-
Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
- Thread starter 3yardsandacloud
- Start date
G-FORCE
Heisman
I fully believe you guys could have dropped 70 on us if you wanted to. Thank God Tressel wouldn't do that.Oh8ch;625098; said:
I still think (and many would agree) that NIU is a better team then Bowling Green and I know they don't have Wolfe, so I just don't see how this game is close at all.
I'll go 40-14 Buckeyes with Bowling Green getting a late TD.
Upvote
0
BGDrew
Newbie
Another BG student here. I was raised an OSU fan but those feelings are long gone. Nothing against you guys, I just am a strong believer you should support your school.
Our coach (who is slowly moving to the fire) has a "defeatist" attitude regarding this game. I don't know if it's a ploy or if the guy's already quit. If tickets weren't so ungodly expensive I'd be there in my Burnt Orange and Seal Brown screaming my falcon lungs out.
If nothing else, let's have a good clean game and no injuries.
Oh, and we are SO going to own you guys in Hockey!
Our coach (who is slowly moving to the fire) has a "defeatist" attitude regarding this game. I don't know if it's a ploy or if the guy's already quit. If tickets weren't so ungodly expensive I'd be there in my Burnt Orange and Seal Brown screaming my falcon lungs out.
If nothing else, let's have a good clean game and no injuries.
Oh, and we are SO going to own you guys in Hockey!
Upvote
0
G-FORCE
Heisman
That a boy.BGDrew;625163; said:Another BG student here. I was raised an OSU fan but those feelings are long gone. Nothing against you guys, I just am a strong believer you should support your school.
Our coach (who is slowly moving to the fire) has a "defeatist" attitude regarding this game. I don't know if it's a ploy or if the guy's already quit. If tickets weren't so ungodly expensive I'd be there in my Burnt Orange and Seal Brown screaming my falcon lungs out.
If nothing else, let's have a good clean game and no injuries.
Oh, and we are SO going to own you guys in Hockey!
The MAC needs more fans like you, and less like the BG alum who gave all that money to Ohio State so the band could go to Texas.
That's not a shot at Ohio State at all, btw.
Upvote
0
Hockey? Meh. How about men's B-ball? Oh, thanks for Ron Lewis, by the way. :tongue2:BGDrew;625163; said:Oh, and we are SO going to own you guys in Hockey!
Upvote
0
buckeye247
# 33
NFBuck;625170; said:Resurrecting the GOTP tradition from the Texas game thread...
I love Scarlett Johansson.
scarlet Johansson is beautiful.
Upvote
0
DDN
Buckeyes not taking Bowling Green lightly
Tressel bristles when reporter suggests Saturday's game a gimme.
By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
COLUMBUS ? Near the end of Jim Tressel's weekly media meeting, a reporter asked a question that drew snickers from the room.
"How do you manage that, going into a break . . ." the reporter started.
"What kind of break?" interrupted Tressel, the Ohio State football coach, who then turned his head in an exaggerated reaction. "Holy smokes."
"Going into some games where there might be more opportunity to score more points . . ." the reporter asked again.
But the point had been made. Plenty of people view the game against
3-2 Bowling Green as a gimme for top-ranked and 5-0 Ohio State, which is a 34?-point favorite at Ohio Stadium. In fact, many consider it a lock that OSU will be undefeated heading into the Nov. 18 home game against Michigan.
In the six games between now and then, Ohio State's six opponents have a combined record of 14-16, and none are ranked in the Top 25. So Tressel spent nearly as much time answering questions about staying focused as he did about his offense and defense.
In 2003, though, Bowling Green visited Ohio Stadium and left with a 24-17 defeat. Two weeks later, Wisconsin ended the Buckeyes' 19-game winning streak.
"I'm not sure that we improved that day," Tressel said of that Bowling Green win. "It was just a week or so later that we go up to Wisconsin and get beat. I happen to think we have to get better every day."
OSU players echoed Tressel.
"Honestly, to try to evaluate their psyche, if I were Bowling Green and hadn't had the season so far I would like, I would say what better way to right this than to beat the No. 1 team in the country?" said receiver Anthony Gonzalez.
