Football Freshmen Complete Second Day of Practices – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 31, 2002
Day Two Quotes from Jim Tressel, Ohio State football coach
On what the team got out of the two-day camp:
“We threw a lot at them offensively, defensively and threw all the special teams at them. We got them thoroughly lost, but when we start over, I think it will be pretty quick relearning and it will be a whole new world when they put pads on. I thought we got a lot out of it. They got to spend a lot of time with each other and with coaches. They got to know the environment that we are going to be in for the next month. We got a lot done.”
On not taking stock in what he sees in the two-day camp:
“You have to put an asterisk in front of any evaluations right now. We are going to make the assumption they like to hit people and so what we see movement-wise is what we are evaluating here. Now we have to see if that assumption is true and let them hit people. All of these guys showed that in their high school careers that they like contact.”
On the use of and reaction to the practice films:
“They really haven’t seen the degree of which they are going to scrutinize tape and everything else. Normally, we will have four cameras going and will be taping every drill, every period. At the end of the morning practice, we’ll go in and watch that immediately for immediate reinforcement teaching. Then we’ll tape the afternoon practices and go back in and watch that film. Usually in the morning meetings, they will see a little more tape of the stuff we didn’t get to after the practices. That will be the biggest difference. The amount of time in meetings is the biggest difference from high school to college, along with the obvious change in speed.”
On the scrutiny Justin Zwick will play under and how he will handle it:
“I think he has had as good as a high school experience you could possibly have being in two state power-type programs and being under the scrutiny of the Massillon tradition. Then, with all the recruiting exposure he had and everything that has led up to him being here today, he has handled it as well as he can. It (the scrutiny) will be different here. It will be tough. I like his attitude. I like the way he is sure everyone around him knows he doesn’t think he is special even though he might get more attention. I think that is a real important trait for him to have.” On helping him through the scrutiny:
“I think the thing we can do is to treat him like anyone else. I feel that would be as helpful as anything. Like anything, you throw him in the water and see if he can swim.”
On Derek Morris:
“I ask every day (about the situation). I think we are making progress. I am hoping the end is in sight pretty quick. When things are not in our hands, you don’t really know how they are progressing. I’ll say this: From when we arrived here two and one half days ago to now, I think we have made some progress toward settling that.”
On Branden Joe’s plead in court today:
“I think the sequence of events has to be, number one, the legal process and, number two, the internal family process. Obviously, you then have to talk about what you are going to do which I would like to think once we (full squad) all get here, we can make sure we are all on the same page. You will be able to see what happens then at practice and the outcome will be obvious.”
On Troy Smith being a bonus to the recruiting class:
“I see a guy that can help you in a lot of ways. He can help you on special teams, he can help you out wide and he can help you at quarterback. We felt it was important in mid-January when we lost Rick McFadden, graduated Steve Bellisari and were sitting here with two quarterbacks on scholarship on campus, knowing one more had committed, (Zwick) had not signed yet but we were confident he would, to protect the group and aggressively seek a guy we thought could (help). We think Troy can do it.”
On the freshmen class’ character:
“They have a lot of characteristics and traits in common. I think every one of them is very attentive. They seem to be very punctual. In fact, many of them get here early to watch film. I think they are very bright. It is different when you are getting smashed as compared to when you are in shorts, but they seem to be very bright. They also are a very powerful group. If you look at the fitness tests we have been doing over the past two days, some of the numbers they have produced are impressive. I think they are pretty good-sized group as well. If you look around the field, there are guys that are either pretty close to the size we think we might need them or are already there.”
On the changes in practice for the freshmen with a full squad:
“I think the guys here now will have a chance to catch their breath between plays now. Their challenge will then be to learn while they are watching. These past two days, they got to do, do, do. It is pretty easy to learn while you are doing it all the time. Now they are going to have to do a good job of focusing in while someone else is doing it and learn from watching as well. The big difference will be the day we put the pads on. There will not be a difference in the way we approach things. It will just be a chance for them to observe a little more of what they need to learn.”
