Post Game Quotes From Ohio State vs. Purdue – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/10/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 10, 2001
Recap| Box Score| Notes
Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel
“It was good to come out and get a decisive victory. We came out of the gate well and got up by 12. We had a little setback there and allowed them to get us 12-9. But I thought we came out of the gates well in the second half, sparked by the turnovers the defense was able to come up with. We came up with some big plays offensively. I don’t know if we were as consistent offensively as we are going to need to be. But we did come up with some big plays and that’s important as well. It’s always good to win in November.
“Purdue had a veteran defense and we had a lot of respect for them. They did a lot of blitzing and so forth. They came out today and were maybe more basic. A little bit more basic, maybe, then they were against Illinois. They seemed to go away from the total blitz package and put eight-nine in the box, trying to make you earn it rather than allowing some big plays.
“(Quarterback) Steve (Bellisari) and the receivers would pass every down if we let them. They get excited when we turn on the film and there are eight-nine men in the box and there’s a tough run team we’re going to face. They get excited because they know they’re going to get out there and play and they know they’re going to be important. They challenged themselves. We want to be a balanced team. So far this season I think we called 300 runs and 200-some passes.
On Chris Vance’s performance
“Chris (Vance) has really had a tough season period. In fall camp, he had four pulled teeth and he was walking around like a chipmunk for a while. Then he had an ankle (injury) or vice versa. He had three or four weeks (where he wasn’t at full strength). Then His dad got sick which was stress and tension and a concern of its own. With his recent passing it’s been a tough couple months for Chris. I think he’s teammates have rallied behind him. Getting those opportunities to be able to make plays is what excited him. I was not sure if he was jumping up in the end zone there to high five his dad or to go get that ball.” Ohio State linebacker Matt Wilhelm
On Eddie George being at the game
“Any time you can bring in an Ohio State Buckeye who’s been through it all and has been in the league and been through the highs and lows you’re all ears. You just have to go out and get after it because you never know when this is all going to be taken away.”
On the performance of the defense
“After the fumble we wanted to go out there and put out the fire. Our goal was to give up 13 points or less. We came out aggressive and turned it up a notch in the second half. We wanted to force their quarterback to make decisions. If the defense does that for the rest of the year, you’re going to see a good second half defensive ball club.”
Ohio State quarterback Steve Bellisari
On the game
“We stepped it up in the second half against a good team today. I wasn’t really doing anything different today. When you have a guy making one-handed catches it makes it pretty easy. They had a lot of people in the box trying to stop the run. That’s something they’ve been doing all year.”
On contending for the Big Ten title
“That’s something we want. That’s what we want to shoot for. If we want to be where we want to be, then we have to go undefeated in November.”
Ohio State receiver Chris Vance
On his performance
“I just wanted to come out and have a complete day. Steve did a good job throwing the ball. I practice one-handed catches in practice all the time.”
Ohio State cornerback Derek Ross
On his interception
“I was just doing everything we’re coached to do. They teach us to break on the ball in practice when it’s in the air.
On facing Purdue
“They threw a lot last year against us so we knew what to expect coming into today.”
Purdue head coach Joe Tiller Quotes
“We got beat by a better football team. Big plays were a big part of the football game. They capitalized on their opportunities.”
On performance of quarterback Brandon Hance
“I learned a long time ago after a disappointing performance I am better off keeping my mouth shut until I have had a chance to review the film.”
On mood of the team at halftime
“I thought our football team was looking forward to playing the second half. I thought we needed to get a good start to the second half and maybe we could feed off that.”
On he offense
“We did some things pretty well. We put some things in to help the quarterback. We felt like OSU would attempt go after him and they did. That was no surprise.”
“I did not see our receivers get open or get over guys to make plays. They let a lot of people down by deflecting passes.”
On second Ohio State Safety
“That is one play where lack of experience at quarterback play shows up. When you are in the shadow of your own endzone you can’t pull up and throw long. I think (Hance) felt the pressure from the back side. When he saw the pressure from the front side he should have thrown the ball in the stands but he didn’t.
On Ohio State’s 429 yards offensively
“We knew they were going to throw the ball long. I was disappointed on the first pass of the game. Ohio State has a tendency to throw the ball up the field. We felt like they were going to throw it up the field and we had to defend it. Anytime a team throws like that they are going to get some yards.
On Ohio State receiver Chris Vance
“Vance had a couple of the better catches I have seen. To his credit he made some great plays.”
On rally before halftime
“I felt good about our ability to hang in there. We showed some resolve. Our football team was into the game at halftime.
On struggling without Drew Brees
“I thought we would be better, not significantly better, but better overall than we are. I am not that disappointed in the quarterback. I would not have substituted at that position but the game was out of hand so it was an opportunity to play a young guy (Kyle Orton).
