As the offensive MVP of the National Championship Game, the star of Ohio State's title run, a preseason Heisman favorite and a potential first round pick, Ezekiel Elliott has every right to appear conceited.
Fortunately, that isn't in his nature and it would be unusual for an Urban Meyer player. According to Elliott, he remains focused on preparing for the season and not a potential Heisman Trophy campaign.
"That's really on the back burner. Our main priority is getting back to the Big Ten championship," Elliott said on media day, via TheOZone. "We're not really focused on those individual goals or awards. If we play for each other, play well together, all the other stuff will come with it."
This week's upcoming practice slate will truly prove if he – and the rest of the team, for that matter – is truly concentrated on the task of attempting to win another Big Ten title. Two-a-day sessions began today and the team spends most of the day at the practice facility. When they're not at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, the Buckeyes are confined to the hotel. There isn't much down time, meaning Elliott might not even be able to watch his own ESPN special.
He believes this month is essential to building camaraderie and the adversity necessary to deal with the high expectations surrounding the team.
"This time is for building relationships. You never know what kind of relationship you have with someone until you go through some stuff," he said. "This camp is a time where we all go through some stuff. We know we're all mentally exhausted and we're allowing each other to stay sane."
In his third season with Ohio State, Elliott has obviously been through the traditional fall camp "grind" before. The difference in preparation for this season is how the coaching staff combats any complacency and avoids the tough mental hurdle the team faces trying to avoid being crushed under the weight of expectations.
Meyer thinks his squad, including the star tailback at its forefront, is handling it well so far.
"These team meetings, I'd be disappointed to hear our players talk about anything other than Adolphus Washington worrying about the defensive line, and Vonn Bell and Tyvis worrying about that we have the best safeties in America, Eli and Gareon taking care of their world," Meyer said during his media day press conference. "For [them] to worry about something other than that, that's not fair, and more importantly for Coach Coombs, Coach Johnson, Coach Ash, myself, to worry about something that doesn't exist.
The good thing is they're locked down at the hotel with us, and so up until we play the first game, we're locked down."
Elliott has no time to feel self-satisfied, especially with the Buckeyes shorthanded at the skill positions for their first game at Virginia Tech. He spent part of last week with the kick and punt return specialists. Special teams needs him, a unit which Elliott may have thought he escaped after a breakout sophomore season.
For the good of the team, Elliott continues to buy in. His message is consistent with what Meyer preaches.
"The way they train us with it, we're wired differently from everybody else so we're used to this [pressure]," he said. "In a game, you don't know what could happen, you have to be prepared for anything. It's all just training for the season."
