Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel often says the biggest play in football is the punt.
That said, there were a lot of “big plays” Saturday in Madison, as the No. 4 Buckeyes (8-0, 3-0) remained perfect while surviving Wisconsin, 19-14.
Fifth-year senior Andy Groom reinforced the big-play theory and gained the attention of league dignitaries.
The Buckeye punter garnered Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his efforts against the Badgers after averaging 50.2 yards per punt on six kicks.
The effort was good for third place on the OSU single-game punting list, becoming just the third Buckeye in school history to average more than 50 yards per punt in a game.
Highlighting Groom’s memorable day was a career-long 74-yard punt late in the game that pushed Wisconsin 80 yards away from the winning score with 5:31 left.
“I knew it was gone. I saw the guy playing me around 45 or 50 yards and I had the wind behind me, so I really wasn’t worried about getting good hang-time. I just wanted to rifle it to one end of the field. I just saw him take off and I knew it was gone,” he said.
He kicked a punt inside Wisconsin’s 1-yard line in the third quarter.
“Andy had a great day,” Tressel said. “He did an excellent job of punting the football, one time against the wind, letting it roll down to the half-yard line, which made them burn up a lot of that quarter that they had with the wind, which was huge in the course of the game.”
“Then of course his 74-yarder was big at the end of the game,” Tressel said. “He continues to do a good job as our holder as well.”
Groom leads the Big Ten in punting with an average of 45.2 yards per kick. Groom was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection last year.
The accomplishments are a long stride for a kicker from Columbus that was recruited as a walk-on.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a Buckeye,” Groom said.
“Just to be able to come here and walk-on and everybody telling you that you’d never make it. I had teachers from high school tell me I wouldn’t make it – being able to come in here and do what I’ve been able to do, is truly a dream come true. This is the best time of my life,” he said.
Groom attributes his succes to a solid work ethic.
“I’ve worked harder than you would ever expect,” Groom said. “I’m out there in the off-season, five days a week punting.”
BCS reaction: Senior Safety Mike Doss said the released BCS numbers won’t cause the Buckeyes to lose focus.
“It’s only October, and we have five games left,” Doss said. “The up and coming weeks are the most important for the Buckeyes, and especially Saturday. We’re just looking forward to this challenge.
“In the end, whatever the BCS says, that’s what it says, but we know Ohio State has to keep winning,” he said.
