Postgame Quotes From No. 1/1 Ohio State vs. Indiana – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 21, 2006
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Doug Datish, senior center
On Indiana’s team spirit
“I thought Indiana played hard the whole game. We knew they wouldn’t quit. But I think we got better as the game wore on.”
On Ohio State’s offensive line
“I think we could have done better. It seemed like there was always one guy getting through. We wanted to protect Troy (Smith) a little better. I thought we made some good rushing lanes, but I think we can do better.”
On opponents coming into Ohio Stadium
“Nobody comes in here and rolls over. We knew it was going to be a battle and it was. Everyone on this team refuses to lose. We don’t take anybody lightly, and I don’t think we will. We don’t allow ourselves to subconsciously look past any team on our schedule.”
Troy Smith, senior quarterback
On Ohio State’s overall play
“Indiana did a great job competing for four quarters. I think our offense did a lot of positive things. I still believe we have the best defense in the country. But I think we need to work on our turn-over ratios.”
On Ted Ginn Jr.’s touchdown pass
“We work on design, or trick plays, all the time in practice. After I carried out the fake, I turned around and saw a perfect spiral. Ted always says if he gets the chance he’d throw a touchdown. (Rory) Nicol made a great play on the ball, too.” On his overall play
“Being consistent and staying the course is what we want to be about. I have to take my hat off to the offensive line. Without them nothing happens. And I like to focus on the team’s success, not just my personal success.”
On the Buckeyes slow start today on offense
“I think the coaches figured out it would take something simple to get the ball rolling today. Someone called the right plays, so the credit should go to the coaches. Some games start the way you want and some don’t. I wouldn’t say I was out of sync; I would say their defense played well.”
Quinn Pitcock, senior defensive tackle
On Indiana’s offense
“They are a pretty good team offensively. They have a good young quarterback who is going to cause a lot of problems in the Big Ten. They don’t let falling behind stop them. They are persistent and try to get the job done.”
On causing problems on defense
“I think on defense we started attacking well. We got in the quarterback’s mind. We didn’t contain him as well as we could have. I though Jay Richardson has had some great games so far. We have a lot of guys making names for themselves on defense.”
David Patterson, senior defensive tackle
On Ohio State’s offense
“Our guys are great offensively. I think they are the best offense in the country, and they have the best player leading them.”
On his teammate Antonio Smith
“I love watching him play. You love to see a guy like him succeed.
Anthony Gonzalez, junior receiver
On the Ted Ginn Jr. touchdown pass
“It was a pretty nice throw. He wanted to throw a touchdown someday. As a high-profile player … I think other teams probably know about his ability.”
On the team’s mentality
“I think the main thing is everyone is celebrating together. It’s more fun when you’re undefeated because you don’t have any regrets to think about. The main thing we have is experience on offense. We have been in similar and sticky situations before, so everyone is playing more relaxed and making good plays.”
Antonio Smith, fifth year senior corner back
On the defense
“I’m glad we had another good game on defense. We take a lot of pride in being physical. This win is because of the great preparation by our coaches and our job containing Indiana’s offense. It’s good to see our team and the defense doing well.”
Brian Hartline, freshman, wide receiver
On his hits on special teams
“It felt good to go out there and deliver some hits. Most of the time I have to take them as a wide out but today I didn’t get blocked much on special teams and was able to make some plays.”
On the first half
“After they came down and scored I think my tackle really helped out. It seemed to really lift the team and really show Indiana who we are. They had a little bit of a swagger coming in here after their last couple of games.”
On the game
“The defense did a great job holing them to only three points. The offense did a great job of getting after it and we finally cracked the 40-point barrier.”
Marcus Freeman, sophomore linebacker
On IU quarterback Kellen Lewis
“The film does not do him justice. He is a great player. Out on the field he is much faster than he is on film and he works really hard. It is really tough to take him down. You have to square up and break him down.”
On the defense
“We really stepped up today as a unit. We were in a bit of a tough spot there to start the game, but we were able to hold them to a field goal. The defensive line did a great job of staying in their lanes and containing the quarterback.”
James Laurinaitis, sophomore linebacker
On Brian Hartline’s hits
“That picked all of us up. When you see a guy out there giving so much it picks everyone up.”
