OSU Practice Notes

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Ohio State Practice Notes & Quotes (12-27-02)


Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Friday, December 27, 2002
Ohio State Practice Notes & Quotes
(first practice since arriving in Arizona)

HEAD COACH JIM TRESSEL

On first practice since arriving on Phoenix
?Our guys were excited to practice ? until they got tired. They got some Christmas out of them.?

On the Fiesta Bowl atmosphere
?We?re very excited to be here. And how could you not be, with the great welcome we got yesterday at the airport, the first class hotel and practice facilities. The Fiesta Bowl does a fantastic job with providing a lot of opportunities to really enjoy this experience. And our players should enjoy the honor they?ve earned. This will be a great opportunity for them to balance fun with work.?

On Miami and the Big East
?Miami has a great program. And what is important about them is that not only do they win, but they win with class. They represent college football very well. And just look at the league they come from ? Boston College and Pittsburgh both played very well yesterday, which tells you something about the depth of that league.?

On being considered an underdog
?We don?t have time for that. We?ve got 12 game films to study for Miami, 12 game films to study for us, game plans and lots of other things to do to prepare. We know why we won some games this year, and we know what we didn?t do so well this year and need to work on to prepare for next Friday. So we?ve got a lot of work to do between now and next Friday, and that?s what we?re focused on.?

On upcoming practice sessions in Arizona
?We?ll get in pads once this weekend, and twice next week. We?ll thump with some speed, and bang a bit. The worst thing we could do is not prepare with some simulated game situations, but we also need to make sure we stay 100 percent healthy.?

On whether his team is intimidated by Miami
?I wouldn?t bet our guys are. They?re focused, and we?ve got a plan. We?re honored to be here, and now we just have to focus on ourselves in getting ready.?

On OSU-Miami matchup
?Speed wins games, and the fastest team usually wins. We match well with them (Miami)?

What is a Buckeye?
?A buckeye is a nut. It?s a tough nut and a hard nut ? something we hope to be next week.?

LINEBACKER MATT WILHELM
On the first practice in Arizona:
?It was nice. The weather turned out to be nice. (Today) was more Arizona-like than what we felt last night. It was nice to get out here and get back into things. Today was not too big of a deal. We just went over a lot of the things we worked on in Columbus.

?Everyone is stepping up a little bit. Even though we didn?t go too hard, we are preparing for a very important game. The mental preparations and going through the motions is really important?

QUARTERBACK CRAIG KRENZEL
On being the underdog: ?It doesn?t bother us a bit. We?re going into this game with all the confidence in the world that if we come out and play our game, play well and execute, we feel we have a good shot at coming out on top.?

On practice:
?It?s football. It?s the same things we?ve been doing in Columbus. The weather is a bit nicer out here. We?re trying to get acclimated to the weather and the heat.?

TAILBACK MAURICE CLARETT
On the bowl experience: ?I?m just happy to be out here. I?m real appreciative to be able to make the trip and play in this game. I?ve never seen all these mountains and cacti. I?m just soaking up the experience right now.

?I haven?t looked at too much film yet. They?re very disciplined and well schooled. I?m just worrying about our team and what we?re doing.?

DEFENSIVE BACK WILL ALLEN
On his role:
?Hopefully we can get them in a lot of third-down situations where they have to pass. If we stop the run I see myself playing a sufficient amount of time. I?m just going to prepare like I normally do.

?Obviously I?ve never seen anything like this. I?m humble and I?ve prepared myself. I?ve accepted everything that is going on so it?s not (like I am) I?m big-headed or anything. It is all overwhelming. I?m excited and I?m happy to be out here.?

WIDE RECEIVER AND DEFENSIVE BACK CHRIS GAMBLE
On playing both ways:
?I just try to take every game one step at a time. I wanted to make a big impact this year and I think I?ve been able to do that. I?m just trying to stay focused and do what I do best.

?The coaches approached me first (about playing flanker and cornerback). They saw me in spring practice playing around with (defensive back) Michael Doss and the receivers. (Defensive backs) Coach Mel Tucker liked what he saw and gave me a chance.?

DEFENSIVE BACK MIKE DOSS
On Miami and being the underdog:
?I don?t think we are intimidated by Miami. We definitely respect Miami and their talent and their accomplishments made over the past two or three years. We?re fresh to all of this. This is new to the Buckeyes being in the national championship. We?re going to take it one step at a time and embrace it all.

?They have a great image at Miami. They won 34-straight games so you definitely have to take notice. The whole country has to. Just to play them is a great opportunity for Ohio State.?

OSU MEDIA NOTES

All remaining OSU practices will be closed to media. Post-practice comments from Coach Tressel only will be distributed after each practice session.

