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Rose Bowl report: Buckeyes go Hollywood
What are the Buckeyes up to in California? OSU media relations is sending daily reports. Monday’s installment:
An Offensive Media Day
Boom, Brandon, Dane, Terrelle and Coach Bollman Meet with Media
LOS ANGELES - Monday in Southern California was another pleasant day with temperatures in the mid-to-high 60s for the Ohio State Buckeyes to conduct a two-hour practice session. The team returned to practicing in shorts and helmets after a hard-hitting day in full pads on Sunday.
Media was allowed to photograph and film about 20 minutes of the practice session. Included in the contingent was the ABC announcing crew for the game: Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Lisa Salters.
After practice the Buckeyes returned to the team hotel. The players then had a night to take in the sights and sounds of aspiring and established comedians at The Hollywood Improv.
Some Special Guests Members of the Challengers Boys & Girls Club out of Los Angeles stopped by practice and had an opportunity to meet and shake hands with the players.
We Saw Snow Today, Too
Most of the haze around Los Angeles disappeared as the local temperatures continued to get warmer, and on the bus ride to the Home Depot Center the team saw snow. It was the snow-capped peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains, though, about 40 miles east of L.A.
An Official Interview Day
It’s getting serious at the Rose Bowl when opposite sides of the football meet with the media and that’s how Monday started. Members of the Ohio State offense, including offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Jim Bollman, quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running backs Dan “Boom” Herron and Brandon Saine and receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, spent 30 minutes with the press at the official media headquarters - the Marriott Los Angeles Downtown - after members of the Oregon defense first met with them. Some notes from the interviews:
Pryor was asked about playing against Oregon, a team that recruited him. He’s been in this situation before.
“This is the same as what happened with the USC and Penn State games,” Pryor said. “I just had to choose a team. It’s going to be fun playing against a team/coach that recruited you. It comes with the territory. You have to play them (schools that recruited you) sometime.”
Boom on Intensity
Herron was asked about the team’s intense practice during the full-pads session on Sunday and he said the closer the team gets to game day the more the guys want to hit.
“It just makes you want to get out there and play and that’s what we are here for,” Herron said. “It was great to go out and hit a couple guys (on Sunday) and to get the feeling of playing the game we all love.”
Going with the Known
Brandon Saine was asked about what the team would do to try and exploit the Oregon defense. The team’s leading rusher among running backs with 694 yards this season felt the team would probably attack with what it does best: run the football.
“If we stick to what we do best and keep running the ball the way we are, maybe we can get them off pace with a couple of different things,” Saine said.
Sanzenbacher also felt strong about the Buckeyes’ running game.
“I think with the backs we have and with our offensive line, we always have a great shot with our running game,” said Sanzenbacher, a 12-game starter at wide receiver.
It’s Not About USC & Purdue
Saine did not feel that Oregon’s wins over the two teams that beat Ohio State this season - USC and Purdue - would have any bearing on the outcome of the Rose Bowl.
“I think you have to take every game by itself,” Saine said. “This game will just play out without any outside factors and I think it will be a great game.”
Sanzenbacher also got a USC/Purdue question, only from the angle of watching film. He said that you have to evaluate film from the games Oregon won and also from the games Oregon lost.
On the Receiving End
Ohio State is minus two of its top four receivers for the Rose Bowl, although Ray Small and Duron Carter combined for only 2.3 receptions per game with one touchdown. Taurian Washington and Lamaar Thomas are thus getting more reps in practice. Those two may have only one reception between them this season, but they haven’t gotten down, according to Sanzenbacher.
“There is not a lot of frustration,” Sanzenbacher said. “They’ve handled the season very well…better than a lot of guys would have. They want to play, but they understand in a place like this you wait your turn to get your opportunities and then you make the most of it.”
Sanzenbacher was surprised when he learned the news about his two teammates that wouldn’t make the trip.
“You expect to travel with guys you go through the season with,” Sanzenbacher said. “It’s a tough situation. We’d love to have them out here. The receivers are a close group. They are some of our best friends.”
Ducks’ Secondary Makes Plays
Sanzenbacher has been impressed with what he has seen on film regarding the Oregon secondary.
“They are a fast group in the secondary,” Sanzenbacher said. “You’ve seen that through all their games. They aren’t oversized. Their stats on paper don’t jump out at you, but they are guys that make plays and are going to be around the ball.”
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment |
Comments
By OSU Sucks
December 29, 2009 10:31 AM | Link to this
I see nothing in the article about going Hollywood or going to Hollywood. Misleading and quite boring journalism.
By Pragmatic
December 29, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this
if OSU Sucks, why are they in the top 10 in the Country and playing in the Rose Bowl??
By Clint
December 29, 2009 12:10 PM | Link to this
Go Buckeyes beat the Nike Oregon Ducks ! The Grand Daddy of all Bowls - The Rose Bowl ! Terrelle Pryor will show college football who’s # 1 going into the 2010 football season … Go Bucks
By Jared
December 29, 2009 3:17 PM | Link to this
“Nike Oregon Ducks”, couldn’t have said it any better.
By null
December 30, 2009 11:50 AM | Link to this
“Nike Oregon Ducks”….one word, hilarious!