Practice quotes from today.
official.site
Ohio State Football Quotes, Aug. 15
Aug. 15, 2006
Jim Bollman, offensive coordinator
On the experience of the offense
"It is great to have a bunch of guys that have seen time in Big Ten games. They are all working hard and helping out the younger guys."
On the position of left guard
"Tim Shafer stands out to me. I really think he has an opportunity to go out there and he is steadily improving. We will just let things play out and see how they evolve. Other guys are capable, too, but we want our five best guys on the field."
On his heart condition
"People thought that after my heart surgery, I would mellow out. It has gone in the opposite direction. I have no explanation for that. Things come to the top quicker. But I'm feeling fine. Yesterday was by far the toughest day, because I had cardiac rehab at the wellness center in between practices."
Antonio Smith, senior defensive back
On practice
"It is a good week. I'm happy to get into the pads and start hitting. We're all out there having a lot of fun and just trying to get better everyday."
On the first day of contact
"Everybody is getting at each other out there. It has been really physical, by far one of the most physical camps that I have been a part of."
On the younger players
"A lot of young guys are stepping up. There is a lot of competitiveness out there and everyone is getting the chance to show what they can do.
Roy Hall, senior wide receiver
On being a senior
"Every senior has to give a senior speech and mine is tomorrow. When I first came in I didn't really appreciate what it meant to be a senior and give a speech. Now I can't believe it has been five years. I have grown and changed. I understand now."
On improving as a receiver
"I really just have to prove things to myself. I am a more complete receiver now. I feel more comfortable."
On the offense
"Everyone talks about how we have so many talented receivers and only one ball to go around, but we have all gotten touches. In our offense the ball can go to anyone at anytime."
Brandon Mitchell, senior safety
On his role as the most experienced defensive back
"It's been fun. We have a situation where we have a lot of young guys, so I'm working and learning but at the same time it's my job to help the coaches with the young guys, too."
On the candidates for the open starting positions
"If these guys couldn't play, they wouldn't be at Ohio State. They're very capable and it's fun to see them run and hit. We are hoping to get a little better everyday so that when the season comes, we'll be ready."
On gaining experience from going up against OSU's offense
"Our guys are being thrown right into the fire. With our offense, we're getting experience going up against big-time talent. We might not be playing in front of 105,000 fans yet, but we're playing against similar talent that we'll see in a game. If we mess up against our offense, it's a touchdown. You learn real fast you can't do that."
On how competition in practice benefits the whole defense
"It helps us build depth. We know the talent is there and practice is a situation where we have to prove it."