2004 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Practice Notes and Quotes – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 30, 2003
Practice Notes
The day began for the Ohio State football team at the site of the 33rd annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl – Sun Devil Stadium – as the entire Buckeye squad participated in media day on the field where it won the 2002 national championship in a dramatic double-overtime thriller, a 31-24 victory over Miami (Fla.), Jan. 3, 2003.
Following the media event, Ohio State held its next-to-last practice. The Buckeyes practiced for about two hours in the best weather since arriving in the Valley of the Sun. It was 63 degrees and partly sunny when the Buckeyes came off the field and were treated to bratwurst, which was cooked on the Johnsonville Big Taste Grill.
Watching Ohio State’s practice was professional golfer Tom Lehman. Lehman, who played collegiate golf at Minnesota, now lives in Scottsdale, Ariz. Lehman was invited to practice after playing golf earlier in the week with Archie Griffin, Ohio State’s associate athletics director and two-time Heisman Trophy winner in 1974 and 1975.
“I live in Scottsdale now and went to school at Minnesota, so I am a big fan of the Big Ten,” Lehman, who won the 1996 British Open, said. “It was nice to be out at practice today.”
After a few hours of free time, the Buckeyes then went to Jillian’s at Desert Ridge, where they ate dinner and played video games for approximately two hours before heading back to the team hotel.
The team will hold its final practice under the lights Wednesday at Pinnacle High School and then hold a walk-through at Sun Devil Stadium Thursday before kicking off shortly after 8 p.m. (EST) Friday against Kansas State. ABC Sports will televise the game. All practice sessions are closed to the media and general public.
Tuesday Post-Practice Quotes
Senior Quarterback Craig Krenzel
“Overall, I thought we had a good practice. We had a good tempo out there today. Today’s practice was more mental than physical. We are cutting back on hitting. It was more mental repetition and mental preparation than the other practices have been.
“All the guys wish we could play today. The enthusiasm is high and the morale is high. We are looking forward to our last practice tomorrow night and then playing against Kansas State on Friday.”
