By Jim Naveau
jnaveau@limanews.com

DALLAS – Ohio State has the fewest snaps and probably has huddled more than any of the other teams
in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
So what’s the story behind that?
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said it just means Ohio State can score quickly when he and Ryan Day sat
down for the Cotton Bowl coaches press conference on Thursday.
“The reason they have the least amount of snaps is they’re scoring so fast, there’s so many big plays that
are happening. There’s some joke in there but there’s some reality. They’ve been extremely explosive
offensively,” Sarkisian said.
Day’s explanation acknowledged the Buckeyes’ big-play ability but also explained how there was more
to it than just that.
“In terms of how we designed this year, part of it was we felt like by cutting down on the number of
snaps it would certainly help with the length of the season and the health of our team.
“But also getting into a huddle and having Will Howard look 10 guys in the eye and break the huddle
together we kind of grew as a team. There was a little bit of that we felt kind of gave us an edge. We don’t
always do that but it has allowed us to be more cohesive on offense,” he said.
“We broke the huddle together. And I know it sounds crazy, the huddle, it’s almost like going back
in time. But it’s sort of a new thing, really, because of the no-huddle offenses that have been
around; and certainly we have been a part of that.
“As time went on, the guys felt more and more comfortable together and broke that huddle
together as a team and as a group and as a unit. I think that helped us.”
Ohio State (12-2) will play Texas (13-2) in a College Football Playoff semifinal Friday night. The
Longhorns were also playoff semifinalists last year when they lost 37-31 to Washington.
Both coaches applauded the 12-team College Football Playoff in its first season, which allows a team a
second chance after a loss or two, like OSU’s two against Oregon and Michigan and Texas’ two losses
against Georgia.
“Now, with the way that this is set up, I think that you’re allowed a loss or two throughout the season to
learn and to grow and to build as a team. Where, in the past, if you were to lose a game like that, your
whole season,” Day said.
Sarkisian said, “I think in this day and age of college football to think that you’re just going to go
unblemished is probably now unrealistic, especially in our two conferences because of the amount of
quality opponents you have to play each week and the grind that it puts on your team not only physically
but mentally. I think the ones that can be standing Jan. 9 and Jan. 10 and playing for the opportunity to be
playing for a national championship, the credit is due to all four teams.”
After Ohio State’s 42-17 win over Tennessee and its 41-21 win over Oregon in its first two playoff
games, Sarkisian described his team as a massive underdog to the Buckeyes. Texas won 38-24 over
Clemson and 39-31 in double overtime against Arizona State in its first two playoff games.
He stood behind his assessment, though maybe not quite as forcefully as he had earlier on Thursday,
saying OSU had earned the right to be the favorite because of the way it has played in the last two weeks.
Day said, “I feel every week is a whole new week. Certainly the way that Texas won the game last
week there is momentum there. But the truth is nothing Texas has done or Ohio State has done up to this
point has anything to do with what is going to happen in this game.
“Every single week the slate is wiped clean and you have to start from scratch again. The bottom line is
the team that plays best and executes best is going to win the game. Ultimately it is going to come down
to the players on the field and how they play.”