Head Coach John Cooper Luncheon Quotes – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/15/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 15, 1999
Ohio State football head coach John Cooper quotes
On preparation for Michigan
“I want our players this week to dedicate themselves to playing as good as they’re capable of playing. That’s all I can ask for as a head coach. They’re still student-athletes and they still have responsibilities in terms of the classroom, but this week in particular I hope they spend a little bit of extra time looking at film on their own and be thinking about what they can do to help us win the football game.”
On Ohio State/Michigan rivalry
“Regardless of what our record is or what their record is it’s the biggest game of the year for both football teams. It’s the biggest game I think you can play in as a football player. I think that’s why players come to Michigan and Ohio State because they want to participate in a game of this magnitude.”
On Michigan quarterback Tom Brady
“He’s a veteran quarterback. He’s probably a little bit frustrated as most quarterbacks are when they’ve been splitting playing time. I think he’s one of the more underrated quarterbacks in this league.”
On Michigan running back Anthony Thomas
“He’s their running offense. He’s the guy who’s carried the ball probably 90-95 percent of their running plays. He’s a good back. He’s already gained over 1100 yards rushing this year and averaging right at five yards a carry.”
On Michigan defense
“The strength of their defense is the way they play together as a unit. They’ve got some good football players, they don’t have a lot of great talent on defense but they play together extremely well.”
“They play with an awful lot of excitement and enthusiasm. They pride themselves on stopping the running game and they do a great job of that.”
“Their defense is designed to stop the running game. They’re going to put seven, eight, nine people up on the line. If you’re going to gain any yards, you almost have to throw the ball down the field.” On Senior Tackle
“The last day of practice for the players the seniors hit the dummy one last time. We have great respect for that tradition and we’ll continue to have it.”
Sr. fullback Matt Keller
On playing Michigan
“I hope we can dig down this week and find some pride, find that tradition you hear about all the time and just go up there and play”
“When it comes down to it, it’s Ohio State versus Michigan. You can throw all the records, everything to the wind because it doesn’t matter. When it comes down to it, it’s Ohio State and Michigan Saturday at noon up in Ann Arbor.”
On Michigan’s defense
“They look real good. Defensively speaking, I see a quick, physical defense. That’s what it’s been every year we’ve played Michigan. They’re always great players and they’ll bring a lot of things at us, blitz us a lot and put a lot of pressure on us.”
On playing his last game at Ohio State
“This is my last game. I have nothing to lose. I’m going to go out and play my heart out.”
Sr. defensive end James Cotton
On Michigan
“From the games I’ve watched on television they seem pretty balanced. Their record shows that they’re a pretty good team and we just have to come out and be ready to play.”
On Michigan running back Anthony Thomas
“He’s definitely a powerful runner. We have to stop his momentum before he gets going. He presents the threat of hitting the holes quick and fast. And that’s why we’ve got to stop him before he gets going.”
On Michigan quarterback Tom Brady
“He makes pretty good reads from the line of scrimmage. He’s a good stay-in -the-pocket quarterback and he can pick us apart if we let him.”
On playing his last game at Ohio State
“For me as a senior, I’d like to go out on a winning note. Around here they say you can lose all your games and beat Michigan and everything else goes to rest. For me, I just want to win my last game as a Buckeye.”
Sr. tight end Kevin Houser
On playing in the Big House
“Well, obviously it is going to feel different than playing in the ‘Shoe. The crowd’s hostile. But it’s just another business day and we’ll go out and try and do what we need to do.”
On his career as a Buckeye
“Whether we win this weekend or not, we’re going to be known as a class that had the opportunity to participate on two great teams and another team that went 10-3.”
Sr. free safety Percy King
On Brady
“He looks good. I’ve seen him complete some nice passes and make a couple of nice runs. He’s looking real confident back there in the pocket, like he feels comfortable back there.”
On Thomas
“He’s a good running back. The defensive line is going to have to step it up this week, everybody’s going to have to step it up so we can fill those gaps. We just have to stop him before he can get any momentum started.”
On playing Michigan
“We have to give it 110 percent to beat Michigan. They’re no slouches. They just beat a Penn State team which we lost to, so everybody’s going to have to give total effort to win this game.”
Sr. free safety Gary Berry
On playing Michigan
“We have to go out there and play our hardest and play the best game we’re capable of playing. This is the Ohio State/ Michigan g ame and it’s the biggest game I can think of. The biggest rivalry ever.”
“I’m going to do my best to win the football game. If big plays come they come, if not they don’t but I’m going to be out there doing my best make some.”
On Brady
“He’s a real good passer. I think he has a little more targets even though Tai Streets left. But he’s a real good passer and we’ve seen that before.”
On Thomas
“He’s a good back. Probably the second best back in the Big Ten.”
Sr. corner back Ahmed Plummer
On Brady
“He definitely looks more confident than last year. You can tell he’s comfortable back there with his receivers. He seems like he knows where to go with the ball.”
On Michigan’s passing game
“When you have good receivers and a good quarterback I think it is kind of a must that you throw the ball and that is what they’re doing.”
On Michigan beating Penn State
“They definitely showed that they have what it takes to win.”
