Postgame Press Conference From No. 10 Ohio State vs. No. 25 Northwestern – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 12, 2005
TRESSEL: We’re really proud of this senior group. You could tell all week in practice from the way everyone was preparing that we were certainly going to be prepared for this game and we have nothing but the utmost respect for Northwestern and that certainly enhances your preparation, but I think the biggest thing was you could feel is that our team and our coaching staff wanted to make sure that this group of seniors had a great day in their last day in Ohio Stadium and both sides of the ball did some good things and special teams did some good things and we’ve got to get better between now and next Saturday, but we’re real proud of the kids today.
REPORTER: Coach, what did you figure out about them after the first touchdown?
TRESSEL: As far as their offense? I — I don’t know, be honest with you, but I what watched our defense do is they keep playing, they just keep coming after you, they’re relentless, and I don’t know that we changed a whole bunch. You guys can answer that. We just kept playing hard. Like anyone, you have to get a feel for the tempo of every team and they have to hit some plays, and so be it, but our guys just keep playing.
REPORTER: Jim, would you talk about the offensive performance. Another good offensive performance, balance offense with run and pass, and also how satisfying was it from your standpoint to see Number 47 get a touchdown in his last game in Ohio Stadium?
TRESSEL: Well, you know, it was really neat because that was our punt safe unit and we talked this week about the fact that punt safe could put some great pressure on them and, you know, for Quinn to get in there and — I think it was Quinn who blocked it and for A.J. to pick it up, you know, it’s — we all — you know how all of us feel about A.J., we think he ought to be Butkus award winner and all the rest of those awards, so to add a touchdown to the resume is pretty neat.
REPORTER: Offense?
TRESSEL: Offensively, I don’t know that we threw it very well. We’re going to have to go back and study that a little bit. I don’t know that we were razor sharp with that. We ran it better as the game went and I think Pitt got over a hundred and Mo got near 70, or something, and that’s the kind of numbers we want. I assume Troy, you know, was up there somewhere. I don’t know the numbers, but, you know, we felt good about the run game and we’ve got to get a little bit more balance.
REPORTER: Seniors, can you guys just talk about the emotions both before the game with your folks out there, and then at the end, I don’t know if you guys heard it or not, the crowd chanting, “Four more years.”
SIMS: My mic isn’t working. Can you hear me, everybody?
REPORTER: No.
SIMS: Hello? Okay. I think — I think most of it really started for me when we kind of walked into the skull session, kind of walking and hearing everybody cheering for us like they always do, walking into the skull session and being up front and just really realizing, you know, this is it for me and I really won’t have this opportunity to walk through the skull session again, that’s when the tears really started for me. After that, I was cool, my mom and dad, they were cool out there on the field and I couldn’t ask to play for a better university or a better team for a better coach with better teammates. So, you know, the emotions were high and I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.
MANGOLD: I think for me, it started when I saw my mom right before the skull session, she was all red-eyed and you could tell she’d been crying and that’s when it really got emotional for me, but it just — try to take every moment, and we’re walking through the skull session, getting dressed, going through pregame, I will never forget it and, you know, I didn’t hear the “four more years,” but it’s really appreciative of what the fans, you know, I love when they’re cheering and everything and I really appreciate how much they’ve cheered for us.
SALLEY: It really began to hit me once I got into the locker room, you know, and started putting my stuff together and my pads and my pants and just started thinking about it like, you know, this is going to be like the last time. And Rob was sitting right next to me, oh, that’s the last time you’re going to take your shoes off and this is the last time you’re going to do this, giving me a hard time. Made me think about it a little more. Guys telling me, how much they appreciated being my teammate, me telling them the same thing, and just looking at everybody and realizing that this is the last time we’re going to be in that locker room together like that and that’s when it began hitting me. Like they said, to hear the fans “four more years,” that’s great. We definitely appreciate them and it’s been a great time here.
