Big Ten Football Teleconference – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 13, 2001
On the opportunity to claim a share of the Big Ten title
A-“We happen to have two (teams) that are ahead of us left on the schedule, which is a great opportunity for us. But we really have been talking for the most part about what we have to do to get better, to be able to match up, starting with Illinois.”
Q-Was your goal coming in to win the Big Ten?
A-That’s our goal every year at Ohio State as it is at every Big Ten school. But you try not to look that far down the road as you’re putting things together. You try to work each day at whatever that task at hand happens to be.”
Q-Your team seems to be extremely resilient. What is it about this team that has enabled it to come back after some tough losses?
A-We have a bunch of good kids that love to play the game. They’re very proud to play at Ohio State and they know what the expectations are when you play here. I think they’re trying very hard to do the things you have to do to win and they do that throughout the course of the game.”
Q-Talk about your defense’s performance against Purdue?
A-Our defense, I thought, came out and played very well. They put a lot of pressure on Purdue. Purdue is young on offense and when you put some pressure on youthful folks sometimes you can create mistakes. We were fortunate to get two safeties. I haven’t been around too many games where you get two safeties by the defense.”
On the secondary
A-“Mike Doss, Derek Ross and Donnie Nickey all bring good experience. Whenever you’ve had a lot of balls thrown at you and you’ve had a lot of situations-a lot of formations to line up to, a lot of adjustments to make, you’ve faced every thing from spread offenses to Indiana option offenses and so forth-those years and years of experiences, those ups and downs of playing in the back end there make you a lot tougher and a lot more prepared for the future. I think Derek and Donnie and Mike bring us that experience back there and it really helps.” Q-How much does the pass efficiency statistic reveal the success of a quarterback?
A-“Well, I think the statistic you measure a quarterback by is the same one you measure a coach by-and that is how much you win. That’s the first one you look at. Perhaps, the next most important one could be the pass proficiency because takes in to all the components of what you try to get done and what you try to keep from doing.”
Q-Do you think people would be surprised that Bellisari is second in conference for pass efficiency for Big Ten games?
A-“Well, I don’t know that Steve has ever been scrutinized as far as his quarterback efficiency index. The quarterback at Ohio State is scrutinized when we win and when we don’t win. Steve has done a nice job here in, I think, 11 of the past 12 quarters. He’s played outstanding football and we hope he continues that.”
Q-What has been the main factor in Bellisari’s play the past couple games?
A-“You really can’t pinpoint one thing whenever you discuss anything that is a group activity. I think Steve has done some good decision-making. He has really worked hard with his footwork, which they key to any athletic endeavor is your feet. I think his receivers have grown to understand conceptually what is out there. They were all new and going through learning curves of their own. I think the offensive line has had some growth. We’ve begun to run the football a little bit better the last month or so. All of those things contribute to improved performance by the quarterback and everyone else.”
Q-Can you talk about you your secondary facing Kurt Kittner and the Illini offense?
A-“There is no question our secondary has got a tremendous test. Not just because Kittner leads the league in passing or just because the receivers for Illinois are outstanding. What I think Illinois brings at you is a great balanced attack. They run the football extremely well. They throw it to everyone. They throw it to the wide guys, they throw it to their tight end, they throw it to their backs. That puts a lot of pressure on the secondary out there because they’re run defenders as well as pass defenders. As far as the corners go, we know, athletically, when it comes to the opportunity that they will have to cover one-on-one, they’re going against some great athletes and I think they’re looking forward to that challenge.”
On Quarterback Steve Bellisari
“Consistency is the key. If you watch last year’s Illinois game and obviously this week we are, he had some moments where he looked as refined as he could possibly be. And then he had some moments where his feet were not with him and his decision-making was not with him. He was kind of the best of some worlds and not good with other worlds. I think where he made his best improvement is that I think he has become more consistent in doing all the things we need done and it starts, truthfully, with the footwork. Everything we do begins with our feet whether it is staying in on the quarterback-center exchange or making sure we take the right angle to hand the football off so our tailbacks can see a cutback alley or whatever it happens to be. Maybe the most important thing is resetting his feet when something is covered. We always talk about making decisions with your feet and I really think his consistency there is getting better because of his hard work.
“I think that month or so that he was hobbling around was obviously not good for him. He played that Akron game and unfortunately someone in the bottom of the pile tried to break it off, which is disappointing in the game of football. It kind of happened at Penn State a few weeks ago. He goes a month and then a couple of ballgames don’t go the way we would have liked them to and I do think that slowed down his progress with his footwork a little bit.
“I used to lie about things when I was an assistant coach. I used to say ‘I was just on the phone with (former Cleveland Browns quarterback) Brian Sipe and Brian said to do this and I was on the phone with so-and-so and they said to do that.’ I think when someone like Cris Carter says something to you might listen to that. I don’t know, I wasn’t there so I can’t tell you if that happened. I think anytime someone like that that mentions something that makes a lot of sense young people take it to heart. I think Steve (Bellisari) has had many moments where he has had the right touch and somewhere he was wrong, but I think all of those little things are what contributes to improved performance.
Donnie Nickey
On Illinois quarterback Kurt Kittner
“I think Kittner has improved every year. He improved from two years ago to last year. He improved from last year to this year. He is a good quarterback and leads in a lot of categories in the Big Ten, so it will be fun to play against him.
“He makes good decisions and releases the ball on time. He is just a quality quarterback and he has good receivers.
“I think every team once they get across the 50-yard line likes to take a shot at the endzone. I think Illinois does that a little more than usual.
On the ’99 game
“That was embarrassing. I think that will be in the back of our minds we will remember that we got it handed to us, but as far as motivation the only motivation is winning out and getting a Big Ten ring.”
Coach Tressel and Donnie Nickey address the national and local media
Tressel on Pressure
“I think anyone can be pressured but how they handle it might vary. Football is a game of pressure. Either you’re putting the pressure on them, or they’re putting the pressure on you. And you have to make sure, defensively, that you are putting the pressure on them. You have to make sure offensively you are putting the pressure on them. We certainly aren’t going to sit there and say that Kittner is a veteran so pressure is not an issue, because it is relevant. Kittner is one of the top guns in the Big Ten, if not the country.”
Tressel on Bellisari and Senior Day
At the beginning of the game, he (Bellisari) will be received well. Anytime you go out there with your Ohio State jersey on, you’re received pretty well. After the game, it varies. If he plays well and we play well, then he will be received extremely well.”
“We have focus on Illinois. If this game doesn’t grab all of your focus then you’re not going to like the results.”
“We are fortunate that some of those losses (earlier in the season) didn’t end our Big Ten life. I think we know a little bit more about what it takes to win as a team.”
“They (Illinois) run well, but not as a UCLA team that just pound the ball whether anyone likes it or not.”
“Football has to be fun. You have to enjoy what you’re doing and look forward to being out there and look forward to the challenges.”
