ATLANTA -- Early last week, Arthur Smith called on one of his starting cornerbacks, Jeff Okudah, in a team meeting. The Falcons head coach wasn't asking a question about a formation or a read on New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, the week's opponent.
Instead, he asked Okudah about Ohio State.
Specifically, Michigan vs. Ohio State -- one of the most intense rivalries in college football and one Okudah, who played for the Buckeyes, understands well. The purpose wasn't to get a scouting report on the game, either, but to try and accentuate the intensity a player needs to have in games like that.