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YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State receiver Blaize Exline is getting a lot of questions from his new teammates about his season at Ohio State.
"I was telling them about Marvin Harrison and C.J. Stroud and how good they are," said Exline, a 2022 graduate of Salem High School. "They are the top guys going into the NFL and it was good playing with them. They are all good guys."
Youngstown State is traveling to Ohio Stadium for the first time since 2008 as the Penguins take on the fifth-ranked Buckeyes at noon Saturday.
"I've got no clue on the score," Exline said. "I do think it will be a fun game."
He will be standing on the other sideline this time.
"Coming out of high school I wanted to go to Youngstown," Exline said. "It's about an hour away from home. It just didn't work out that way. Then I was offered a chance to walk on at Ohio State."
There he was deep on one of the top receiving corps in the country, but learned things about running routes he never thought of from offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline.
"I'm glad I went to OSU. I learned a lot," Exline said. "I went there for the experience. I got better for the year. In my mind I'm thinking I would transfer. If I transfer, I will go to my next school better than when I got to Ohio State."
He left for Youngstown State, where he is dressing for all the games and still working to see his first collegiate action.
"I think if I went straight to YSU out of high school I would have been behind," Exline said.
It has been an adjustment after a record-setting career at Salem High School. He set a Columbiana County record with 125 catches his senior season for 1,424 yards and 18 touchdowns and scored a school-record 168 points.
"It is different because they're not drawing up plays for you and you're not getting fed the ball all the time," Exline said. "When I go to practice, I still have the mentality I'm making plays like I did in high school. I know my time is going to come. You have to do your job every day. Of course it's not the same. That's the way it is."
Game notes
• Ohio State holds a 2-0 edge over Youngstown State -- winning 38-6 in 2007 and 43-0 in 2008.
• Exline will be wearing No. 29 for Saturday's game.
"I'm sure in the near future I will get a different number," he said. "Everything has to be earned."
• Saturday's game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
• Youngstown State starting quarterback Mitch Davidson is a 2018 graduate of Salem High School.
"I know Mitch's whole family," Exline said. "I've always known him."
• Exline is majoring in information technology. He wants to get into the tech field in some way.