 

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Fiesta Bowl ? January 3rd
Miami (Fla.) (12-0) vs. Ohio State (13-0)

DJ Boyer: Will this be the blowout everyone makes it out to be? I don?t think it will be, especially if Ohio State is within a touchdown by halftime. I think Miami (Fla.) has too much talent for the Buckeyes to keep up with but it wouldn?t be the first time Ohio State has left me surprised.

Miami is expected to win this football game but they have not been the invincible team everyone thought they would be. We saw the team escape with a win against Florida State after another missed field goal doomed Bobby Bowdon and his bunch. We saw Pitt nearly pull off an upset and this team was trailing Rutgers going into the 4th quarter. But Miami (Fla.) has played their best football down the stretch when they were supposed to be tested by teams like Virginia Tech. Ken Dorsey, Willis McGahee, Kellen Winslow and Andre Johnson are just a few of the countless weapons Miami can employ. I think in the end the experience this bunch has will be able to propel them to another title. On defense the defensive line is loaded with talent but they have given up some yardage at inopportune times. The secondary plays very deep and is usually asked to not give up the big play while Miami rotates their linebackers into blitzing and coverage packages. Ohio State can be very successful if Maurice Clarett and Lydell Ross can beat the blitz with some big runs.

Ohio State has a defense that has been battle tested and delivered time and time again. There is no team in the Big Ten that comes close to matching the type of firepower the Miami has. If Ohio State wins this game it has to be on the defensive side of the football and with their running game. I alluded to the fact that Miami has shown they are susceptible to being hit with a big run when trying to blitz and I think the running game is the overall key for Ohio State. Ohio State might have to worry more about the battle in time of possession than the scoreboard when they start this football game. If Ohio State can launch some epic drives on the ground and keep the clock moving they can prevent Miami from doing damage by keeping their offense off the football field. This is the approach that seemed to work for Florida State when they nearly knocked them off and when Brandon Miree got hot for Pitt in the second half facing the Hurricanes. If Ohio State can win the battle in possession and the defense led by Matt Wilhelm can pressure Ken Dorsey and eliminate the big play, then the Buckeyes will be national champions.

Prediction: Miami (Fla.) 33 Ohio State 26

 

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From ESPN's Bill Curry:

"Miami relinquishes 3.9 yards per rush. More disturbing, West Virginia ran for 363 yards, Florida State 296, and several other opponents pounded the vaunted front seven of the Hurricanes for long stretches.

Ohio State will prepare even more vigorously than usual in this crucial area, since it is the Buckeyes' strength and the key to keeping Miami's offense off the field.

Further encouragement for Ohio State is the Hurricanes' red zone performance. The defense allowed 27 scores in 35 trips, and 21 were touchdowns. That is not championship red-zone defense.

The game within the game is complex. It involves Tressel's propensity to go against his apparent conservative personality at precisely the right time. Intelligent gambles are part of his thinking, and games like OSU's wins over Purdue and Wisconsin were won because of his intuition.

Great coaches sense when a risk is called for, and they take that risk at the time the opposition least expects it. Tressel's capacity to preserve this uncanny knack will loom large in the outcome of the game.

Coker's game within the game will be isolating his great speed, McGahee and wide receiver Andre Johnson, in mismatch opportunities to score big early. Ohio State will not have seen this kind of speed, but will adjust as the game wears on.

Hidden yardage favors the Buckeyes. Punter Andy Groom and Kicker Mike Nugent assume the roles enjoyed by their Miami counterparts Freddie Capshaw and Todd Sievers a year ago. Both Hurricane specialists had off years, while Groom and Nugent earned All American honors

 

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The weeks of talking and waiting are over... the game is finally here. The showdown in the desert is about to take place as the Buckeyes are facing perhaps the ultimate challenge as they attempt to knock off the defending national champion (and possibly one of the best college football teams to ever take the field) in the Miami Hurricanes.



If you listen to the national analysts, Ohio State's chances of winning this game are about as good as me getting a date with Anna Kournikova. In other words, few people (if any) seem to be giving them much of a chance (while in the back of my mind, I keep telling myself it could happen...)



There's a good reason for the doubt. Miami is stacked top to bottom with not only NFL-caliber talent, but first-round-draft-pick-caliber-talent. It's there on the offensive side of the ball with standouts such as RB Willis McGahee, WR Andre Johnson, TE Kellen Winslow, and stars such as DE Jerome McDougle, DT William Joseph, and DB Sean Taylor are among the blue-chippers on the defensive side. This is a team that does not have much in the weakness department, and on top of all that, they seem truly focused and motivated to put on a great performance in this game. If you consider all that and Ohio State's sputtering on offense to close the year, it seems like the national experts might have some solid basis for their predictions.



