Postgame Quotes From Ohio State vs. No. 7 Michigan – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 20, 2004
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Anthony Gonzalez, freshman receiver
On his touchdown reception
“There was good protection on the play and my job was just to occupy the safety. Troy (Smith) had all day to throw and I just got open. He made a great throw and I took it in for the score.”
On Troy’s performance
“Troy is a fun quarterback to play with, he is a big-time competitor and he works very hard in practice.”
On the offensive
“Our offense was really clicking today against Michigan and I only expect big things in the future.”
A.J. Hawk, junior linebacker
On the defensive performance
“Coach Snyder told us before the game that there is really no play that can stop an offense, it is all about how you execute the play. We tried to be as physical as we could today and we got it done.”
On the game
“As a team we really came together and we did what we had to do to win.”
On beating Michigan
“Beating Michigan is such a great feeling and it is such a big win for our program. I do not think we will really understand how important this win is until we are older.”
Santonio Holmes, sophomore receiver
On the practice this week
“Practice all week has been great. This win means everything to our program and it really gives us a lot of confidence going into the bowl game.”
On why players step up in the Ohio State vs. Michigan game
“I think one of the main reasons players step up in a game like this is because they want to perform well in the big games. Our coaches always tell us that big-time players always step up in the big-time games and that was what I tried to do today.” On the 99-yard drive
“I really think that drive took the spirit out of their team. When we scored we could just tell by then it was our game to win.”
Mike Nugent, senior place-kicker
On not losing to Michigan for the second-consecutive season
“We talked before the game about how bad we felt after the loss to Michigan last year in Ann Arbor and none of us wanted to feel that way again.”
Branden Joe, senior fullback
On the condition of his ankle
“My ankle has not been 100 percent healthy all season, but nothing would ever keep me out of the Michigan game.”
On winning his final game at Ohio Stadium
“Winning today against Michigan was very comparable to winning against Michigan in 2002. Ohio State is such a great place and it is a sweet sadness for it all to be over.”
Bobby Carpenter, junior linebacker
On Ohio State’s defense
“We were able to come in and stop the run. Michigan’s offensive line has always been historically good. We just went out there and played as hard as we could to see who came out as the better team.
On the game
“We just wanted to come out and get a second pair of gold pants and get the seniors their third. We wanted to steal Michigan’s roses. We played with our hearts and with a lot of emotion. We just wanted to send the seniors out with a win.”
On Ohio State’s offense
“The offense was able to put the points up and (Troy) Smith did a great job of controlling them.”
Dustin Fox, senior cornerback
On Ohio State’s offense
“The offense played awesome and gave us the confidence we needed go out and play. Troy (Smith) has come a long way and adds a different dimension to the offense. He has a lot of versatility and it shows in his character as a person and as a leader for our team and offense. And you just can’t say enough about Teddy (Ginn Jr.).”
On his last game as a senior
“There is no other way I would write it. I knew coming into the game that it was going to be emotional.”
Nick Mangold, junior center
On OSU quarterback Troy Smith
“Troy has great determination. Before the game he told the offensive line how much he appreciated us. That showed what kind of a leader he is. He got a lot done with the run today which opened up the passes.”
Lloyd Carr, Michigan Head Coach
On the game
“I give Ohio State credit. I thought they did a great job in every phase of the game. It was a tremendous disappointment for us obviously. I give all of the credit to Ohio State.”
On Michigan’s defense
“We didn’t help our defense after the first quarter. I thought in the first quarter offensively we really did some great things. We had a chance to seize control of the game, after we went up 14-7. We had the ball with great field position and then had to punt it away. Yeah, I am disappointed in our defense we game up to many big plays. (Ted) Ginn’s punt return was a major turning point in the game.”
On Ohio State’s offense
“Ohio State ran the football very effectively. I think more than anything else Troy Smith created some big plays and kept some drives alive. It was our inability to run the football. Our defense made some great stands in the second quarter down there. I think you have to credit Ohio State. Troy Smith had a great day.”
On Ohio State’s defense
“That is a big front. It is a very big physical front. They are young but I think they are bigger than they were a year ago. Their linebackers are very good.”
On giving up a 99-yard drive and a 97-yard drive
“That is why I say you have to give Ohio State credit. The way we have always tried to play defense at Michigan is if you have any kind of field position the odds are you are going to stop them. We couldn’t stop them. I think Ohio State played great today.”
On the atmosphere
“I think any time you are playing on the road and any time you are in Columbus the crowd is a home field crowd. There in the second quarter when we took the lead, they fought back and took the lead at the half, which gave them great momentum going into the second half. In either one of these games it is always a factor, regardless of where it is played.”
On the rivalry
“I have never believed (the records) matters. Ohio State has played extremely well in the last few weeks. I don’t put much stock into the favorite. It is what counts on that day. They have a lot of good football players, just like we do. We did not play like we had hoped to, that is obvious.”
Michigan player quotes
David Baas, Michigan senior center
On the game
“I give all the credit to Ohio State. They did everything they had to do to win. We didn’t execute. We stumbled and never fully recovered. Ohio State is a great defensive team and once they pulled together late in the first quarter they were almost unstoppable.”
On playing in Ohio Stadium
“Ohio State is a great place to play. It was loud and crazy but we didn’t let that get to us. We just couldn’t execute as well as we should have.”
Marlin Jackson, Michigan senior defensive back
On Troy Smith
“He played great. We knew coming in he was an exceptional athlete and that he was capable of making big plays. Today he made too many big plays that kept their confidence high and offense moving.”
On Ted Ginn Jr.
“Just like Troy (Smith), Ginn is an amazing athlete. He has everything a team could ever want in a player. He has the ability to make people miss like you saw all year and today.”
Chad Henne, Michigan freshman quarterback
On the Ohio State defense
“At first they were caught off guard by our ability to move the football. But then they regrouped and started putting more pressure on our offensive line. Once they brought pressure it disrupted our timing and threw our game off.”
On the atmosphere of Ohio State
“It was difficult to play in Ohio Stadium. But this is a rivalry game and playing in a loud stadium is something I had to adjust to very quickly. I thought I did a good job of tuning out the crowd but we were not able to move the ball very well throughout the game.”
On the experienced gained from today’s game
“Today was a learning experience for me. I felt I grew a lot from this game. I now understand fully what this rivalry is about. It is not about records or what team is having a better year, it is about who wants to win the most.”
