Football Upperclassmen Report to Campus – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 16, 2001
The Ohio State football upperclassmen reported for the start of fall camp Thursday. The players checked-in to the Fawcett Center and then had physicals this afternoon. Head coach Jim Tressel will get his first look at the entire 2001 team since spring drills when practices resume Saturday.
Steve Bellisari (Sr., Boca Raton Fla./Boca Raton)
On his thoughts and goals for this season
“I’m definitely excited. Mentally it’s kind of a new ball game for me because I’m used to the way things have been.
It’s going to be very easy to get motivated. We’re going to have a young team with a lot of new faces out there and it’s going to be exciting.
As a team we want to try and win the Big Ten. I think that’s the big goal for the team and myself. That’s probably the major goal right now.”
Joe Cooper(Sr., Columbus, Ohio/Independence)
On the new coaching staff
“We’re very excited about this season and the new coaching staff. I know my teammates and myself will be able to adapt. It might get rough sometimes, but overall I think we’ll be fine.”
Jonathan Wells (Sr., River Ridge, La./John Curtis Christian)
On the challenge from the freshman tailbacks
“I love the challenge. I’m just going to go out there and do what I’ve been doing for the past three years and bring it up another level. I just want to help those other guys along so when I leave here they can step in.”
On possibly having a breakout season
“I’m very excited. I don’t even know how to explain it. I’m looking forward to going out there, putting the pads on and getting back to my physical style of football. I especially want to get back to having fun. That’s when I play my best.” Alex Stepanovich (So., Berea, Ohio/Berea)
On the anticipation of this season
“It’s the excitement of the unknown and being Coach Tressel’s first year. With a new coaching staff everyone feels they have a chance and even the seniors have to prove themselves.”
On the preseason polls
“I really try not to pay attention to them. I just come in and do my business. People are going to say what they want to about us. We have this whole season to go.”
Donnie Nickey (Jr., Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder)
On arriving for the start of camp
“I’m ready to go. I just want to get the first couple of days out of the way, shake the rust off, get the pads on and get ready to go. I think we’re in shape, the team looks good, we ran well all summer. Now we just need to get the pads on.”
On the summer conditioning program under strength and conditioning coach Allan Johnson
“It was definitely different. The running was different, the things we did were different. Now we kind of come in and do a lot of different things on different days. I think it was definitely effective though.”
On the different preseason rankings
“I think we have to earn our respect this year. Everyone has a question mark about not knowing where to put us in the rankings. But we just have to earn it and everything else will take care of itself.”
Matt Wilhelm (Jr., Lorain, Ohio/Elyria Catholic)
On his defensive expectations for this season
“I have to be a leader on defense. With my second year starting, it’s up to me to know the defense like the back of my hand. I’ve watched the spring game tape all summer and know the type of things I need to do to get better.”
On the low preseason rankings
“It’s pretty much been that way since I’ve been here. It’s the norm for me. We’ll win games, move up in the polls and hopefully this year we’ll win the big games.”
On the different feeling from a new coaching staff
“It’s just something special Coach Tressel brings to the table. Whether it’s through his coaches or the individual time you spend with him. It just feels special.”
Courtland Bullard (Sr., Miami, Fla./Southridge
On the expectations for this year
“We can be the best in the nation and that’s the way we want to attack camp. We’ve prepared the best as we can and I feel we’re ready to take it to the next level.”
On his goals for this season
“You always have to have a plan. I just plan to get better and be the best man on the field. I think if everyone attacks practice like that, then we’ll be able to say we’re a great team.”
Jesse Kline (So., Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington)
On how he feels going into camp
“It’s definitely a new atmosphere, obviously with a new coaching staff. Everybody’s kind of excited as well as nervous. The veterans have been through a couple of camps and now we don’t know what to expect. There’s definitely a new sense of excitement that comes with this season.”
