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Game Thread 2017 Cotton Bowl: OSU vs. USC - 12/29/17 @ 8:30 ET (ESPN)

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Behind-the-scenes effort helps the Buckeyes prepare for the Cotton Bowl

Student managers are part of the team in Dallas helping Ohio State get ready to face the Trojans



It’s been a busy month for Sean McNamara. The fourth-year marketing and communications student graduated from The Ohio State University last week. And he could join the Buckeyes on the field celebrating a victory in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Friday night.

McNamara is the head student manager for football team and has been part of the staff longer than he has been in school.

“I’ve worked with the team for the last four seasons. I came in my freshman year in August before school started and I was part of that 2014 team which had a great run,” he said. “I’ve worked with the team ever since and it's been an incredible experience.”

Entire article: https://news.osu.edu/news/2017/12/2...lps-the-buckeyes-prepare-for-the-cotton-bowl/
 
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USC trying to get over its hang-up with AT&T

AT&T Stadium has an artificial playing surface, and both of USC's losses have come on similar fields. The Trojans are 10-0 on grass.
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What's worse, are the bad memories USC players have from what happened last time they played at AT&T. In their opener last season, the Trojans were crushed by Alabama, 52-6, USC's most-lopsided loss in 50 years.

"We all remember that game and we all know exactly how it felt," linebacker Cameron Smith said. "Probably the worst loss a lot of us have taken."

http://beta.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-usc-football-20171226-story.html

Ohio State won a national title during its last trip to the garish shrine to the obese ego that oil-soaked elf Jerry Jones.
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Sounds like USC lacks that Ohio speed. Crazy to think, because I remember when it seemed Pete Carroll and USC were never going to lose another game.

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skull-sessions/2017/12/89654/ohio-state-football-usc-cotton-bowl
 
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OBSERVATIONS FROM OHIO STATE'S COTTON BOWL PRACTICE AT AT&T STADIUM

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Highlights from the Buckeyes’ national championship game win over Oregon were playing on the video screen and Notorious B.I.G.’s "Hypnotize" was blaring through the speakers as Ohio State’s practice at AT&T Stadium opened to the media for a 15-minute window on Tuesday morning.

With the entire roster in Dallas for the final game of the year, it was a rare in-season opportunity to see everyone from the starters to the scout team on the practice field as the Buckeyes prepare for the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes did not practice in pads on Tuesday, as they are still slated to hold another full practice on Wednesday before a walkthrough on Thursday, but it was the final opportunity for the media to see the Buckeyes on the field before Friday’s game.

A few observations from our viewing window inside Jerry World:

TATE RUNNING THE OFFENSE

During the inside run period early in practice, true freshman quarterback Tate Martell – now wearing a black non-contact jersey like the rest of the Buckeyes’ signal-callers, a change from early in the year – was put in charge of running the offense, surrounded by first- and second-string players on the other spots on the quarterback depth chart, while veteran quarterbacks J.T. Barrett, Dwayne Haskins and Joe Burrow threw individually.



Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer spent more time with his quarterbacks than any other position during the open portion of practice, appearing to keep a close eye on the backups’ throwing while chatting with Barrett.

Barrett, while still sporting the brace that he usually wears on his left knee, was not wearing the brace on his right knee that he wore in the Big Ten Championship Game after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

Walk-on quarterback Kory Curtis played the role of Sam Darnold for the scout team, wearing a cardinal and gold No. 14 jersey.



CATCHING THE BALL LIKE A SAFETY

As Ohio State’s safeties went through a pass-catching drill during the open portion of practice, Buckeyes defensive coordinator and safeties coach Greg Schiano took the opportunity to coach his players on how they are supposed to catch the ball.

When true freshman Brendon White caught a throw in his chest area instead of high-pointing the ball, Schiano called a timeout to remind White and his teammates that as safeties, they are expected to catch the ball over their heads instead of in their bodies.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...io-states-cotton-bowl-practice-at-att-stadium
 
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Football: Does Ohio State view 2017 as a successful season?

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Regardless of the outcome of Friday’s Cotton Bowl, Ohio State will not end the 2017 season with a national championship trophy.

At best, the Buckeyes’ resume will feature a Big Ten East division title, Big Ten conference championship and a Cotton Bowl victory. For most teams in college football, that is considered a successful season.

Ohio State is not most teams.

Many fans view the Buckeyes as national championship or bust. And while a win in the Cotton Bowl might help to alleviate the pain of not winning the title, it still does not quite meet the standard many have for the school.

“We want to go win because 12-2 isn’t a bad season,” freshman running back J.K. Dobbins said Tuesday. “It’s not great. It’s not what’s expected in Columbus, Ohio, but it’s a great season and this will be one of the best teams that we’ve had here.”

Quarterback J.T. Barrett said at any other school, a national championship would not be needed to make 2017 a successful year. A conference title is not something easily achieved, particularly among Power Five schools, and for many it has not seemed to be enough to justify Ohio State’s season.

“I think at Ohio State, it’s very interesting what we see as success. At other places, when you go 11-3, it’s a really good year. But at Ohio State, it’s not,” Barrett said. “It’s hard to win a conference championship in those Power Five conferences.”

But is that enough to justify calling 2017 a successful season? Based on preseason expectations set by followers of the team, it might not be.

Ohio State brings in top recruiting classes every year; it consistently is given some of the highest odds to finish the year as the top team in the nation; and it always has several players in postseason award discussions and early-NFL draft consideration. The expectations are high from the fans because the team always seems to be set up for a championship-caliber season.

While fans can have their own opinion on what determines a successful campaign, redshirt senior center Billy Price said those in the program keep much more reasonable preseason goals.

Those expectations start with the division title and the conference championship, Price said. Anything that comes after that is just a result of the pursuit of the Big Ten accomplishments, he said.

“If you’re in the program, you understand the business of college football. If you’re looking at it, a win or a success or a failure of a season based on a national championship, then you’re in the wrong business,” Price said. “If they don’t think that we have our own high expectations, you’re crazy. Because there’s a certain trait in your blood that says, ‘OK, that’s not acceptable at all.’ Three losses, conference championship.”

Entire article: https://www.thelantern.com/2017/12/football-does-ohio-state-view-2017-as-a-successful-season/
 
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