Buckeyes not taking Bowling Green lightly
Tressel bristles when reporter suggests Saturday's game a gimme.
By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
COLUMBUS ? Near the end of Jim Tressel's weekly media meeting, a reporter asked a question that drew snickers from the room.
"How do you manage that, going into a break . . ." the reporter started.
"What kind of break?" interrupted Tressel, the Ohio State football coach, who then turned his head in an exaggerated reaction. "Holy smokes."
"Going into some games where there might be more opportunity to score more points . . ." the reporter asked again.
But the point had been made. Plenty of people view the game against
3-2 Bowling Green as a gimme for top-ranked and 5-0 Ohio State, which is a 34?-point favorite at Ohio Stadium. In fact, many consider it a lock that OSU will be undefeated heading into the Nov. 18 home game against Michigan.
In the six games between now and then, Ohio State's six opponents have a combined record of 14-16, and none are ranked in the Top 25. So Tressel spent nearly as much time answering questions about staying focused as he did about his offense and defense.
In 2003, though, Bowling Green visited Ohio Stadium and left with a 24-17 defeat. Two weeks later, Wisconsin ended the Buckeyes' 19-game winning streak.
"I'm not sure that we improved that day," Tressel said of that Bowling Green win. "It was just a week or so later that we go up to Wisconsin and get beat. I happen to think we have to get better every day."
OSU players echoed Tressel.
"Honestly, to try to evaluate their psyche, if I were Bowling Green and hadn't had the season so far I would like, I would say what better way to right this than to beat the No. 1 team in the country?" said receiver Anthony Gonzalez.
Upvote
0
DDN
'Tatum' saved for rare hits
By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
COLUMBUS ? Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel was asked Tuesday if receiver Brian Hartline would receive the team's Tatum Hit of the Week award for a block that allowed receiver Anthony Gonzalez to score a round-about touchdown on Saturday against Iowa. The block took out two Iowa defenders.
The award is named after Jack Tatum, the punishing tackler who played at Ohio State from 1968-70.
"You know, it was discussed, and we've had a couple un-Tatum-like hits been given awards, and I don't want Jack to call, so we didn't have a Tatum hit," Tressel said. "It was a good block though, huge. Anthony Gonzalez could descriptively tell you how important it was, but it didn't quite ... those were two big guys, though. If he would have hit them like Tatum hits, Brian might still be in Iowa City."
Tressel's preference
In April 2005, after the NCAA approved a measure that allows Division I-A football teams to schedule 12 regular-season games, Ohio State went looking for an opponent.
For the higher-level schools like OSU, the scheduling is done far in advance, and a bye week had been placed after the Buckeyes' first two Big Ten Conference games, against Penn State and Iowa. The Buckeyes filled that empty slot with in-state foe Bowling Green, but the timing isn't the best, both coaches have agreed.
"A perfect world for me would be to start the season a week earlier, because here in the north, I'd rather add a game when the weather's nice than at the other end and have a bye week perhaps after your nonconference games and play eight straight in the Big Ten," Tressel said.
The last time Ohio State broke from Big Ten play for a game was in 2002, when San Jose State visited Columbus for the season's seventh game and lost to the Buckeyes 50-7. It also happened the year before, in 2001, when Ohio State topped San Diego State 27-12 in Game 6.
Challenge?
An amusing exchange from Tuesday's press meeting:
"You haven't used a challenge yet, right?" a reporter asked.
"No. You know, I don't know how to use one," Tressel said, drawing laughter. "The guys say, 'Coach, you haven't used your challenge,' I say, 'I don't know, guys, I don't have a TV.' "
'Tatum' saved for rare hits
By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
COLUMBUS ? Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel was asked Tuesday if receiver Brian Hartline would receive the team's Tatum Hit of the Week award for a block that allowed receiver Anthony Gonzalez to score a round-about touchdown on Saturday against Iowa. The block took out two Iowa defenders.
