Dec. 29, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ohio State FB Contacts: Jerry Emig (614-203-2766 and emig.2@osu.edu) / Adam Widman (614-572-6903 and widman.12@osu.edu)
Sugar Bowl Update III: Monday was a Wednesday
…and CCR’s “Born on the Bayou” made people smile
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State held a two-hour practice session Monday morning – finishing up just before noon – as the team continues to prepare for its College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Alabama, set for Thursday, Jan. 1, at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
This Monday practice was a typical Wednesday session for the Buckeyes during a typical regular season game week, but there was nothing typical about this Wednesday session, including the fact that today is Monday.
§ Practice was held once again in the cavernous Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which is less than a 10-minute drive from the team’s hotel on Canal Street;
§ A rather large contingent of media was able to shoot photographs and capture video for about the first 25 minutes during the session; and
§ Media was welcomed into the practice session in totally appropriate fashion with Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Born on the Bayou” blaring from the Superdome’s sound system. And that made people smile.
Defender’s day with the media
Defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Luke Fickell, and five of his defensive stalwarts, met with the media for an hour Monday afternoon at the media hotel, the New Orleans Marriott Convention Center. Some thoughts from today included:
Fickel on the challenges Alabama presents: “I don’t know if we’ve seen an offense like this; the size of their offensive line…the running backs they roll in…and Amari Cooper is special. The reality is you’re going to have to play really great team defense.”
LB Curtis Grant on Alabama QB Blake Sims: “He can keep a play alive. With him being a former running back, he can make you miss.”
LB Joshua Perry on any carryover momentum from the win over Wisconsin: “The biggest thing that will carry over is what we learned by winning that game. We can’t be successful in this game, though, if our preparation isn’t what it was for the Big Ten title game.”
DE Joey Bosa on DE Joey Bosa: “I’m a pretty laid back guy, but you can probably tell that by the way I talk and by the way I present myself. Obviously I bring up the intensity on the field. I chill before games, though, and don’t get too crazy.”
DT Michael Bennett on the SEC vs. Big Ten thing: “We are going to play our hardest and they’re going to play their hardest and the best team will win.”
CB Doran Grant on Alabama’s passing game: “We’ve seen the Alabama deep balls so we are definitely aware of what they can do.”
Sugar Bowl & Super Bowl
While the 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes are in the hunt for an Allstate Sugar Bowl championship and, ultimately, a place in the College Football Playoff championship game, many of their former teammates are involved in their own playoff pursuits: the NFL playoffs. Sixteen former Buckeyes are on teams that have advanced to the NFL Playoffs and will vie for a position in the Super Bowl, including six players who were on the 2013 Ohio State team and are rookies in the NFL this season.
Buckeyes in the NFL Playoffs – 16
Arizona – Ted Ginn
Carolina – WR Philly Brown, OL Andrew Norwell
Cincinnati – WR Dane Sanzenbacher, K Mike Nugent
Denver – CB Bradley Roby
Detroit – OL Rob Sims
Green Bay – LB A.J. Hawk, C Corey Linsley
Indiana – OL Jack Mewhort, RB Dan Herron
New England – DB Nate Ebner
Pittsburgh – OL Mike Adams, DB Will Allen, DL Cam Heyward, LB Ryan Shazier
Tonight & Tomorrow
The Buckeyes’ third and final team dinner provided by the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s hospitality committee will be a sit-down affair at the Red Fish Grill this evening. Described as a triumph of cuisine, style and design, the Red Fish Grill’s menu is peppered with Big Easy favorites, but the team will enjoy a prepared menu of seafood gumbo, house salad, pork chops and, for dessert, a fudge brownie with vanilla bean ice cream.
Tomorrow – Tuesday – is media day for both teams at the Superdome. All the Buckeye players and coaches will be available for interviews – similar to the Super Bowl’s media day – on the field between 10 and 11 a.m. The team will practice from 11:45-2 p.m., and then at 4 p.m. some select players will spend time visiting pediatric patients at the Oschner Hospital.
###OhioStateBuckeyes.com###
THE PEOPLE. THE TRADITION. THE EXCELLENCE.