Ohio State Football Quotes – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 27, 2005
Jim Tressel, Ohio State head coach
On his team’s familiarity with the Fiesta Bowl
“There are about 40 of our guys who have experienced the Fiesta Bowl, but we have 102 or 103 out here so that means we have more guys who are experiencing this for the first time. You could see their eyeballs get big when we got off the plane and when they see a lot of this stuff for the first time. But it’s good that we have guys who have been here before and they can show the younger guys where to be and where not to be. We’re just excited to be here and I don’t know how you can have it better than what we get to experience here at the Fiesta Bowl.”
On practice Tuesday
“There might have been a little rust at the beginning but as practice went on you could see things starting to click. But the most important thing is that they want to compete against each other and get after it a little.”
On being West for four consecutive bowl games
“It’s a great experience for our kids. We don’t have many guys from west of the Mississippi so they’re getting to experience some new things. The terrain and the weather here are so much different. They’ll make some good memories. You know football is about memories and the memories they take from here will last forever.
“We’ve been on TV coast to coast but this week we’re out here live. When you run into our alums out here it’s like they’re in heaven because they don’t have to travel very far to see their beloved Buckeyes. And I don’t know how you could play in a better bowl. The Fiesta Bowl people are so great and everything from the match-up, the facilities and the weather are great.”
On his seniors and their win total
“We have 16 seniors and maybe a couple others who are playing their last game as Buckeyes, so it’s going to be special. And for them to have a chance to end their careers with 43 wins here is outstanding. That group from 1995 to 1998 had 43 wins and I know this group would like to have that same success and put themselves in that kind of class. That would be something really special for these kids.”
A.J. Hawk, senior linebacker
On the upcoming game
“It’s great to have a chance to play a team like Notre Dame. There’s a lot of hype for this game and it’s getting national attention. We’re excited about that and we’ll try to take advantage of the opportunity.”
On coming back to the Fiesta Bowl
“Everything about this game is unbelievable. You look at where we stay and how we get treated – it’s all first-class. Everyone involved with the Fiesta Bowl does a great job. That’s why we’re excited to be here and we’re glad to have the chance to come back.”
Troy Smith, junior quarterback
On how this Fiesta Bowl is different from his last two
“It means a lot more now to myself and some of the other guys who will play a big role in this game. We’re leaders now. The group that came in as freshmen in 2002 are now a lot of the guys who helped get us here this year. We were on the scout team a couple years back but now we make up a lot of the focal point of both the offense and the defense.”
On coming back to the Fiesta Bowl
“It means a lot coming back to this great city and be a part of this game again. We know where things are so we are comfortable and we can help the younger guys out. It’s nice to be familiar with the area.”
### Go Bucks! ###
