Football Continues Practice in Full Pads – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 23, 2001
%^$The Ohio State football team held its second day of full contact practice Thursday. Coach Tressel commented on the practice sessions and the upcoming scrimmage to be held in Ohio Stadium Saturday. Players also commented on camp.%^$
%^$Coach Tressel
%^$On coming back to practice after the first day of hitting
%^$”We had a real muddy morning. We were over on the other field sliding around. In some ways it was good for us because we came off a full day of cracking pretty good and had to really focus and concentrate this morning because the conditions weren’t great, but we needed a little heat and humidity and we got it this afternoon. I thought they came back and responded. I think they’re competing, and I don’t know what else we can ask of them.”%^$
%^$On what he will look for in the scrimmage at Ohio Stadium Saturday
%^$”You look for the veterans to play like veterans and you’re looking to find out what they young guys do when they’re in the big stadium and the situations aren’t totally scripted. There are going to be some second-and-tens, but not four straight. There are going to be some first-and-tens, but not four straight. They’re going to have to mix and match as they go and try to progress with the ball and stop people and so forth. I’ve always felt the first scrimmage tells us how competitive we’re going to be. That’s why we like to play that one for the honor of wearing the scarlet jerseys because it’s a competition scrimmage. There is going to be some times when we don’t look smooth as can be, but its got to be the one where we show how we’ll play.”%^$
%^$Steve Bellisari (Sr., Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton)
%^$On the offensive progression
%^$”We’re starting to get a real good rhythm offensively,” Bellisari said. “We’re mixing it up really good right now. It’s just a matter of getting the right guys in there and making sure they know what’s going on.”%^$
%^$On the difference between this year and previous years
%^$”I look around and I feel like one of the old guys” Bellisari said. “I’m one of the oldest guys around except for guys like Tyson (Walter) and Joe (Cooper). It seems not so long ago I was a freshman.”%^$
%^$On being more of a leader this season
%^$”Two years ago I wasn’t able to just go out there and tell the guys what to do and now I do feel that way,” Bellisari said. “I feel I have the respect of the players and the coaches to speak freely and communicate much better.”%^$
%^$Jesse Kline (So., Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington)
%^$On the first day of pads
%^$”Everyone was extremely physical yesterday,” Kline said. “We’ve always been pretty physical. The coaches were really letting us go at it with one another. Once the coaches say ‘live,’ anything goes. It’s a game situation.%^$
%^$”You have to adjust to the first day of pads. After that first hit you have to readjust. You have to be just a sharp mentally as you do physically.”%^$
%^$On Michael Doss
%^$”He’s a natural when it come to hitting people,” Kline said. “There’s a certain instinct players have and he has it. He gets the pads downs and knows exactly where and when to hit the guy carrying the ball. He’s a great tackler and he’s not going to miss.”%^$
%^$Mike Collins (Sr., Newark, Ohio/Newark)
%^$On the advantage of a renovated stadium
%^$”The stadium speaks for itself. It’s intimidating just looking at it,” Collins said. “I think the bigger student section is going to a big factor for opposing teams.%^$
%^$”We have to make it a point to win all of our game at home. We’ve got to get that winning streak back into the picture to make it more intimidating.”
