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Fitch's Price returns to class after big victory
Billy Price was attending his first day of macroeconomics at Ohio State University on Wednesday.
He missed the first two days of spring semester classes, but the Austintown Fitch graduate had a reasonable excuse. He was starting at left guard for the Buckeyes’ football team in the College Football Playoff Championship game Monday night — and took part in the party that raged on well into Tuesday morning.
So for the redshirt freshman to be back in time for his 12:45 p.m. prerequisite class toward a business operations degree, is a feat that should be acknowledged.
Price said he had 81 text messages when he looked at his phone after Monday’s win, however he still wasn't the biggest celebrity in his statistics class on Wednesday. That honor went to title game MVP Ezekiel Elliott.
“Me and my roommate walked in and then Zeke walked in everyone was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s Zeke,’” Price said. “Everyone was congratulating him and congratulating us on the victory and the national championship and how proud everybody is.
“Everybody’s got a little bit of extra school pride from the win Monday.”
The Buckeyes beat Oregon in convincing fashion, 42-20, at AT&T Stadium to win the inaugural playoff, after knocking off top-seeded Alabama in a semifinal at the Sugar Bowl.
It’s been a whirlwind few months for Price and the rest of the Buckeyes, but that only made the celebration afterward that much more satisfying.
“It’s something you really can’t put words to,” said Price, who admitted to getting at least three hours of sleep before meeting his family for breakfast Tuesday morning.
“To go to war with your brothers, the guys to your left and right, and then you get to celebrate with them — it’s indescribable”
While some of his teammates were still trying to decide their futures, Price was back in the weight room Thursday morning. That is until the team’s strength and conditioning coach, Mickey Marotti, gave him the boot.
“Coach Mick kicked me out,” Price said with a laugh. “He said you’re not allowed to work out.
“The weight room is closed until January 20, so he’s giving us a good amount of time off to get our bodies back together.”
While the gym rat in Price wasn’t pleased with his coach's request, he realizes if they’re to duplicate the success they had this season it’s going to take a fresh body to do so.
“What we’ve done over 22, 23 weeks of the season and preseason and during the summer, I mean our bodies take a massive beating,” Price said. “You can definitely tell going into the final stretch of the season that guys are worn out.
“It’s a grind, there’s no doubt about that.”
QB CONTROVERSY
Price said he learned of quarterback Cardale Jones’ decision to stay at Ohio State just like the rest of us.
He also made it clear he feels comfortable with whoever winds up starting under center next season.
“Just praying we get Braxton [Miller] back healthy, get J.T. [Barrett] back healthy and then whatever ends up happening with Cardale,” Price said Thursday afternoon. “They’ll have to fight it out for the position during the spring.
“It’s gonna be an exciting year for us next year.”