Ohio State silver helmets and gloves on the field of Ohio Stadium. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern File photo
By the time Ohio State football players take the field for spring practice, Eli McMahon has already been at work for hours, preparing the helmets, jerseys and equipment that make every rep possible.
As a student equipment manager, McMahon is part of a behind-the-scenes group responsible for setting up practices, maintaining gear and managing in-practice operations. The work allows players and coaches to focus solely on football while the details are handled long before and long after the whistle.
Equipment managers arrive early at the facility to prepare gear and ensure players are ready for practice.
“A typical day for EQ in the spring is most days we’ll usually get into the facility by 6 a.m.,” McMahon said. “The first thing we always do is make sure players have everything they need for practice that day.”
The early morning routine includes organizing gear and preparing practice uniforms and protective equipment. Helmets, jerseys and pants must be ready, while footballs and other equipment are gathered for drills.
Once everything is organized inside the facility, student managers shift their focus to the practice field. They set up drills, place training equipment and ensure everything is ready before players arrive. By the time practice begins, most of the behind-the-scenes work is already complete.
During practice, the responsibilities of the equipment team extend beyond gear and drill setup.
Assistant Director of Football Equipment Timothy Roberts said equipment managers handle several aspects of practice that often go unnoticed.
“Some of the responsibilities that the equipment staff handles during practice include operating the clock so everyone knows what period we’re in and how much time is left,” Roberts said. “Spotting the football for team periods and holding the down-and-distance chains helps create game-like situations.”
Those details help mirror real game conditions, allowing coaches to focus on teaching and players to focus on execution.
Equipment staff members also ensure coach-to-player communication systems inside helmets function properly, allowing coaches to relay instructions and play calls during drills.
“We make sure all of the coach-to-player helmets are working efficiently so coaches are getting proper communication to the player for play calls,” McMahon said.
For McMahon, those responsibilities all come back to one goal: removing distractions for players and coaches.
“We do things like this to take away any other external worries they may have,” McMahon said. “Now all they need to worry about is playing and coaching the game they love.”
Roberts said preparation is one of the most important parts of the job.
“The role that the equipment staff plays in helping players and coaches stay focused on football during practice is making sure everything we can take care of ahead of time is done,” Roberts said. “That means players and coaches have everything they need on the practice field.”
When practice ends, the work for McMahon and the rest of the equipment staff is far from over. One group collects equipment from the field while another begins the laundry process for the gear worn during practice.
Only after the field is cleared and equipment is prepared for the next day do student equipment managers wrap up their day.
For McMahon, the early mornings and long hours are worth it for the opportunity to stay connected to the game he has loved for years.
“There are so many other places I could work,” McMahon said. “But being around the game I’ve loved since I was a kid, I wouldn’t change that for anything.”