The award is named after Jack Tatum, the punishing tackler who played at Ohio State from 1968-70.
"You know, it was discussed, and we've had a couple un-Tatum-like hits been given awards, and I don't want Jack to call, so we didn't have a Tatum hit," Tressel said. "It was a good block though, huge. Anthony Gonzalez could descriptively tell you how important it was, but it didn't quite ... those were two big guys, though. If he would have hit them like Tatum hits, Brian might still be in Iowa City."
Tressel's preference
In April 2005, after the NCAA approved a measure that allows Division I-A football teams to schedule 12 regular-season games, Ohio State went looking for an opponent.
For the higher-level schools like OSU, the scheduling is done far in advance, and a bye week had been placed after the Buckeyes' first two Big Ten Conference games, against Penn State and Iowa. The Buckeyes filled that empty slot with in-state foe Bowling Green, but the timing isn't the best, both coaches have agreed.
"A perfect world for me would be to start the season a week earlier, because here in the north, I'd rather add a game when the weather's nice than at the other end and have a bye week perhaps after your nonconference games and play eight straight in the Big Ten," Tressel said.
The last time Ohio State broke from Big Ten play for a game was in 2002, when San Jose State visited Columbus for the season's seventh game and lost to the Buckeyes 50-7. It also happened the year before, in 2001, when Ohio State topped San Diego State 27-12 in Game 6.
Challenge?
An amusing exchange from Tuesday's press meeting:
"You haven't used a challenge yet, right?" a reporter asked.
"No. You know, I don't know how to use one," Tressel said, drawing laughter. "The guys say, 'Coach, you haven't used your challenge,' I say, 'I don't know, guys, I don't have a TV.' "
Upvote
0
OZone
Football
OSU Leadership Challenging Buckeyes to Stay Sharp Despite Soft Schedule
By John Porentas
After a murderous schedule in September in which the Buckeyes faced three ranked teams in Texas, Penn State and Iowa and a Northern Illinois team that boasts perhaps the best running back in college football the Buckeyes will now play six consecutive games against opponents whose credentials are not quite so impressive.
The challenge for the OSU leadership is keep the Buckeyes motivated and not allow the Buckeyes to experience a let down that could lead to an upset prior to the Michigan game.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Jim Tressel [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Photo by Jim Davidson [/FONT]
OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel has made clear his method of achieving just that. Tressel has challenged his team to concentrate not on their record, but on the task of simply getting better every week. Tressel believes that if his team will embrace that idea, they will remain sharp and avoid a catastrophe in the coming six weeks. He's also reminding his team that past history has shown that nobody on the schedule is a pushover if you take them lightly with the recent series with Bowling Green being a case in point.
"We won 17-6 in 1992 and 24-17 in '03," Tressel reminded a reporter who seemed to think that Bowling Green would offer OSU an opportunity to coast this weekend.
Tressel has help in focusing his team. His senior class has experienced the ups and downs of college football and will remind the younger players of just what has happened in the past. One of those is fifth-year player Brandon Mitchell.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Brandon Mitchell[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Photo by Jim Davidson [/FONT]
"What we did yesterday, all five safeties that have been playing including Anderson Russell, we went back and looked at the Bowling Green game from '03," said Mitchell.
"I admittedly played an terrible game that game. You probably didn't see me on film after that game that entire season.
"Those guys look at the film and they know that it's going to be a tough game. We were out there missing tackles as a defense, so they know we have to be focused. In 2003 when we played that game we didn't play as sharp a game as we normally do and the game was close," Mitchell said.
Mitchell also remembers games that the Buckeyes were supposed to win - and didn't.
"I would say the '03 game against Wisconsin was a big upset," Mitchell said.
"Everyone had us favored, we had a lot of guys back on defense, and that was probably the most devastating game I've played in since I've been here.
"After that I would definitely say Northwestern. We hadn't lost to them in a long time and we went up there in '04 and lost to them. That was definitely a huge game.
"Their fans rushed the field rushed the field and that was humiliating to me. I'll definitely remind guys of that.
