go to salons. So these nice ladies will shampoo and condition my hair and get it right. And I only get it scissor-cut. I don’t get it shaved or anything, so that’s why I go to salons.
Who’s your best friend?
I have a girlfriend. Her name’s Anna. She plays volleyball here. Her and I are really close.
And the best gift you’ve ever given wasn’t to her? You’re going to get in trouble for this interview, aren’t you?
No, I’ve given her a couple good gifts. I’m just not the best at surprises. I tell her that. So I’m always like, ‘Just be straightforward. Tell me what you want, and I can do that for you.’
If you could have any NIL deal you wanted, who would it be with?
I think it would be awesome if I could get one ... to get a car. But also I feel like I could get something maybe for my hair. So something hair-related would be pretty cool.