Post Game Quotes From Ohio State vs. Northwestern – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 27, 2003
Recap| Box Score| Notes
Ohio State Quotes
Maurice Hall, junior running back
On the week to week development of the team
“We’re still improving. I think we always need to continue to get better. I don’t think we’re going to be satisfied, regardless of where we are. That’s really all we’ve got to do each game is improve.”
On Guilford playing
“You always want to play but it’s good to see Ira get in and get some experience. He was helping his team and that’s what we’re all about.”
Ira Guilford, freshman running back
On being switched to running back from defensive back
“I had a lot of success last year in high school as a running back. So, it’s just football to me. I would love to play defense, love to play defensive back, but I also love to play offense and be a running back. I just want to have success.”
On picking up the blitz
“I think I have come a long way in the last couple weeks. I’ve been getting better, putting in the extra study hours. I’m working my way on the field.”
On importance of next weeks before Wisconsin
“I am going to keep on studying, keep on getting better. I am going to keep doing what I have been doing and even a little bit more because I really want to be a factor in this offense. Whatever the coaches see fit as my role, that’s what’s going to be but I want to put myself in a good situation.”
On energy of Big Ten opener
“The defense was really coming hard. My teammates have been telling me that it’s more than just a regular game. They were definitely coming and I was pretty psyched-up the whole game.”
A.J. Hawk, sophomore linebacker
On getting a shut-out
“It definitely feels good to get a shutout and that’s always the defense’s first goal. For a team not to score any points is definitely something special, especially for the first game in Big Ten play.”
On the play of the defensive line
“I’ve got some stuff to work on because I got knocked down a couple times, but the four guys playing in front of me makes it feel like there’s no one blocking me at times. They eat up all the blockers and just let me run around and play.”
Ben Hartsock, senior tight end
On the game
“Scott was able to find us and make some plays. The offense is taking baby steps, but the defense had a really good day. The offense needs to work on consistency. Here we are, 5-0, and coach (Tressel) says that we haven’t even scratched the surface yet.”
On Scott McMullen filling in for Craig Krenzel
“Craig (Krenzel) brings it to the table. But in situations like this, it is good to have other guys come through.”
On blocking with the offensive line
“This week in practice we will focus on the fundamentals. We have not been messing up the schemes, though if we are missing someone on a play, it can ruin the play.”
Justin Zwick, freshman quarterback
On the game
“My hands were shaking when I stepped off the field. It was exciting. I have not been in front of a crowd since the spring game. The more experience I have, the more comfortable I will be once I get some plays under my belt.”
On his play with the offense
“My protection was good and the receivers were able to get the routes. After the first play, it got easier. All I thought was to not fumble the snap.”
On his role as a back-up quarterback
“It is kind of a tease because Craig (Krenzel) may be coming back next week. It was fun. I like to help out with the team whenever I can.”
Northwestern Quotes
Northwestern Head Coach Randy Walker
On what he told his team after the game
“I told our team that I admired their preparation this week. We had a great week of working to get to the right place and I think we came to the right place. I don’t fault their heart or their passion. When you put that much effort into something, it’s disappointing when you don’t get the result you worked for, but I’m not devastated, there is a difference. I see a lot of positives in the football team in that lockerroom. We can be a good football team and I think that will happen sooner rather than later.
“I think we should be pointing a lot of thumbs, not fingers. It’s easy to point the finger when things don’t go well. I believe we are a good football team, but we need to take advantage of opportunities. That was the story of the game.”
On how much momentum played a part in today’s game
“I hesitate to mention this in these confines, but Bo Schembechler (former University of Michigan football head coach) once said momentum is the most important thing in football. If you have it, you have to keep it. If you don’t have it, you have to figure out how to get it. Ohio State had the momentum today and we were not able to establish it for a long enough stretch, but I never saw us lose heart.”
On Northwestern’s run defense
“We have been playing pretty well against the run all season. We prepare every week to do that. This is the best defense I have had in five years here. We’ve gotten better with every game.”
On how field position played a factor in today’s game
“Ohio State was playing on a short field all day long and we often had bad field position. You have to credit Ohio State’s coaches and its kicking game. When you’re playing against a great defense in the shadow of your own goalpost it limits your playbook a little bit.”
On Ohio State’s defense
“I didn’t like any match-ups against their defense. That’s a tough defense to make a living running the ball against. When you’re playing against a great defense you better be able to do more than one thing. We had protection issues in our passing game.”
On Northwestern’s breakdowns on offense
“We didn’t play well offensively. We didn’t execute and never seized the momentum. It wasn’t one thing. It was this or that. If you list all the things that went into it, it would be about 15 things. We never got all 11 players on the same page.”`
On Northwestern’s ability to run the ball against Ohio State
“We thought going in we wanted to run the ball north and south against them, not east or west. When you try to run the ball east and west against them they will run you down. We wanted to get the vertical running game going against them.”
Jason Wright, senior running back
On Ohio State defense
“They were very fast like. They were able to wrap us up after the catch.”
On his concerns about the offense
“I’m not concerned about the offense. I was not making the plays I needed to and I needed to up my game and others needed to up their game. We didn’t get it fixed on our side of the ball.”
Jeff Backes, sophomore cornerback
On being nervous playing in Ohio Stadium
“I had the butterflies, but nothing more than usual.”
Zach Strief, sophomore offensive lineman
On Ohio State’s defense
“They have a lot of speed. We tried to mix it up with the reverse to slow them down. They are a good run-stopping team. They start keying on the run plays. We were just killing ourselves over and over. We had third-and-30s and that just is not acceptable.”
On Northwestern’s defense
“I can’t say enough about the defense this year. Our defense is just going to keep getting better.”
Brett Basanez, sophomore quarterback
On the offensive play-calling
“The short passes were there as a chance to make plays.”
On Ohio State defense
“Their front four is the core of their team. We need to make the reads and get rid of the ball quickly.”
On Northwestern’s field position
“Getting great field position is awesome, but if we have to go 90 yards with the ball then that is what we have to do.”