"I think that's why we watched the Bowling Green game from '03, because they were driving on that last drive. They could have won that game. We were ranked really highly in the country that year too. Will Allen happened to get an interception on the 30-yard line with about a minute left on the clock. We very well could have lost that game. I think they understand that we can't overlook this team."
Mitchell remembered his post-game feelings after the loss at Northwestern.
"I remember walking off the field and the fans screaming 'Over-rated!', running past me and screaming 'Over-rated!' and I felt terrible. I had my head down. You have to lick your wounds like a dog. When you've been beat you've been beat. It was tough though," Mitchell said.
The Buckeyes are fighting not to experience a letdown and believe the Falcons have plenty of motivation coming into the game this weekend.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Anthony Gonzalez
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Photo by Jim Davidson[/FONT]
"The way honestly I would evaluate the psyche of what people might be thinking is if I were Bowling Green and hadn't had the season to this point that I had hoped for, I would be saying to myself 'What better way to right that wrong so to speak than to come out and beat the number one team in the nation?'" said OSU wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez.
"There's no better way to get a season back on track than to do something like that. I'm assuming that's what's going through their minds and we have to be aware of that."
Offensive lineman T. J. Downing was on the same page.
"Knowing that a team like Bowling Green would love to come in here and knock us off, that would make their season," said Downing.
"I think that's a big motivating factor. With being number one comes a big responsibility and that falls directly on our shoulders to go out there and execute and make plays. No pats on the back until the season is over. Hopefully we'll get one then if we do the right things. We'll wait until that time and hopefully we'll be talking out in Arizona."
Tressel and company are not leaving any stone unturned in the fight to keep the Buckeyes focused, improving, and winning. If the history lessons and psycho-babble don't reach them, then the current OSU practice routine will.
"I think the coaches had something planned today because we had a couple of extra periods and it was hot outside," said linebacker Marcus Freeman.
"A lot of people were talking about how this practice felt like we were in camp so it was a tough one."
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Rory Nicol
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Photo by Jim Davidson [/FONT]
"Practice today (Tuesday) was an eye-opener in the sense that it was a physical practice," said tight end Rory Nicol.
"That's something that that he's (Tressel) not taking it lightly.
"He asked us today in our team meeting before we went out, he said this is the mission we're on. This Saturday is really going to be about answering the question you have to ask yourself, 'How much better do you want to get? How much better do we need to get as a team?' That's something that he's really be stressing," Nicol said.
OSU Leadership Challenging Buckeyes to Stay Sharp Despite Soft Schedule
By John Porentas
After a murderous schedule in September in which the Buckeyes faced three ranked teams in Texas, Penn State and Iowa and a Northern Illinois team that boasts perhaps the best running back in college football the Buckeyes will now play six consecutive games against opponents whose credentials are not quite so impressive.
Remaining OSU Schedule
Opponent
Overall Record
Big Ten Record
Bowling Green 3-2
n/a
Michigan State 3-2
0-1
Indiana 2-3
0-1
Minnesota 2-3
0-2
Illinois 2-3
1-1
Northwestern 2-3
0-1
Michigan 5-0
2-0
OSU's next six opponents have a combined record of 14 wins and 16 losses, and more significantly, just three wins against six losses in Big Ten play. In-state foe Bowling Green comes calling to Ohio Stadium this Saturday. The Buckeyes then travel to East Lansing to face Michigan State, return home to host Indiana and Minnesota, then go on the road to Northwestern and Illinois before closing out the season at home with the currently undefeated Michigan Wolverines. The challenge for the OSU leadership is keep the Buckeyes motivated and not allow the Buckeyes to experience a let down that could lead to an upset prior to the Michigan game.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Jim Tressel [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Photo by Jim Davidson [/FONT]
"We won 17-6 in 1992 and 24-17 in '03," Tressel reminded a reporter who seemed to think that Bowling Green would offer OSU an opportunity to coast this weekend.
