SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Urban Meyer and Ohio State are putting the finishing touches on their game plan and prep for Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, again taking to the grass fields at Pinnacle High School Wednesday for practice.
With New Year's Day rapidly approaching, the No. 7 Buckeyes are running short on time to get ready for Brian Kelly's No. 8 Fighting Irish. After both teams held media days at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort, each hit the field with media allowed to watch the first 15 minutes.
Notes:
- Temperatures were a carbon copy from practice a day earlier, when we learned starting tight end Nick Vannett was absent due to an illness. He returned to the field Wednesday.
- Starting cornerback Gareon Conley did not attend media day, but was at practice. All starters—and other players at Ohio State's discretion—were scheduled to be available to speak with reporters Wednesday morning. Conley looked fully healthy and good to go at practice.
- Freshman cornerback Damon Arnette practiced. It is the first time all season the media has seen him suited up, after he entered Ohio State on crutches with a lower leg injury.
- Freshman quarterback Joe Burrow remained absent from the team. A spokesman said Tuesday the plan was for him to arrive to Arizona that day.
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Quarterbacks J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones spent time throwing a graduate assistant in addition to redshirt freshman Stephen Collier during light drills. Media was escorted out before they began to throw to wide receivers.
J.T. Barrett with some pylon tosses pic.twitter.com/5QH0RUCjuX
— Eric Seger (@EricSeger33) December 30, 2015 -
During wide receiver warmups, Dontre Wilson dropped a pair of passes. Parris Campbell snagged one behind his back as he was running away from the coach who threw the ball. Many one-handed catches were made, including this one by Braxton Miller:
Braxton Miller one-handed catch in warmups https://t.co/6zPiBQybvT
— Eric Seger (@EricSeger33) December 30, 2015 - The team practiced without pads, just as it did Tuesday.
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A playlist that included songs from DMX, French Montana and others resonated across the airwaves as the team stretched and completed warmups under plentiful sunshine.
Wednesday practice for Ohio State in Arizona is underway to the joyous and thundering tones of DMX pic.twitter.com/yub95Tvha1
— Eric Seger (@EricSeger33) December 30, 2015 - Ohio State has one final walk through Thursday before kickoff New Year's Day at 1 p.m. EST, 11 a.m. MST.
- Final media obligations for the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish is a brief press conference Thursday morning with coaches Urban Meyer and Brian Kelly.
