Football Team Holds Kick Scrimmage – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/22/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
COLUMBUS, Ohio The football team held its kick scrimmage Wednesday in Ohio Stadium, focusing on special teams units. Ryan Pretorius, a junior place kicker, made all four of his field goal attempts and was one of several Buckeyes to meet with the media afterwards.
Ohio State also held a media appreciation function and members of the media competed in a field goal kicking contest after the football team cleared the field.
The Buckeyes will hold an open practice Thursday at Ohio Stadium. There will be an autograph session before the team practice. Gates 31 and 32 will open at 5:15 p.m. and the autographs will start at 6 p.m. and run until approximately 7 p.m. The open practice starts at 8 p.m.
Jim Tressel, head football coach
On long snappers
“We have a lot of film to look at today. This was really the day that we were going to figure out who is going to be our guy. If we played a game coming into today, it would have been (Dimitrios) Makridis.”
On place kickers
“Coming into today it would have been (A.J.) Trapasso punting for us. Ryan Pretorius would have been taking the field goals and (Aaron) Pettrey would have been handling kickoffs for us.”
On Ryan Pretorius, junior place kicker
“Ryan has had a good summer for us and he has carried it over into the fall. He has been locked in ever since the bowl practices.”
On moving the kickoff line back five yards
“It will certainly add more excitement to games. I think in spring practice our guys were really excited and maybe a little too hyped up. Now we’ve reached the point where we’re more comfortable with the change.”
On the importance of special teams
“I’ve been around a lot of great teams where their special teams are their most elite unit. Special teams makes your offensive and defensive units better.”
Ryan Pretorius, junior kicker
On the kick scrimmage
“I felt really great today. I started off 4-4. We faked my first kick and then I hit the next four in a row. Then late in the scrimmage, I got a few blocked.”
On the kicks being blocked
“I’m not really sure what happened. A few guys came flying up the middle. We need to look and make sure the protections are still good.”
On last season
“I have never really had a kick blocked. Even going back to last season I was 2-2. A 51-yard kick in the mud against Northern Illinois and a 52-yarder against Cincinnati.”
Kurt Coleman, sophomore safety
On Ohio State’s special teams
“I feel like I can contribute a lot on special teams. I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do. We’re itching to play but we still need to get mentally prepared.”
A.J. Trapasso, sophomore punter
On the kick scrimmage
“The whole team did well today in all facets of the game. It’s for the coaches to decide who is playing Sept. 1.”
On the new playing surface ay Ohio Stadium
“The more we wear the field in, the better it will be for us.”
Aaron Pettery, sophomore place kicker
On his performance Wednesday
“I missed a few I should have made today, but I left on a good note by making the last one. I feel good kicking the ball on my own but in team I’ve been missing.”