Tressel has help in focusing his team. His senior class has experienced the ups and downs of college football and will remind the younger players of just what has happened in the past. One of those is fifth-year player Brandon Mitchell.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Brandon Mitchell[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Photo by Jim Davidson [/FONT]
"I admittedly played an terrible game that game. You probably didn't see me on film after that game that entire season.
"Those guys look at the film and they know that it's going to be a tough game. We were out there missing tackles as a defense, so they know we have to be focused. In 2003 when we played that game we didn't play as sharp a game as we normally do and the game was close," Mitchell said.
Mitchell also remembers games that the Buckeyes were supposed to win - and didn't.
"I would say the '03 game against Wisconsin was a big upset," Mitchell said.
"Everyone had us favored, we had a lot of guys back on defense, and that was probably the most devastating game I've played in since I've been here.
"After that I would definitely say Northwestern. We hadn't lost to them in a long time and we went up there in '04 and lost to them. That was definitely a huge game.
"Their fans rushed the field rushed the field and that was humiliating to me. I'll definitely remind guys of that.
"I think that's why we watched the Bowling Green game from '03, because they were driving on that last drive. They could have won that game. We were ranked really highly in the country that year too. Will Allen happened to get an interception on the 30-yard line with about a minute left on the clock. We very well could have lost that game. I think they understand that we can't overlook this team."
Mitchell remembered his post-game feelings after the loss at Northwestern.
"I remember walking off the field and the fans screaming 'Over-rated!', running past me and screaming 'Over-rated!' and I felt terrible. I had my head down. You have to lick your wounds like a dog. When you've been beat you've been beat. It was tough though," Mitchell said.
The Buckeyes are fighting not to experience a letdown and believe the Falcons have plenty of motivation coming into the game this weekend.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Anthony Gonzalez
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Photo by Jim Davidson[/FONT]
"There's no better way to get a season back on track than to do something like that. I'm assuming that's what's going through their minds and we have to be aware of that."
Offensive lineman T. J. Downing was on the same page.
"Knowing that a team like Bowling Green would love to come in here and knock us off, that would make their season," said Downing.
"I think that's a big motivating factor. With being number one comes a big responsibility and that falls directly on our shoulders to go out there and execute and make plays. No pats on the back until the season is over. Hopefully we'll get one then if we do the right things. We'll wait until that time and hopefully we'll be talking out in Arizona."
Tressel and company are not leaving any stone unturned in the fight to keep the Buckeyes focused, improving, and winning. If the history lessons and psycho-babble don't reach them, then the current OSU practice routine will.
"I think the coaches had something planned today because we had a couple of extra periods and it was hot outside," said linebacker Marcus Freeman.
"A lot of people were talking about how this practice felt like we were in camp so it was a tough one."
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Rory Nicol
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Photo by Jim Davidson [/FONT]
"That's something that that he's (Tressel) not taking it lightly.
"He asked us today in our team meeting before we went out, he said this is the mission we're on. This Saturday is really going to be about answering the question you have to ask yourself, 'How much better do you want to get? How much better do we need to get as a team?' That's something that he's really be stressing," Nicol said.
Upvote
0
CPD
[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Tressel would like to tinker with 12th-game scheduling
5:46 p.m.
COLUMBUS - Saturday?s game against Bowling Green falls in the spot in the schedule where Ohio State had a bye week before the NCAA approved a 12th game for all teams starting this season.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel would prefer that the extra game be added earlier in the season, so the Buckeyes? Big Ten season wouldn?t interrupted by a nonconference opponent. He would like to play four out-of-league games, take a week off, then start the conference schedule ? as long as nothing interferes with players eating turkey with their families.
?A perfect world for me would be to start the season a week earlier than we do, because here in the north, I?d rather add a game when the weather?s nice than at the other end,? Tressel said.
?I wouldn?t like at all the option of playing the week after Thanksgiving, because I think that?s one of the things that?s a real plus when you play in the Big Ten. As a student-athlete, you train all summer long and you play a hard season but you know what - you?re going to have a Thanksgiving. And hard as our guys work, I think that?s a real plus for them. I wouldn?t want to kick the season backwards.?[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,sans-serif]Tressel would like to tinker with 12th-game scheduling
5:46 p.m.
