Catching On Quickly : Game-Winning Reception by Ohio State Freshman Boston Is Nothing New for Texas Native With Knack for Big Plays

David Boston, the Ohio State receiver with hands like flypaper, is a precocious 18-year-old freshman sociology major who managed to prove he also knows something about another subject, one called Rose Bowl 101.

Boston stood there on the field in Wednesday’s graying gloom, doing interview after interview. Obviously savvy, he wore the uniform of the star--blood smear on his pants, muddy shoes, torn socks and a necklace so large, it looked like a bicycle chain.

“I feel absolutely unbelievable,” he said.

Time out, now. Is a freshman permitted to feel that way or does he have to get permission from an upperclassman first?

Just then, Orlando Pace threw a goalpost-sized arm around Boston. Pace said Boston needed no introduction, then proceeded to give him one.

“This here’s David Boston,” Pace said. “For a freshman to step up like that, my hat’s off to him. You’ll be hearing a lot from him in the future.”

Thank you very much. Actually, there may be greater football feats in store for Boston, but from here on out, they all are going to be judged against this performance in the Rose Bowl.

After all, Boston caught passes for touchdowns that accounted for Ohio State’s first score as well as its last. That final one, with 19 seconds left, covered five yards and managed to win the 83rd Rose Bowl game for the Buckeyes, 20-17, over Arizona State.

Boston, the freshman, said he was thinking the usual stuff on the winning catch.

“Don’t drop the ball . . . don’t miss the ball,” he said.

That play in Ohio State’s offensive game plan is called “240 smash,” and it certainly lived up to its colorful name.

Arizona State was still hoping its 17-14 lead would hold up, but it didn’t look very good. Ohio State had a first down on the Sun Devils’ five-yard line with 24 seconds left, and quarterback Joe Germaine positioned Boston outside of Demitrious Stanley, who was in the slot.

At the snap, Boston worked free of cornerback Courtney Jackson, caught Germaine’s pass at the two and was in the end zone before you could say Granddaddy of them all.

“What a great way to celebrate New Year’s,” Boston said.

There should be any number of celebrations going on back in Humble, Texas, right now, where Boston is from. But then, celebrating Boston’s first campaign at Ohio State has been sort of a yearlong proposition.

The first time Boston put his hands on the football in a college game, he caught a 58-yard pass for a touchdown against Rice.

A week later against Pittsburgh, Boston caught two passes for touchdowns and returned a punt 66 yards for a third touchdown.

Against Wisconsin, Boston set up the winning touchdown with a 34-yard punt return. He broke into the starting lineup against Purdue and four weeks later against Wisconsin, he caught 13 passes to tie the Ohio State record.

Along the way, he made the dean’s list and has a 3.6 grade-point average the last quarter.

Other than that, it was an uneventful freshman season for Boston. As a high school senior, Boston led Humble to the state semifinals in basketball and the state finals in football, but that couldn’t compare to where he stood now . . . the Rose Bowl, in front of 100,635, four receptions, two touchdowns, catching the pass that wins the game.

“All I ever talked about in high school was getting two rings,” he said. “Now I got a Big Ten championship and the Rose Bowl.”

Boston’s first scoring play came in the opening quarter when he caught a nine-yard pass from Stanley Jackson in the corner of the end zone, and was barely able to drag one foot on the ground before being shoved out of bounds.

Boston said Jackson told him which way to go by nodding his head . . . or maybe it was by pointing, Boston wasn’t sure. In fact, he isn’t certain he will stay with his sociology major, which he already has changed from business and may switch back again next year.

Chances are, with the freshman year he had, Boston can choose any major he wants, make the dean’s list again and probably start teaching classes right away. For this freshman receiver, fame seems to be catching.

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Boston Mass

Ohio State’s David Boston had four catches for 20 yards, but two were for touchdowns. His receptions:

* Nine-yard touchdown catch from Jackson in first quarter

* Three-yard catch from Germaine in second quarter

* Three-yard catch from Germaine in fourth quarter

* Five-yard touchdown catch from Germaine in fourth quarter

In Quotes

‘This here’s David Boston. For a freshman to step up like that, my hat’s off to him. You’ll be hearing a lot from him in the future.’

ORLANDO PACE

All-American offensive lineman on freshman receiver David Boston