ARLINGTON, Tx. — The Ohio State Buckeyes suffocated the USC Trojans 24-7 Friday night in the 82nd annual Cotton Bowl Classic, giving OSU a win over Michigan, a Big Ten Title, and a Cotton Bowl win to cap off a very successful 2017 campaign. After the game, plenty of coaches and players shared their thoughts on what the win meant and what they are looking forward to next year. Here are some highlights.
Urban Meyer
+ After the game, Meyer had each of the seniors say a few words to the team. “And I can’t get enough of those guys.”
+ Meyer said he gets asked what J.T. Barrett means to this team and he never gets tired of answering it. “We just had…not very many dry eyes in the locker room.”
+ On Barrett: “I know he’s going to go play in the NFL.”
+ The defensive line was dominating and relentless against an excellent quarterback.
+ Sam Darnold is every bit a top five pick. “I was watching him warm up and going ‘whoa.'”
+ This win was very personal for Meyer.
+ The program is in a very good spot right now. This game provides more momentum for next season and also for the close of recruiting.
+ Conversations about Denzel Ward began after the Big Ten Championship Game. Denzel is a great young man. His mom is great.
J.T. Barrett
+ “God has definitely blessed me and my family for the opportunity to be at Ohio State.”
+ “It’s been a blessing. I’m very grateful for everybody. That’s been a part of my dream here at Ohio State.”
+ Barrett has looked up to Drew Brees since he was a kid, so it’s crazy to now hold the all-time total offense record in the Big Ten, breaking Brees’ old record.
Damon Webb
+ On Denzel Ward not playing: “My mindset was just the next man up. I know we’ve got a lot of young guys that was ready to play.”
+ Webb was pleased to cap his career so well, with interceptions in both postseason games.
+ He has high expectations for the safeties next season, including Isaiah Pryor, who expects to take over for Webb at the Falcon safety spot.
Kerry Coombs
+ Coombs said it is selfish of him to want Denzel Ward to play. It was a personal decision and a tough decision to make.
+ Coombs wants spring practice to start tomorrow because he was very excited about the way Kendall Sheffield, Damon Arnette, and Jeff Okudah all played.
+ Shaun Wade will be able to take part in winter workouts in January. He would have played this season if not for his abdominal injury.
Shaun Wade
+ Wade said he can’t wait to get to work and help the team in any way that he can.
+ This season has been tough, but there are so many examples here of cornerbacks who have redshirted and gone on to great careers.
Jeff Okudah
+ Okudah learned so much this season, which will only help him next season.
+ He thought he played okay tonight. He knew there was a very good chance that he was going to play a lot of snaps in this one.
Chase Young
+ Young said it was a great feeling to get a sack on Sam Darnold in the Cotton Bowl.
+ What should you expect from Young next year with more snaps? Just a tenacious player on every snap. “Relentless.”
Dre’Mont Jones
+ Jones has a decision to make on the NFL. There are good things about leaving and staying, so he has some things to think about.
+ He knows Nick Bosa thinks he’s staying, but he’s not sure how he’d know if no decision has been made.
Mike Weber
+ Weber has not made up his mind about next year and the NFL.
Tate Martell
+ Martell learned a lot from J.T. Barrett this season, especially on how to do everything as a professional.
+ Martell expects to play next year.
Isaiah Pryor
+ Learned a ton from Damon Webb and plans on stepping in for him seamlessly.
+ Per Webb, Jordan Fuller and Pryor are both very smart players, so he believes they will be fine without him.
Haskell Garrett
+ Garrett knows there is a huge opportunity to see the field next year, and he’s going to spend the offseason making the most of his shot.
+ He thinks Dre’Mont Jones is coming back.
+ Garrett learned a lot from the seniors and now he is ready to step into a leadership role for the younger players coming in behind him.
Meyer loses credibility with a comment like that. Another thing I dont like about Meyer is during games he always looks like he is in a panic. But the players are supposed to keep their cool. I believe Paul Chryst is the best coach in the Big
JT’s passing is 31% accurate, 31% dependent upon outstanding receptions and 38% inaccuracies. He may have the heart, will and even the skills to play in the NFL, but just not as a professional QB.
Amazing! Ohio State just went 12-2, won the Big Ten Championship and beat USC in the Cotton Bowl, and all commenters can do is gripe. J.T. didn’t set all-time OSU and Big Ten records because Meyer insisted on playing him. He was darn good, left everything on the field, and played his heart out 100% of the time.
Whether he plays in the NFL or not is no big deal. Archie won two Heismans and was an NFL bust. But no one can take his collegiate stardom from him, and the same goes for J.T. I know that in years to come he’ll be much more appreciated than he is today by many so-called Buckeye fans.
It was a great year. Yes, they aren’t in the CFP, but that’s as much a problem with the selection process as it is with Ohio State laying an egg at Iowa.
You guys doing all the grousing – don’t know whether you’re students, or workers, or what – but I hope you have someone looking over your shoulders just as critical of your performance as you are of the Buckeyes. GO BUCKS!
BuckeyeBob- You are correct in one respect- it is amazing. Its amazing that people like you can read tons of comments, conveniently forget the ones that defeat your shaky notions, and use gross exaggerations and insist they are facts in order to make your point…
It isn’t a big deal if JT plays in the NFL- I couldn’t care less. No one I know wants to take JT’s collegiate stardom from him. I’m a Buckeye fan, not a “so called” Buckeye fan. And NO- it wasn’t a “great year”. You don’t get your behinds handed to you twice and call it “great”. The Bucks didn’t belong in the playoff- period. And one of these days, its possible- not probable, just possible- that people like you will somehow learn that a fan can be critical of something he loves. Buckeye fandom isn’t exclusively composed of droolers who can’t think for themselves- those are UM and Ped State fans, Bob.