COLUMBUS - Saturday?s game against Bowling Green falls in the spot in the schedule where Ohio State had a bye week before the NCAA approved a 12th game for all teams starting this season.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel would prefer that the extra game be added earlier in the season, so the Buckeyes? Big Ten season wouldn?t interrupted by a nonconference opponent. He would like to play four out-of-league games, take a week off, then start the conference schedule ? as long as nothing interferes with players eating turkey with their families.
?A perfect world for me would be to start the season a week earlier than we do, because here in the north, I?d rather add a game when the weather?s nice than at the other end,? Tressel said.
?I wouldn?t like at all the option of playing the week after Thanksgiving, because I think that?s one of the things that?s a real plus when you play in the Big Ten. As a student-athlete, you train all summer long and you play a hard season but you know what - you?re going to have a Thanksgiving. And hard as our guys work, I think that?s a real plus for them. I wouldn?t want to kick the season backwards.?[/FONT]
Upvote
0
Canton
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Tressel won?t overlook BG[/FONT]
Wednesday, October 4, 2006 [FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]
JIM TRESSEL
COLUMBUS - There are two clocks in the Ohio State weight room. One counts down the number of days, hours and minutes to the next game. The other counts down to the Michigan game.
On Tuesday, Jim Tressel talked like a man ready to unplug both of them. The Ohio State head football coach not only doesn?t want his players looking past the six games before Michigan, he doesn?t want them looking ahead 24 hours past the next practice.
Good luck.
The top-ranked Buckeyes play 35-point underdog Bowling Green on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. It?s a letdown game if there ever was one.
Ohio State is coming off a win at Iowa and has been riding a wave of momentum and hype since beating then-No. 2 Texas on the road.
Now the Buckeyes have to get amped up to play Bowling Green?
?The hardest thing to do is keep your mind on what?s going on this second,? Tressel sad. ?It was hard (last week) not thinking about Saturday, because you?re excited about Saturday. Well, you can?t think about Saturday. You have to think about Tuesday.
?You have to do today what is needed today. It?s a great lesson, because it will carry on the rest of their lives.?
Tressel then delivered his first of a handful of zingers. Looking at reporters he said, ?I think it?s hard for people, just in general. Some of you are thinking about retirement.?
Ohio State?s track record following big wins isn?t stellar. In 2003, the Buckeyes beat No. 17 Washington, then squeaked past San Diego State, 16-13. They beat No. 17 North Carolina State in triple overtime a week later, then edged Bowling Green, 24-17.
With the two toughest road games of the season out of the way, is it conceivable the Buckeyes are mature enough to keep focused?
?We shouldn?t take as given those were the two toughest road games,? Tressel said. ?We travel on the road three more times in the Big Ten conference. Who?s not to say those will be tougher than we?ve all ready faced?
?The reality of keeping our eye on target can be seen when you pick up the paper every Sunday morning, and someone is beating someone that raises an eyebrow. You try not to be one of those teams and stay focused on the task at hand.?
The Buckeyes? final three road games are at Michigan State, Illinois and Northwestern ? a combined 7-8. Michigan State is the only one with a winning record, and the Spartans appear to be in full meltdown mode after losing to Notre Dame two weeks ago and Illinois last weekend.
This week, it might be more about Ohio State vs. itself than Bowling Green.
?Our biggest challenge is to decide how good we?d like to be,? Tressel said. ?The only way to keep getting better is to keep practicing hard and performing better every week.?
It?s been a mixed bag for the Falcons. They lost, 35-14, in the opener against Wisconsin at Cleveland Browns Stadium. They needed triple overtime to beat MAC weakling Buffalo. They beat Florida International and Ohio. They lost to Kent State.
Head Coach Gregg Brandon looks at Saturday?s game as an opportunity, not a funeral.
?They have no weak link. They just change the names of the back of the uniforms with one great player to the next great player,? Brandon said. ?When you recruit at a program like that, you?re going to get great players, and that?s what they?re lining up with.?
