Ohio State Football Teleconference – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 20, 2001
Tressel on Krenzel going in
“I thought Craig (Krenzel) has done a good job of mentally preparing for every game. Craig is a student of the game. He’s a very bright kid. I thought he’s done a good job all along. I thought he stepped in there and it wasn’t easy when he first got in there. He had a little miscue on the first one. We had a tough call on the next ball he threw. I thought he came back in that second series of the second half and really played, for the lack of experience he has in a game, I thought he played pretty darn well and I was excited about the effort he gave. Just knowing what was going on out there, I was happy with his interaction and discussion with what was going on in the course of the game.”
Tressel on Krenzel’s attitude about starting
“I don’t have any question that Craig Krenzel will revel in the opportunity.”
Tressel on the inexperience of the quarterbacks heading into the Michigan game
“I don’t know about gut check. I think in everything you do, you work hard to decide what is the right thing to do and then you go out and do them. Our guys are going to tee it up and play. I don’t know about gut check. Playing in the Big Ten every week is a gut check. I’m sure our guys will be fine.”
Tressel on his decision to start Krenzel at Michigan
“I thought Craig played with a little more confidence. I thought he handled the situation such that he deserves that opportunity. I thought Scott (McMullen) did some good things, but I though Craig did some better ones.”
Tressel on how much each quarterback will play at Michigan
“I don’t even know exactly how to attack Michigan. They’re given up 80 yards a game rushing. They’re the top defense statistically in the Big Ten. We’ve got a lot of work to do to figure out what it is that is the best attack. Then I think you plug in who can do what best.” Tressel on the quarterbacks’ progressions
“In the spring I thought both Scott and Craig had up and down periods. Then in the preseason Craig got hurt and missed about 19 practices. When you miss a preseason, that’s tough on you. I thought he came back. The good thing about Craig is he always stays in things mentally. I thought he came back and got better and better as he went. The problem is when you’re in season, your practice opportunities when you’re number two or there are near as much as what they are in preseason where you get tons and tons of reps. Those guys, as we sit in meetings and watch film and give them written tests and practice and so forth, they know what needs to be done. I really think they were both anxious to step up and fill a role that are team needed.”
Tressel on if the offense will be scaled back
“I’m not sure you would do everything we’ve been doing. Because if you look from game one to now according to what defenses we’ve faced and who is doing what, we’ve done a pretty broad range of things. So I think you have to get a package put together that you think is the right one to attack the team that you’re getting ready to play and then go out and execute that.”
Tressel on running at the quarterback position
“I think the thing that Steve (Bellisari) was really beginning to evolve with is a little bit of the run stuff that we always thought he would really be good at. He was banged up there for a month in the middle of the season. Outside of that, that we didn’t use much, we’ve really used just about what we thought we would.”
“I think the only think that limited us from a running threat at quarterback, were those were some things that Scott and Craig really hadn’t repped at all. Those were some things that weren’t in the package early on. They were not in the package when Steve was banged and then when they were in the package he was practicing and repping them. They’ll have the opportunities to rep whatever we think we’ll be the right things to do. So, I don’t think that handicap is significant maybe as one might think.”
Tressel on Krenzel’s mental preparation and input
“There were a lot of times in the first eight games were Craig made play call suggestions. The thing about Craig is he’s got good vision on what goes on out there”
Tressel on Krenzel making his first start
“I would say this, it’s probably harder to make a start than it is to make a relief. Again, I think he’s a pretty mature kid and he is going to face it like he did going in the second quarter (against Illinois).”
Coach Tressel on Steve Bellisari’s situation:
“Steve has told me that whatever is best for the team is what he wants to do. And if that meant not being with the team then he could live with that even though that’s not what he had wanted.
“Steve will be available to play and I can honestly say that I have mixed emotions. I’m sure the guys can tell you that they have mixed emotions also. They shared a little bit about that yesterday. My plans are to get Craig and Scott ready to play against Michigan. As I stand here today Steve would be No. 4 (on the depth chart).
“I am very comfortable with the (decision). I have a hard time thinking that anyone else that has ever had a child would think any differently. When someone in your family has a problem, the last thing you do is push them out of the family. That would have been real a struggle if someone told me I had to (dismiss Bellisari from the team).
“Very seldom in decision-making do I sit back and think about what I have an argument for. I try to sit back and say ‘Okay, what is the right thing for the individual involved and the group.’ That is the way I usually approach things. Hopefully you do things for the right reason.
“It is not the greatest feeling honestly, but we have gone into games where maybe somebody was injured or maybe somebody was not a 100 percent. That is not something that never changes your passion for what you are doing.
“Every single person on this team is important and whatever their role happens to be. Whether it is the guy on the sideline cheering or a guy protecting four punts the whole game or a guy snapping nine times like Mike Jacobs might or a coach in the press box who is just assigned to look at the No. 4 guy running down the field during a kickoff. We feel as if everyone is important.
Jonathan Wells on what is needed against Michigan
“I think everybody needs to step up, not just myself. I plan to step it up every game, I want to get better every week. This is a special game for us. I think all the seniors, especially, have to step up their game as well as the rest of the team. We have a guy with some inexperience who is going to be our quarterback, but I’m confident (Craig Krenzel) can get the job done. We need to go there and makes some plays for him and give him some confidence.”
Tyson Walter on Krenzel’s demeanor
“Craig is just a really confident guy and he knows what is going on. Like coach said, he’s mentally into the game at all times so I think that really allows him to relax during the game and keep focused on what he needs to do and what he has been coached to do.”
