NOTEBOOK Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Ready at a moment's notice: Howland High graduate Doug Datish, a redshirt sophomore with Ohio State, is practicing with the Buckeyes' second-team offense. Starting right guard Alex Stepanovich is officially listed as the backup center behind Nick Mangold, but Datish is ready to step into the lineup at any moment. "Being the back-up center now, I approach it like I'm going to have to play," said Datish, "so I just try to learn everything I can and do the best I can if I get my opportunity."
Datish said he's been patient waiting for his opportunity. After being redshirted in 2002, he played just six minutes this season. "I've learned so much and I've improved," he said. "I don't think I deserve to play, but maybe next year, hopefully. You've got to wait for your opportunity and take it when you have the chance."
Datish made the trip to Tempe, Ariz., last year and said he noticed a different atmosphere around the team, despite the fact the Buckeyes are staying at the same hotel and are practicing at the same site. "We're a little more [comfortable] because we've done everything that we've been going through," he said.
He's staying put ... for now: Ohio State defensive line coach Jim Heacock, the brother of Youngstown State coach Jon Heacock and a graduate of West Branch High, said he has no plans to join Buckeyes defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio as a head coach anytime soon. (Dantonio was named head coach at the University of Cincinnati earlier this month.) That doesn't necessarily mean he's ruling out returning as a head coach one day. Heacock was the head coach at Illinois State from 1988-95. "I've never even thought about it," he said. "It's just not me. I don't think about that stuff, things like that [just] happen. I don't even have time to worry about that type of stuff. You seen Kansas State's offense? That's what I'm worried about."
Heacock said his emotions are somewhat torn between being happy for Dantonio and ending what has been an extremely successful coaching staff during the Jim Tressel era. "It's the profession -- we've all been through it so many times," he said. "All of us have been on different staffs, and coaches come and go. Everybody respects Mark for what he did and he's been a great guy to work with. He's a great person, he works hard and does all those things.
"But on the other side, you're really happy when you see somebody get an opportunity, which he deserves. Ohio State will move on, but it's great for him to get that opportunity."
Snyder's prediction: Kansas State coach Bill Snyder doesn't figure Ohio State will give up attempts to run the ball, despite the Buckeyes' well-documented troubles in the rushing attack. "We would go into any ball game we play regardless of their ability to run or throw the football with the idea that you'd better be able to defend well against the run," he said. "Ohio State will be a well-prepared football team and they'll make a very genuine attempt to run the football and if we're not well-prepared they will run the football [well]."
Snyder, part II: Snyder also believes special teams will make a difference in the outcome. "We've got to hold our own, at least, in the kicking game and create some field position in our own right. Field position has won a lot of football games for Ohio State."
Tressel impressed: Tressel's scouting report of Kansas State: "It starts with the tailback [Darren Sproles]. Every time he touches the ball you hold your breath. Their quarterback [Ell Roberson] really runs the show and is really the catalyst for getting the ball to the right people. He can hit you with the option, he can hit you with the quarterback run game, he can throw long, throw the screen game extremely well. Their receivers are big play guys, their offensive line has tremendous feet, tremendous quickness, and they stick and stay on blocks very, very well. They just come at you in so many different ways that it'll be a great, great challenge for our defense."
-- Rob Todor