Football
The-Ozone Note and Quotebook
By John Porentas
Devin Barclay
Photo by Dan HarkerOh! That Barclay!: Not many people knew who Devin Barclay was when the football season began but with one swing of his leg Barclay chiseled his name into OSU football lore forever. His 39-yard field goal in overtime gave the Buckeyes a Big Ten championship and trip to the Rose Bowl. It also elevated Barclay from footnote status to celebrity status in the blink of an eye.
"Aaron Pettrey said I had the opportunity to be a hero tonight," said Barclay.
Barclay had missed a 47-yard field goal earlier in the game, but when the chips were down and OSU really needed him, he came through.
"He was talking to me and keeping me calm, letting me that 'you're going to get another chance here," Barclay said of the encouragement he was getting from Pettrey, the man he replaced as OSU's kicker after Pettrey was injured in the New Mexico State game.
"You want to get this one right," Pettrey told Barclay.
Barclay did, splitting the uprights and in the process igniting a memorable on-field celebration as jubilant fans streamed onto the field.
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"I didn't think about it at that time. I didn't think everybody was going to come running down," said Barclay of the mob scene.
OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor
Photo by Dan Harker"I just was expecting to celebrate with my teammates. Then sure enough, everybody came down."
When he realized what was happening, Barclay went into action, although it was a bit helter-skelter.
"I was running. I was moving. I don't know where I went or what my plan was. I guess I took my helmet off and started running. No thought went into that," he said.
His post-kick celebration activity was pretty random, but the kick itself was machine-like in its efficiency. That, said Barclay, was not just his doing.
"My snap and holds were perfect all day," he said.
"I had John (Thoma) holding for me who does an awesome job.
"Jake McQuade who snaps is an unbelievable snapper.
"It's just like kicking off a tee with those guys."
The kick was routine, but the circumstances were borderline surreal.
"I couldn't have ever imagined it going this way," said Barclay.
"You think you'll get a chance to win a game. Not a game like this.
"Every kicker has dreams and nightmares because you dream of getting this opportunity and then you dream of also having the opportunity and letting it slip away.
"I'm just glad I made sure I didn't let that slip away."
Brandon Saine legs out a a 49-yard scoring jaunt that started with Jim Cordle's hands.
Photo by Jim DavidsonHands Tape: Brandon Saine made a 49-yard bolt for a score in the second half that was a thing of beauty. Saine made good use of his legs as he dashed to the endzone, but it was some work with hands that really made the play possible.
"Coach Bollman has what he calls the hands highlight tape," explained OSU offensive lineman Jim Cordle.
"Once you get your hands in, you're in control.
"Clayborn (Iowa defensive tackle Adrian Clayborn) is an unbelievable player, he got me most of the night, but on that one I got him, got his hands, drove him off the ball," said Cordle.
"The rest of the guys, Justin (Boren) pushed the nose against Mike's (Brewster's) face, Jake (Ballard) turned out the Sam and I got some movement on Clayborn which is unbelievable.
"Brandon Saine, when the blocking is that good the safety can't fill the hole with Brandon Saine coming through."
Cordle's handiwork helped spring Saine on the play and typified an effective running game the Buckeyes employed all night. Cordle and his linemate's had a big hand in that, but Cordle was quick to point out that Saine and Boom Herron also played a major role.
"Our backs ran so hard. They ran as hard as all get out," said Cordle.
"Our running backs just RAN the ball, and that got us fired up for sure."
Second Guessing: Nobody gets second-guessed more than football coaches, and the coach who gets it the most is the one that is on the losing end of a tight football game. OSU fans are doing some second guessing of winning coach Jim Tressel, but Iowa's Kirk Ferentz was taking questions regarding one of his decisions in the game almost the moment he entered the post-game interview room.
Of largest interest was Ferentz' decision to run out the clock at the end of regulation instead of taking a crack or two at the endzone. What seemed so peculiar at the time was that Ferentz had used a timeout to stop the clock on OSU's punt, but then didn't make an effort to score. Ferentz, it turned out, had a pretty good explanation.
"If we had had an opportunity, a punt shank or a return which, Ohio State doesn't give up too many punt returns, but if some how some way we had got something good there or if we had popped that first play, then we would have kicked it in gear," he said.
Thoma's punt, however, did not allow that to happen. Ferentz said that in itself was the end all of the decision.
"If we had popped something there on first down we would have tried something," said Ferentz.
Iowa's first down play was stuffed, so the Hawkeyes ended up running down the clock and heading into overtime. Reporters wanted to know if having a first-time starter at quarterback entered into the decision.
"If we had had Joe Namath in there I think we would have done the same thing," said Ferentz.
Lobbying Tress : Quarterback Terrelle Pryor has been improving steadily as the season progresses, but one thing he has never lacked is confidence. That was true heading into the Iowa game. Pryor lobbied Tressel before the game to let him bring home a winner for the Buckeyes and earn Tressel a trip to the Rose Bowl, a place he hasn't been in 25 years.
OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor
Photo by Dan Harker"I kept on telling him 'Coach, just trust me, I'm going to get you there,'" said a griming Pryor.
"I kept texting him over and over. This morning I texted him and said 'You ready to get this?' and he said 'Lets do it!'"
"I'm so happy for him. I gave him a hug after the game and said congratulations, but it's Michigan time now.
"It's Michigan and it's going to be a fight no matter what their record is."
No Rest: The celebration after the game was a joyous one, but the Buckeyes have one more regular-season game to play, and it's a big one, the Michigan game. Though he is a Pennsylvania native and is in only his second year at Ohio State, Terrelle Pryor already has an appreciation of just how big the next game is.
"Outright Big Ten championship and Michigan in general," said Pryor of the things that are on the line next Saturday in Ann Arbor.
"If we lose to these guys we'll be hated in Ohio for this year.
"We've got to win this.
"It's huge, then we'll worry about Pasadena, but we have to pass this next test," Pryor said.
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OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel isn't likely to let his team forget how big the upcoming game is, despite the euphoria after the Iowa game.
"We told our guys they could have three hours (to celebrate)," said Tressel.
"When the clock strikes 12, you know what week it is."
"If we go up there and lose the game we'll have a bad feeling for the whole year," said OSU running back Boom Herron.
"What we did today is over with," added defensive end Thad Gibson.
"Our next focus is Michigan. We have to make sure we prepare for Michigan just like we would any other team with the outright Big Ten championship on the line."
OSU linebacker Ross Homan said his view of the OSU vs. Michigan rivalry made it very unlikely he would not be ready to play next Saturday despite the emotional win against Iowa.
"This is the Ohio State vs. Michigan game, said Homan.
"You can't not get up for that?
"I really think Ohio State Michigan is bigger than the national championship."
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