On the run defense
“We knew it was something that we had to work on and today we did a great job stopping the run. That had them in the negative for a while and you can’t do much better than that.”
On Antonio Smith
“He is a really great player and is finally getting a chance to show what he can do. He is a very smart guy and that shows on the field. He has really earned his spot and it is great to see him doing well.”
Ted Ginn Jr., junior flanker
On his touchdown throw
“It felt great. It is something we have had in the play book for a while and when we put in the package this week I got really excited. When I got the ball I just wanted to throw a good ball and put it in the right spot like Troy (Smith) does.
On his touchdown throw
“To me that is the most exciting thing I have ever done. I love catching touchdowns and returning punts but I thought I may never get to do that again and it felt great.”
Indiana Head Coach Terry Hoeppner
On the game
“Today we were out-coached and out-played by a team, that on this day, was No. 1. The game is won up front and we did not do well on either side of the ball up front. Again, we gave up too many big plays and that has to be fixed.”
On Ohio State’s defense
“The Buckeyes did a lot of things well today. They didn’t allow us to do the things we’ve been able to do off and on for the past two weeks.”
On Ohio State’s offensive scheme
“They didn’t do anything we hadn’t seen. They just started executing and changing up personnel. We knew what was coming. They just executed better than we did.”
On Ohio State’s offense
“Ohio State is good in a lot of areas. Their offensive line is talented and tough, their skill guys are fast and Troy (Smith) had a very good game. They are a good team who out-played us today.”
On Ohio State’s defense
“Ohio State’s defense plays so well together. They have an excellent scheme and they execute it well together.”
On Indiana’s performance
“I am not going to be overly critical of any individual on our team. It is hard to find any one who played or coached well today including me. Ohio State took away a lot of the things we wanted to do.”
On playing at Ohio Stadium
“The environment here is unique. The home field advantage here is, if you look it up in the dictionary, the exact definition.”
Tracy Porter, junior cornerback
On Ohio State’s receivers
“We needed to stay in coverage. They have a good group of receivers. They have a lot of speed, which made it more difficult to cover.”
On playing in Ohio Stadium
“They have 100,000 fans cheering. That makes it hard to focus. The crowd did a good job of breaking our concentration. They got us out of our game.”
Joe Kremer, junior defensive tackle
On playing Ohio State
“They are the No.1 team in the country. That’s what happens when you play a team like that. Troy Smith is a great athlete. He is the Heisman candidate. But we have to get back up next week.”
On returning to play in Columbus
“I used to come to games as a kid. It was a thrill to play here. It was great, I was excited to come here and play.”
Jammie Kirlew, freshman left end
On Ohio State’s offense
“The offense was very athletic. The kept pushing and they just out-played us today. They kept fighting. Troy Smith was very allusive, which made him hard to cover. That is why he is the No.1 Heisman candidate.”
On playing at the Shoe
“I heard a lot of things like there are a lot of people and it’s loud. But, personally, it excites me. It didn’t affect me. We just did not come out and play.”
Pete Saxon, freshman offensive guard
On playing at Ohio Stadium
“This was a good experience. We’ll learn a lot from the tape. Having gone against guys the caliber of Ohio State I’ll be able to go against guys of lesser caliber much better in the future.”
On the Ohio State defensive line
“They were really good at getting off blocks. Iowa is a lot like them. They are really good with their hands.”
On the stadium
“When you first walk out the stadium is just like you imagined. After the first couple of series it’s just you and the other guys on the field.”
On not playing Ohio State for the next two years
“I’m from Ohio (Plain City) so it would be nice to face them again. But I don’t make the schedule.”
James Hardy, sophomore wide receiver
On the Ohio State defense
“They have only given up 5 TDs (receiving) this year and we tried to add to that list and just could not do it.”
More on the defense
“They were on their `A’ game today. They came out flying around and it was not easy to get the ball up the field. In the end they were Ohio State. They still don’t compare to last year but they are still No. 1.
Kellen Lewis, freshman quarterback
On Ohio State’s defensive line
“Iowa is similar but they did not move much. (Ohio State) does a good job moving around before the snap of the ball.”
