COLUMBUS, Ohio — Malik Hooker sat at a table in the Ohio Stadium interview room adjacent to the Buckeyes locker room, surrounded by a throng of reporters in what's become the new normal for his postgame press conferences.
The iPhone in front of him was lighting up, notifications from a steady stream of Silicone Valley-based apps draining its battery.
"I mean, it's alright," Hooker answered with a smile when asked by Bleacher Report if he's getting recognized more often around campus. "A lot of people saying, 'What's up Malik?' and stuff like that."
As he fielded questions about Ohio State's 48-3 win over Tulsa, he soon found himself squinting thanks to a portable LED light from a local camera crew that had just rushed over to capture Hooker's thoughts.