PASADENA, Calif. -- Far from the celebratory fray, longtime Ohio State strength coach Mickey Marotti stood back and watched the Rose Bowl trophy ceremony in the confetti-strewn aftermath of Ohio State's blowout win over Oregon.
Since arriving at the school in 2012, Marotti has developed the reputation for being the program's persistent and no-nonsense truth teller. So when prodded postgame to encapsulate Ohio State's remarkable U-turn since the regular-season-ending loss to Michigan, Marotti shrugged his shoulders and laid bare the reality of necessity.
"We had no choice," Marotti said. "We had to respond."
From rock bottom to a rocket ship that has distinguished itself as the College Football Playoff favorite, Ohio State's extreme makeover comes with equal parts immediacy and dominance.