* Homan admits he thinks a bit about the linebacker legacy at Ohio State, but he doesn't believe he'll ever measure up to guys like A.J. Hawk or James Laurinaitis.
Ohio State junior linebacker Ross Homan
"It's a huge step to try to get to a level with those guys," Homan said. "It's always a goal of mine. Will I get there? Probably not. But it's something I can always look forward to."
That's a great way to look at it, because Homan is probably right. He said later that his injury, and subsequent redshirt, in 2007 held him back, while players like Hawk and Laurinaitis hit their stride earlier in their careers. But that doesn't mean he can't come close to that level as a senior.
* The players said they were rooting hard for Iowa in the Orange Bowl, and the Big Ten's better bowl performance meant something to them.
"I was excited every time Iowa made a play and I got angry every time they did something bad," Chekwa said. "It's fun rooting for the guys you played against. .... I think the teams at the top of the conference didn't finish off the [previous] seasons the way we wanted to, so I think people in the nation thought we weren't as good. I think we've always been good teams and now we proved to the people in the nation that we are."
* Homan went back and forth between embracing 2010 national championship expectations and not wanting to look too far ahead.
"Once you worry about expectations, you get a lot more pressure on yourself and you might start playing out of your rhythm," he said. "You have to relax and not worry about that too much."
But he also said, "Next year could be a special year for us. ... I want to come back and be part of a special team."