HAWK: I don’t think it has hit me completely yet. I don’t think it really can until you’re actually done and you’re — you have no games left because we know we still have a big Michigan game next week, so that’s the biggest thing on my mind. But it is special, you know, coming here and playing and seeing your parents out there on the field, that’s a huge day for them. To see my mom cry, it didn’t really affect me too much because she’s been crying for about six months thinking about this day, but that’s how it goes. And it’s tough in football, you have to move on, do different things, so I think every one of us, the seniors really appreciate the fans and everything everyone’s done because — I mean, I don’t know, I think we all feel lucky to be a part of something like that and want to remember it forever.
REPORTER: Jim, what’s it like for you for a day like this to see these guys come here four or five years ago, basically as boys and now they’re leaving here as men today?
TRESSEL: You know, we were so proud when all of these guys chose Ohio State because we knew they were special kids and they were going to do a great job in our community and they were going to do a great job on the field and they were going to enjoy the heck out of it. They didn’t even know how much they were going to enjoy it because it’s — it’s a special place and, you know, just to see the broad spectrum that they’ve encountered and enjoyed and fought through and been there for each other, you know, it’s very rewarding to see the kind of men that we have here at Ohio State. And as A.J. said, you know, you feel a little bit incomplete because you know you’ve got a huge one coming up, and save a little bit of emotion for that one.
REPORTER: Coach, the two Holmes returns which put you guys ahead early, how big was that in this game? These guys came in with a good offense and kind of just put them in a bind there.
TRESSEL: It really did. You talk about the importance of special teams and they didn’t have a guy who could not get into the end zone for touchbacks every time. So their choices were to hit it to Teddy, and it might be gone in 12 seconds or pooch it and see — see what happens, and Darrell Hazell’s done a good job of moving guys around. He’s had Gonzo up there, had Santonio up there, and all of a sudden, you know, pick your poison, are you going to kick it deep to Teddy or short to Santonio and those kinds of things, so hats off to our coaching staff for knowing what — what was going to be there and then for the execution by the — by that unit.
REPORTER: Do you think you have a edge — you’ve had an edge in special teams on everybody you’ve played this year with your punting, the kicker and the return game you have, and you block a punt today for a touchdown?
TRESSEL: That was huge. That’s when it was 14-7, I believe, wasn’t it? Yeah, that was huge, huge. I don’t know if we have, but we need to — I mean, that’s our goal. We think that’s the difference maker of the special units, if you want to be a championship caliber team, you — most especially when you go on the road, your special units better be out of this world. And so we’re very fortunate that Josh has been so extraordinary in his unit and those return guys on both punt and kickoff return and, you know, our punt unit has been pretty solid and needs to probably get a little bit better. The two games before this, it wasn’t super. I don’t know the numbers today, but, you know, the punt is a huge part of the game of football and so when we go on the road this next week, we need to have great special teams.
REPORTER: This is for all you guys, how quick do your thoughts now turn to Michigan, when do they turn to Michigan, and just any kind of thoughts as you get ready to go up to the big house?
SIMS: You know, I think we’re going to go out and enjoy this victory, especially being seniors, but it kind of started for me when I got taken out of the game. We know here that Ohio State-Michigan game, that’s really all that matters come this time of year, so I’m — you know, we’re thinking about it right now.
MANGOLD: I think for me it was, you know, as soon as that clock struck zero and this game was over with, your mind just goes straight to Michigan, because you’re kind of — it’s always in the back of your mind during the season and now it’s finally in front of your mind, just got to get back in, get studying up and get after them.
SALLEY: Just like once the clock kind of struck zero, I was still kind of savoring the moment, being our last game here, and once the clock struck zero, we got to the locker room, coach spoke about the Michigan game is huge, we know how much it means and we know what happened last time we went up there, and we definitely want to change that outcome so this is a huge game for us, so that started right in my mind at that time.
HAWK: Yeah, pretty much the same for me. Once the game’s over, just like any other game we’re playing, you go straight to the next game, and this week it happens to be Michigan and we’re going there and last — last time we went there, things didn’t turn out the way we would have liked, so we know we have to get working for that.
REPORTER: Question for A.J., Larry asked Coach Tressel about this game today. I want to put you on the spot. Could you have imagined a better send-off, a touchdown on a block put and also a sack, forcing a fumble, just sum it up, your thoughts on your last appearance here and how you played today.
