It may not make the Peach Bowl’s title sponsor happy to know this, but Ohio State players who grew up in Georgia said they miss not having Zaxby’s in Columbus.
They can get Chick-fil-A, which has the best breakfast, according to Roswell’s Steele Chambers, who is in his fourth season with the Buckeyes. But they can’t get its competitor in the chicken-cooking game.
“I just have a craving for it because it’s not in Ohio,” he said of Zaxby’s.
Family, pets, American Deli and warm weather were among the other things mentioned as being missed by Chambers, Suwanee’s Jordan Hancock and Kojo Antwi, and Acworth’s Bennett Christian. They are the four Georgians who play for the No. 4 Buckeyes, who will take on No. 1 Georgia in their Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (8 p.m., ESPN). Georgia has no players from Ohio on its roster.
Of the four Georgians, only Chambers, who has 69 tackles this season, likely will see the field for the Buckeyes on Saturday. Hancock, a defensive back who played at North Gwinnett, appeared in six games this season, with five tackles. Antwi, a wide receiver who played at Lambert, and Christian, a tight end who played at Allatoona, are redshirting.
Each said he is excited to be back in Atlanta and at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where some played in select high school games such as the Corky Kell Classic. Returning for Christmas was the first time they were home since school started. Among the four, more than 30 friends and family members will be at the game to support them.
“I probably got 50 to 100 texts about people asking for tickets, so I had to break (the) news, and most of them they probably won’t get in,” Chambers said.
Just because Hancock, Antwi and Christian won’t play Saturday, it doesn’t mean they don’t have bright futures, according to their position coaches.
Kevin Wilson, Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, said Christian had a solid first year and has the potential to be a really good player. He said Christian has great hands, is a good blocker and plays more as a traditional tight end. Christian said one of his goals is to put on weight during the offseason. Wilson said he expects Christian to add strength to his 245 pounds before spring practices start. A minor shoulder injury affected Christian’s development this season.
Though Georgia is developing a reputation as a producer of NFL-caliber tight ends, Christian said he signed with the Buckeyes because they recruited him hard early, and he fell in love with the campus during his visit. He only wishes Columbus were as warm as Georgia.
Tim Walton, Ohio State’s secondary coach, said he appreciates Hancock’s football IQ and expects him to become a leader in that group. Hancock’s season was affected by a hamstring injury that taught him how to better take care of his body. He said he wants to compete for a starting spot either in the secondary or on special teams in the spring. He said he misses the lemon pepper wings at American Deli, which isn’t in Columbus.
Brian Hartline, Ohio State’s wide receivers coach, said Antwi got off to a slower start because he didn’t enroll until June. But he said his growth and his “physicality” are bright spots. Hartline said if Antwi continues to develop “the sky’s the limit.” Antwi said he is trying to learn everything he can from a group that includes 1,000-yard receivers Marvin Harrison and Emeka Egbuka. Like Chambers, Antwi said he misses Zaxby’s and his family.
“Leaving them to go to another state. It was kind of hard, but I feel like I’ve settled in in Ohio, for sure,” he said.
