A chartered airplane carrying Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel, athletic director Gene Smith and others departed for the Fiesta Bowl without issue Monday morning, but another plane carrying myself and a handful of Ohio State players did not leave Columbus as scheduled.

Our non-stop flight to Phoenix was supposed to leave Port Columbus at 7:40 a.m., but the flight was delayed after a broken part was discovered on the aircraft's brakes. We are waiting for a replacement part to be delivered to Columbus from Pittsburgh, and the airline folks tell us that our plane will leave Columbus around noon.

SPECIAL SECTION: Ohio State Football

In addition to myself, Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells, Ray Small, Maurice Wells, Marcus Freeman and Robert Rose are on the flight. The players are now sitting around the airport, listening to music and texting on their cell phones.

The players stuck in the airport have notified their coaches that they will be late arriving in Glendale later this afternoon.

Many of Ohio State's players were home for Christmas and will be flying into Arizona from across the country.

The team is scheduled to have their first meeting today at 5:30 p.m., Columbus time.

The Buckeyes' first practice is scheduled to follow the meeting.

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