Coach Cooper and the Buckeyes Move On – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/11/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
November 11, 1998
By RUSTY MILLER
%^$AP Sports Writer%^$
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – In 1963, as a 25-year-old only a year out of college,%^$John Cooper applied for an assistant coaching job at Oregon State. While%^$interviewing with coach Tommy Prothro, he was given advice that he would never%^$forget.%^$
“He said, John, in coaching there are a lot of peaks and valleys. The%^$longer you’re in it, the peaks don’t get any higher and the valleys get%^$deeper,’ ” Cooper said.%^$
The 61-year-old Ohio State coach added, “I’ve been through some valleys,%^$but the one this week was particularly deep.”%^$
During head coaching stints at Tulsa, Arizona State and 11 years with the%^$Buckeyes, Cooper has won 176 games and lost only 73. But he may be remembered%^$more for some losses than for winning two Rose Bowls and twice leading teams to%^$No. 2 in the final Associated Press poll.%^$
The latest defeat was as painful as any for Buckeyes fans, and that’s saying%^$something.%^$
After all, four times in the past six seasons Cooper’s teams have been been%^$unbeaten in November. Each time, they lost to a school from Michigan.%^$
Ohio State – ranked No. 1 all season – was a 28-point favorite Saturday%^$against Michigan State. Ahead 17-3 after one quarter and 24-9 midway through%^$the third period, the Buckeyes squandered the lead, depressing fans hoping for%^$the school’s first national championship in 30 years.%^$
Cooper has become accustomed to the after-shocks following unexpected%^$defeats.%^$
“When you lose, you can’t sleep,” he said. “So I got up early and went to%^$work a little earlier than usual, around 7:30 in the morning. And some of the%^$coaches were already there.”%^$
The Buckeyes practiced Sunday while still in a state of shock. Cooper said%^$he didn’t belittle his players and didn’t have to point out mistakes.%^$
“The worst thing you can do when you lose like that is to go out and yell%^$and scream and berate them,” he said. “They feel as bad as you do.”%^$
If he read the local newspaper, he would have seen the article criticizing%^$his play-calling on Ohio State’s final two series. Those calling in to radio%^$shows this week have continually ripped Cooper and his staff for running on 12%^$straight plays on the next-to-last series, then passing all six downs on the%^$Buckeyes’ last chance. Neither produced points.%^$
Cooper was asked about his play selection after the game.%^$
“That’s some real good second-guessing,” he said.%^$
He declined to say it was the most disappointing loss of his career. Given%^$the opportunity during his weekly news conference to blame his quarterback, Joe%^$Germaine, he defended him instead.%^$
“It’s a team game,” he said.%^$
He got angry when told that some TV analysts had singled out a freshman%^$fullback for missing a block that halted the Buckeyes’ next-to-last drive.%^$Cooper said the player did his job and there were breakdowns elsewhere.%^$
“That’s ridiculous,” Cooper said.%^$
With his team 8-1 and ranked seventh, the Buckeyes now must seek something%^$other than a No. 1 ranking.%^$
“The worst thing you can do is hang your head and feel sorry for%^$yourself,” Cooper said.