HAWK: I could have definitely drawn up a little better, I missed a couple tackles in the open field that I would love to have back. I’d probably give a touchdown back for that. I don’t know, it is special, obviously like I said earlier, playing here and getting to come out — as a defensive guy, you don’t get to score touchdowns very often, so when a guy like Quinn Pitcock makes a huge play blocking a punt, I knew not to fall on it, because I knew it was our ball either way, so I was trying to get in the end zone, and it’s a great way to go off and I think it gives us momentum going into next week.
REPORTER: Jim, could you talk about Antonio’s day today. He was out a while, went off the field a while, came back and ran for over 100 yards.
TRESSEL: Yeah, I think he got dinged up a little did it, the trainers, I don’t know exactly what they did, worked on him, or whatever, you know, and came back and he was heading north/south, broke some tackles and I don’t know what he rushed for 125, or something like that, but —
SNAPP: 130, coach.
TRESSEL: 130? And as he’s been doing all year, I think every game he’s getting better, getting more confidence, he’s — his vision I think it continues to get better and better and his pad level has been where we want it and if he’ll keep doing that, as we’ve been saying each week, it gives us a much, much better chance to be a complete offense.
REPORTER: Coach, Ashton Youboty with the interception, a moment there, Troy had thrown an interception, just a little bit in doubt, just talk about that and Ashton’s year in general, coming back from some downs.
TRESSEL: You know, that’s funny, that’s the one play in the game I didn’t see because we had just thrown that interception and we were talking on the phone and kind of look at where — you know, where we needed to get when we got the ball back, and all of a sudden I looked up and those guys were wrestling for the ball and I — I wasn’t sure what exactly happened, and then the guys on the phone said that, you know, Ashton caught it, clearly, and they kind of both were wrestling around, and that was a huge play. I don’t remember what the score was, but that was a big play. Ashton makes big plays. He plays that position that you’re out on an island and people are testing you constantly, and when they’re having a hard time running against us, their only choice is to try to throw it out and over, those kind of things. He’s got the kind of mentality you need at corner which is, what’s important is the next play, no matter what happened the last play, and learn from it, so forth, but Ashton’s a great player.
REPORTER: Coach, everyone knows what this game means to you. Will you do anything different tonight because it’s Michigan next Saturday, in terms of do you go back over to Woody Hayes till midnight and study film and kind of map out the next 48 hours for you because it’s Michigan week if it’s any different than another game?
TRESSEL: I don’t want to foul up our coaches and go watch too much film and give them some crazy ideas so I’ll go home and probably do the dishes and vacuum a little. And we’ll be at it hard. Of course we’ll be thinking about it. It’s what you dream about when you’re coaching at Ohio State or playing at Ohio State and coaching at Michigan and playing at Michigan, you dream of the weeks you get to play and what has been clearly defined as the greatest game in college football but, no, we’ll try not to screw it up by watching too much film.
REPORTER: This is for any of the players, did the loss last year at Northwestern enter your minds at all entering this game or did you just write it off as a fluke occurrence because you’ve had so much success against them over the years?
SIMS: I think that any team that we lose to or beats us, the next time we play them, we always feel like we owe them and we need to come back and get them. We had a score posted all over the locker room and we saw that every — you know, every where we went, and it was definitely on our minds.
MANGOLD: I think that, yes, it was, mainly because, you know, we went up there and we were a young team back then and they kind of put us in our place a little bit and, you know, that wasn’t really something that we needed to do starting off the Big Ten, so as I was going through the week, you know, I was keeping that fresh in my mind of what that feeling felt like.
SALLEY: Most definitely, you know, I think last year that was a wake-up call for us. We went up there, they played a great game, and we did a lot of (inaudible) things, missed a lot of tackles, missed some assignments that we usually don’t do, so we definitely wanted to correct those things this time around and definitely play smarter, you know.
HAWK: Yeah, throughout the week, I think you definitely think about what happened last year and how we — how we played because we didn’t do as well as we should have. But for me, at least, once the game starts, it’s just another game, and you’ve got to take it as it is and don’t worry about what happened in the past because whether you killed them last year or you got beat, you know, it doesn’t matter, it’s what happens right now.
