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"The lady said ‘we.' I'm thinking about this lady cashier at McDonalds said ‘we' like she was part of Ohio State. I'm thinking that doesn't get much closer than family right there."
- J.T. Barrett, via Bill Bender, Sporting News
Ohio State redshirt freshman quarterback didn't come in with all the hype that former Buckeye quarterbacks have, but it didn't take long for Ohio State to welcome Barrett with open arms. The Texas-native originally had his eyes set on going to Texas, but after the Longhorns decided to go with Tyrone Swoopes, Barrett began looking elsewhere.
During a visit in 2011, Barrett stayed at a nearby hotel and ate at a McDonalds where he overheard a cashier talking about the Buckeyes. What caught his attention was the cashier using the word 'we' when discussing Ohio State, and that proved to Barrett how much of a family the Buckeyes really were. The final nail in the coffin of his commitment was head coach Urban Meyer telling Barrett that Ohio State didn't have "game players," but instead, "practice players."
"That's always something I'm going to take with me for the rest of my life."
- Tyvis Powell on his game-saving interception against Michigan, via Tim May, The Columbus Dispatch
You might remember last year's version of The Game between Ohio State and Michigan, and if you do, you'll surely remember Tyvis Powell's interception on the Wolverines' two-point attempt trailing by one with less than a minute to play in the fourth quarter. Powell's interception sealed up a perfect regular season record for the second consecutive year.
"He caught the ball, and I don't think he put it down until he got back home in Columbus," linebacker Joshua Perry said with a laugh. "I mean, he went in the shower with that thing. He was getting dressed with the ball." While Powell won't ever forget that moment, he's still focused on the latest edition of the rivalry as well. Powell knows full well that the Buckeyes will get the Wolverines' best shot in the regular season finale and is prepared to help his team finish the regular season on a high note once more.
"I just want to play well, like I said earlier, because of the guys that we have. I want everybody to be successful and I want to be on a really good defense. I've seen really really good defenses play here, I grew up watching the Buckeyes and I just want to be a part of something like that."
- Joshua Perry, via Bill Landis, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Junior linebacker Joshua Perry has been Ohio State's leading tackler on defense and a symbol of consistency this season for the Buckeyes. With 99 tackles, three sacks, and an interception to his name, Perry has helped lead Ohio State to an 10-1 record heading into the final regular season game against Michigan. While he may not be Ryan Shazier, Perry has filled in valiantly. Even Perry admits that Ohio State has work to do defensively with the stakes rising with each game from here on out.
It's heartening to hear Perry talk about the defensive units that Ohio State has had in previous years and aspires to help this current team leave its mark on the Buckeyes legacy. With Ohio State contending for a spot in the College Football Playoff, they're on their way. Perry and the defense could end up
"Ohio State University - Tom Herman, Offensive Coordinator"
- The Rotary Club of Little Rock for the 2014 Broyles Award
Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman has made the list of nominees for the 2014 Broyles Award, which is given annually to the top assistant college football coach in America and was established in 1996 to honor legendary Arkansas head coach Frank Broyles. Coach Broyles had a track record of producing some of the most successful assistant coaches in college football history.
Coach Herman represents the Big Ten along with Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, Michigan State co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner, Minnesota defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys, Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, and Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. Coach Herman has helped produce a record-breaking offense this season led by quarterback J.T. Barrett as Ohio State makes their second consecutive Big Ten championship game.
STICK TO SPORTS
- You're in luck if you're a fan of ugly Christmas sweaters.
- Jon Bois gives a eulogy for RadioShack as Black Friday approaches.
- The turkeys named "Mac" and "Cheese" have officially been pardoned. You can sleep soundly tonight.
- The Humane Society is offering bargain adoptions for free cats and discounted dogs on Friday because you probably thought Black Friday was just limited to stores.