Link
Staying focusedbig testfor OSU
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
10/04/2006
http://www.zwire.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1699&dept_id=46370&newsid=17280613
COLUMBUS -- If for only a moment, guard T.J. Downing allowed himself yesterday to drift ahead six weeks from now to the Michigan game and what he'll do to his neatly groomed mohawk to prepare.
''You might see a little maize and blue in it,'' Downing said.
Given Ohio State's next six opponents, it's hard to fault him for dreaming of Nov. 18 already.
Beginning with Bowling Green this week, the Buckeyes' next six opponents are 2-10 over the last two weeks, including a spiffy 1-2 mark against I-AA teams this year. Given that, it's no wonder coach Jim Tressel began his weekly press conference yesterday by talking about focus.
''I guess the question at hand is just how good would we like to get? That question will begin to be answered this afternoon,'' Tressel said. ''There's no way you can keep getting better if you don't put your mind solely ... on what's happening right now, right this second. (It's) maybe one of the most difficult things for human beings to do, but we have to make sure that's what we do.''
Downing will be the first to admit that getting up to play a 3-2 Bowling Green team is much more difficult than preparing to play Texas at night -- his off-handed comment about the Michigan game was proof of that.
But it doesn't end with Bowling Green. Following the Falcons is a Michigan State team that is full of injuries, heading to Michigan this week and already left for dead by the public. After that is Indiana, which lost to I-AA Southern Illinois this year and fell behind Wisconsin last week, 52-0. Beyond that is Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern. Combined, Ohio State's next six opponents are 14-16 this year.
Needless to say, October doesn't provide the same juice on the schedule that September did.
''October is going to be even harder than September was, just because we have to be sure we're on top of our game every time we play,'' Downing said. ''It's human nature. When you look at a team on paper and we're bigger and obviously better with the ranking, maybe I'd get a little comfortable. But you can't get comfortable. You can never be satisfied with what you're doing ... It's going to be hard to get up.''
Tressel's teams at Ohio State have always improved as the season progressed. That could be tested this year, since lesser opponents could allow Ohio State to fall into bad habits without repercussions. It certainly wouldn't seem like it will take the Buckeyes' best effort, for example, to win this week.
The Falcons needed three overtimes this year to beat Buffalo, typically regarded as one of the worst Division I-A programs in the country. They barely beat a Florida International team that is in its third year as a I-A program.
Bowling Green starts three freshmen in its secondary and eight players total on defense that are either freshmen or sophomores. The Falcons rank 101st in the nation, allowing 30 points a game, although some of that is attributed to defensive scores and breakdowns on special teams.
''I don't know exactly how many points they've given up on defense,'' Tressel said, ''but it isn't as many as it appears.''
Tressel's task of forcing his players to focus on the moment actually began yesterday while meeting with the media, when one question actually began by calling the upcoming schedule a break. Tressel couldn't stop himself from interrupting.
''What kind of break?'' he snapped, offering a mix of anger and shock he rarely displays.
While this is hardly the same Bowling Green team that previously challenged Ohio State in the Horseshoe, 17-6 in 1992 and 24-17 in 2003, all Tressel has to do is mention those scores as a motivating factor and a way to force his players to take the Falcons seriously.
''The key to that is to ignore records, stats and all of that,'' receiver Anthony Gonzalez said. ''That's what I try to do -- even when we're playing good opponents. I try not to look at records because they're subjected to who the teams have played. In that regard, I think the key is to ignore it and look at each team individually, look at the personnel and the schemes and do what you have to do. It's still football, you still have to make plays. I don't care who you're playing.''
Staying focusedbig testfor OSU
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
10/04/2006
http://www.zwire.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1699&dept_id=46370&newsid=17280613
COLUMBUS -- If for only a moment, guard T.J. Downing allowed himself yesterday to drift ahead six weeks from now to the Michigan game and what he'll do to his neatly groomed mohawk to prepare.
''You might see a little maize and blue in it,'' Downing said.
Given Ohio State's next six opponents, it's hard to fault him for dreaming of Nov. 18 already.
Beginning with Bowling Green this week, the Buckeyes' next six opponents are 2-10 over the last two weeks, including a spiffy 1-2 mark against I-AA teams this year. Given that, it's no wonder coach Jim Tressel began his weekly press conference yesterday by talking about focus.
''I guess the question at hand is just how good would we like to get? That question will begin to be answered this afternoon,'' Tressel said. ''There's no way you can keep getting better if you don't put your mind solely ... on what's happening right now, right this second. (It's) maybe one of the most difficult things for human beings to do, but we have to make sure that's what we do.''
Downing will be the first to admit that getting up to play a 3-2 Bowling Green team is much more difficult than preparing to play Texas at night -- his off-handed comment about the Michigan game was proof of that.
But it doesn't end with Bowling Green. Following the Falcons is a Michigan State team that is full of injuries, heading to Michigan this week and already left for dead by the public. After that is Indiana, which lost to I-AA Southern Illinois this year and fell behind Wisconsin last week, 52-0. Beyond that is Minnesota, Illinois and Northwestern. Combined, Ohio State's next six opponents are 14-16 this year.
Needless to say, October doesn't provide the same juice on the schedule that September did.
''October is going to be even harder than September was, just because we have to be sure we're on top of our game every time we play,'' Downing said. ''It's human nature. When you look at a team on paper and we're bigger and obviously better with the ranking, maybe I'd get a little comfortable. But you can't get comfortable. You can never be satisfied with what you're doing ... It's going to be hard to get up.''
Tressel's teams at Ohio State have always improved as the season progressed. That could be tested this year, since lesser opponents could allow Ohio State to fall into bad habits without repercussions. It certainly wouldn't seem like it will take the Buckeyes' best effort, for example, to win this week.
The Falcons needed three overtimes this year to beat Buffalo, typically regarded as one of the worst Division I-A programs in the country. They barely beat a Florida International team that is in its third year as a I-A program.
Bowling Green starts three freshmen in its secondary and eight players total on defense that are either freshmen or sophomores. The Falcons rank 101st in the nation, allowing 30 points a game, although some of that is attributed to defensive scores and breakdowns on special teams.
''I don't know exactly how many points they've given up on defense,'' Tressel said, ''but it isn't as many as it appears.''
Tressel's task of forcing his players to focus on the moment actually began yesterday while meeting with the media, when one question actually began by calling the upcoming schedule a break. Tressel couldn't stop himself from interrupting.
''What kind of break?'' he snapped, offering a mix of anger and shock he rarely displays.
While this is hardly the same Bowling Green team that previously challenged Ohio State in the Horseshoe, 17-6 in 1992 and 24-17 in 2003, all Tressel has to do is mention those scores as a motivating factor and a way to force his players to take the Falcons seriously.
''The key to that is to ignore records, stats and all of that,'' receiver Anthony Gonzalez said. ''That's what I try to do -- even when we're playing good opponents. I try not to look at records because they're subjected to who the teams have played. In that regard, I think the key is to ignore it and look at each team individually, look at the personnel and the schemes and do what you have to do. It's still football, you still have to make plays. I don't care who you're playing.''
Upvote
0