Bowling Green has played 15 true freshmen in its first five games.
Tressel almost laughed at the notion of a blowout. A reporter asked how he manages Heisman Trophy candidate Troy Smith?s playing time going into a break.
?Going into what kind of break?? Tressel said.
When the reporter tried to clarify, Tressel said: ?Next.?
?We won 17-6 in 1992 and 24-17 in ?03,? Tressel said. ?We want to play as many guys as we can, but we cross those bridges when we come to them.?
Not a day too soon.
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Tressel won?t overlook BG[/FONT]
Wednesday, October 4, 2006 [FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]
JIM TRESSEL
COLUMBUS - There are two clocks in the Ohio State weight room. One counts down the number of days, hours and minutes to the next game. The other counts down to the Michigan game.
On Tuesday, Jim Tressel talked like a man ready to unplug both of them. The Ohio State head football coach not only doesn?t want his players looking past the six games before Michigan, he doesn?t want them looking ahead 24 hours past the next practice.
Good luck.
The top-ranked Buckeyes play 35-point underdog Bowling Green on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. It?s a letdown game if there ever was one.
Ohio State is coming off a win at Iowa and has been riding a wave of momentum and hype since beating then-No. 2 Texas on the road.
Now the Buckeyes have to get amped up to play Bowling Green?
?The hardest thing to do is keep your mind on what?s going on this second,? Tressel sad. ?It was hard (last week) not thinking about Saturday, because you?re excited about Saturday. Well, you can?t think about Saturday. You have to think about Tuesday.
?You have to do today what is needed today. It?s a great lesson, because it will carry on the rest of their lives.?
Tressel then delivered his first of a handful of zingers. Looking at reporters he said, ?I think it?s hard for people, just in general. Some of you are thinking about retirement.?
Ohio State?s track record following big wins isn?t stellar. In 2003, the Buckeyes beat No. 17 Washington, then squeaked past San Diego State, 16-13. They beat No. 17 North Carolina State in triple overtime a week later, then edged Bowling Green, 24-17.
With the two toughest road games of the season out of the way, is it conceivable the Buckeyes are mature enough to keep focused?
?We shouldn?t take as given those were the two toughest road games,? Tressel said. ?We travel on the road three more times in the Big Ten conference. Who?s not to say those will be tougher than we?ve all ready faced?
?The reality of keeping our eye on target can be seen when you pick up the paper every Sunday morning, and someone is beating someone that raises an eyebrow. You try not to be one of those teams and stay focused on the task at hand.?
The Buckeyes? final three road games are at Michigan State, Illinois and Northwestern ? a combined 7-8. Michigan State is the only one with a winning record, and the Spartans appear to be in full meltdown mode after losing to Notre Dame two weeks ago and Illinois last weekend.
This week, it might be more about Ohio State vs. itself than Bowling Green.
?Our biggest challenge is to decide how good we?d like to be,? Tressel said. ?The only way to keep getting better is to keep practicing hard and performing better every week.?
It?s been a mixed bag for the Falcons. They lost, 35-14, in the opener against Wisconsin at Cleveland Browns Stadium. They needed triple overtime to beat MAC weakling Buffalo. They beat Florida International and Ohio. They lost to Kent State.
Head Coach Gregg Brandon looks at Saturday?s game as an opportunity, not a funeral.
?They have no weak link. They just change the names of the back of the uniforms with one great player to the next great player,? Brandon said. ?When you recruit at a program like that, you?re going to get great players, and that?s what they?re lining up with.?
Bowling Green has played 15 true freshmen in its first five games.
Tressel almost laughed at the notion of a blowout. A reporter asked how he manages Heisman Trophy candidate Troy Smith?s playing time going into a break.
?Going into what kind of break?? Tressel said.
When the reporter tried to clarify, Tressel said: ?Next.?
?We won 17-6 in 1992 and 24-17 in ?03,? Tressel said. ?We want to play as many guys as we can, but we cross those bridges when we come to them.?
Not a day too soon.
Upvote
0