Football Luncheon Quotes – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 3, 2002
Jim Tressel
On Kent State:
“As we came back yesterday, our attention needed to be turned quickly back to game week. What we needed to do, take some of the lessons we learned, some of the things we were doing in the open week and start applying them to a game plan for Kent. We worked long and hard in the open week. We worked long and hard yesterday. As we look forward toward the Kent State game, we know that this is a team that as every day goes, believes in itself more and more.
“One of the things that impress me is how they play defense. They get better as the game goes, better as the season goes and they are a very solid defensive group. They’re not real fancy. They line up and they are very assignment sound. They are not going to give you big plays. They play the game very physical.
“They want to run the ball well as an offense, so they practice that. Their defense has to be physical too. They play solid, defensive football.
“On the offensive side, their evolution has found the style of play and the guy behind the center that can generate that style of play. Their quarterback Cribbs is impressive. He is a big play guy. Our defensive players, as they watch the film, know the danger and the excellence that Cribbs brings to that group. He makes everyone else around him better. The offensive line is solid. Their run game will continue to get better. They have a very exciting and dangerous offensive system.
“On their special teams, you can see that they are very solid. They do the things that they do very well. They play a lot of guys and that helps your special teams. September 7 is going to be most impacted by what we do.”
On the OSU running game:
“Maurice (Clarett), Maurice Hall and Lydell Ross are definitely a big part of our game plan. We also have Ja Ja Riley back, which is exciting for us and exciting for him. We never know how much we are going to run or pass during a game. You have to wait and see how things unfold.” Matt Wilhelm
On Kent State quarterback Joshua Cribbs:
“He’s a great athlete. What we are going to see is similar (with Cribbs) to what we are going to see in quarterbacks in the Big Ten. It’s nothing we’re not accustomed to, but it’s a change. The coaching staff and players have been working hard at studying him. We are going to do our best to contain him and stop the Kent State offense.
“He has the option to run every play and that gives him more freedom. He is just as big of a threat as a running back because he has had success with his running game. It’s very important that 11 guys are running toward the football.”
On winning:
“Winning ballgames speaks highly of your team and it’s the best thing you can do for yourself because the awards will follow. We just have to prepare week by week and give ourselves the opportunity to line up every Saturday.
Kenny Peterson
On Kent State quarterback Joshua Cribbs
“You can’t be tentative, but you have to realize that he’s there and he’s able to move. We have to be able to pick the right pursuit angles because he is a cut back runner.
“He is a running quarterback and he is going to make you miss. Tackling is going to be very important for our defense.”