12-2 not a great year? You sir, are an imbecile!
Hey Chester- and YOU need to rewatch the games! As much as it pains me to say it, my beloved Bucks got crushed in their two losses. In case you’ve been unconscious the past few years, OSU is (very fortunately) playing in rarified air of truly elite teams. Thus, by the standards the coaches and players themselves have told fans to embrace, this was NOT a “great” year. Know your subject before handing out idiotic insults. Stick that where the sun doesn’t shine, ‘sir”.
You are the imbecile. 12 and 2 is really good, its not great
If you think the selection committee got it wrong then your knowledge of football is minimal. As much as I would have loved to have seen the Buckeyes in the CFP….the just didn’t deserve a slot. I can understand a loss to a very good OU team but Iowa was a different story.
What a frustrating night. It exemplified the entire season. The defense played lights out, the offensive line has improved dramatically and we have a new coordinator who can light up a defense, but it appears the only thing holding us back was a qb who can throw the ball. After the first 2 series USC started attacking the los, knowing that we had no confidence in our qb’s ability to throw the ball. We should have smoked Michigan, Wisconsin and USC but instead kept all 3 teams in the game with our limited qb play. JT is Urbans pet and maybe for good reason; he’s a great guy, a leader, a hard worker and all the rest, he just isn’t a great qb. Urban’s delusional if he thinks he’s an nfl caliber qb, With the talent we have at Ohio State we should be playing for national titles, not runner up Cotton Bowls. C’mon Urban, end Buckeye Nations frustration and turn the offense loose because we can’t stand to watch another season of frustration like we just went through.
Sorry Urban. I know you love yourself some JT Barrett but he won’t be playing in the NFL!
I know Urban loves JT but he is delusional when he says JT will play in the NFL. Our whole offense sucked last night just as they always do against really good teams and they cram the box because they don’t respect JT’s passing ability. JT didn’t have much time but he, as always, held onto the ball too long when receivers were wide open on short passes. Austin Mack had to make acrobatic catches of his errant and late throws. JT has all the records because of his longevity, his surrounding cast, and his ability to score big against mediocre competition. Our offense will be better next year with a real passer at the QB position.
Fact is that OSU ran a vanilla offense in the second half because there was no need to open things up and risk turnovers. Sure, it was maddening to watch but I think Urban/Wilson would have called a different second half if needed. Tresselball made an unexpected return and won us the Cotton Bowl and ensured a top 5 season.
Excited for 2018 but keeping expectations in check. While not a great player JT accomplished great things and was a tremendous leader and was clutch. Like most fans I was frustrated with his accuracy and decision-making at times but he helped deliver the greatest run this mid-40s Buckeye has seen.
I think we can stop calling it Tresselball now because it is also Meyerball. The defensive line wasn’t going to give up 17 points, so there was no reason to risk anything.
Ummm…what about the foolish decision to go for it on the 40 on 4th and 1? I’d call that risky. And no, the d line wasn’t going to give up 17 points, but the offense/kick coverage teams have demonstrated they are VERY comfortable with letting opponents back in games this season. The offense stopped playing and OSU demonstrated why it didn’t belong in the Playoff this year.
Can’t believe anyone hasn’t mentioned that KJ Hill was “targeted” on his bad punt return decision that led to USC’s touchdown- especially after OSU has been victimized all year long by that stupid rule. The USC player clearly hit him with the helmet, on Hill’s helmet, when Hill couldn’t defend himself. Rule needs to go.
The fourth down call was the right one but the play was all wrong. You had less than a yard…put the QB under center and get a push (perfectly legal) from behind! I’ll never understand shot gun formations with less than a yard
Cageyone- for what its worth, I agree that going for it on that 4th down was proper. I was disagreeing with Tony’s comment that Meyer decided to do “nothing risky” in the second half, because the 4th down play was clearly risky. And yes, its one of life’s greatest mysteries that a D1 football team lacks the guts to line up under center and push for a yard. I’ve been saying that since Braxton Miller’s infamous parallel to line of scrimmage lcuter vs MSU years ago.
Whoops- just noticed the typo in my comment above. No, I have no idea what ‘lcuter” was meant to be. The topic frustrates me so much that my fingers
get ahead of everything else. Let’s just say its idiotic not to run sneak type snaps from under center.
Or Urban Ball as Lesmeris referenced earlier this year. Whatever we call it I’ll take winning ugly any day over whatever it is that UM has become.
Not a bad idea as off season filler to compare/contrast the coaching styles of Tressel and Meyer. Jim opened things up a bit with Terrelle but I don’t think he ever trusted his passing as much as Urban (for better or worse) trusted JTs arm.
Looking forward to seeing what we get next year with Haskins or Burrow. In limited action they look decidedly more accurate and I hope Urban and Wilson evolve the offense to fit their skills. Hopefully all receivers stay and the line remains strong enough to let this happen.
It will not be Burrow…Myer has already chosen Haskins.
Barrett may make a practice squad for a year or two but he does not possess NFL QB1 skills nor was he smart enough to switch to another position and take advantage of his athleticism.