We're here, however, to break down the game and talk about what OSU can do to win. Let's analyze it by position:



Quarterback: Everyone knows the name Ken Dorsey. The skin-and-bones kid from California has done nothing less than win every single game he has started except one, and that loss came over 30 games ago. Other quarterbacks may have more impressive physical skills (some would argue that his physical skills aren't even the best on his own team), but Dorsey is a poised leader and determined winner who can run his offense as effectively as anyone. The Buckeyes have a guy who might get a similar description in Craig Krenzel. Craig hasn't been one who has been compared with the Carson Palmers of the world as far as NFL-type ability, but he has been the man who has stepped in and become the leader on the OSU offense, running the show and not making mistakes. Krenzel has also shown an ability to scramble and is a better passer than most give him credit for. Dorsey is the big name here, but if there's a gap in talent between these two QBs, it might not be as big as many people think.



Running Back: The players at the running back position in this game need no introduction. Miami's Willis McGahee is a physical freak; he's someone with the size to bang on the inside in the NFL and the speed to outrun almost any defensive back. The Heisman finalist can do it all at his position as he has proven to be especially effective in catching passes as well as getting the tough yards on the ground. Stopping him will be a big key and a big challenge.



Meanwhile, many have voiced the opinion that the hopes of Ohio State offensively lie mostly on the shoulders of their true freshman phenom Maurice Clarett. Clarett fought with a stinger in his shoulder at the end of the regular season, but all signs suggest he'll be able to go and be effective in this game. Then there's the newest issue with Clarett...



On Monday, news surfaced that Clarett was angry with Ohio State because of the fact that he could not make it home to attend the funeral of a friend (this whole thing stinks a bit... it appears to me that the writer who asked him the question was trying to set him up, and now, there's an issue that OSU doesn't need). Because of this, the concern now exists that his head might not be in the right place for this game, but the guess here is that things will calm down in the time before the game and he'll be okay. That would be a good thing...



Clarett, when healthy, brings the type of running attack that would seem to be ideal for attacking Miami's defense. If he can go without any problems and be able to move the chains and eat the clock, it will be an advantage to OSU. At fullback, each team features players that won't be used very often as an offensive option - Quadtrine Hill for Miami and Branden Joe and Brandon Schnittker for OSU.



Which one of these outstanding running attacks will have the edge will be a big storyline in this game, and it is going to be fascinating to see which one comes out on top.



Wide Receiver/Tight End: The Miami roster of offensive All-Stars continues at these positions. Andre Johnson, a big and fast target who is a likely first-round NFL pick, is the feature wideout. He is joined by Ethenic Sands and Roscoe Parrish, an undersized but lightning-quick receiver who is a threat to score each time he touches the ball. The tight end position is headed up by Kellen Winslow, the brash but extremely talented star whose speed and athleticism poses a matchup problem for any team. The Buckeye defense will face a tremendous challenge keeping this group from making big plays.



OSU's receivers and tight ends might not quite be in the league of this group overall, but they aren't that far off. Chris Gamble compares well athletically, and Michael Jenkins is one of the unsung heroes of this team who has shown that he can burn opposing defenses. Ben Hartsock isn't the athlete that Winslow is, but he can be sneaky with his pass catching. So much is focused on OSU's running game, but don't forget about these guys. If Miami isn't careful, the Buckeye pass attack could sneak up on them.



Offensive Line: The success of the offensive line will be a big issue in this game for Ohio State. Miami's OL has proven to be one of the best in America despite losing stars to the NFL. They are led by Rimington Award winner Brett Romberg at center, who is one of the best in college ball at any spot on the line. Vernon Carey and Carlos Joseph are solid at tackle, and Sherko Haji-Rasouli and Chris Myers are tough at guard as well. This group is a big reason why Miami's offense is as successful as it has been.



Ohio State's offensive line has been up and down this year and faces a huge challenge as they will go up against a Miami front that is as fast and quick as anything they've seen. They have gone up against some real good defensive lines this year in Washington State, Penn State and Michigan, but this one might be the toughest matchup. If the OSU OL has a good night, it will go a long way in the success of the offense. If they struggle to keep Miami out of the backfield, offensive struggles could very well follow.



Defensive Line: As previously stated, the defensive line of the Hurricanes is as fast and athletic as they come. Jerome McDougle, William Joseph, Vince Wilfork, Matt Walters & co. will be tough for Ohio State's offensive line to contain. McDougle is one of the top pass rushers in the nation, and he and Joseph will be high NFL picks.



The OSU defensive line needs to perform well in this game. Putting pressure on Ken Dorsey would be a big step in helping to stop the Miami offense. The Buckeye defensive line has the ability to do it as they are more athletic than some seem to be giving them credit for. It's beginning to sound like a broken record, but a great game is needed from this unit.



Linebackers: We are all tired of hearing about speed, but there's more of it to be found here for Miami. D.J. Williams is very fast and will be all over the field. Jonathan Vilma isn't quite as fast but is one of the top playmakers. Roger McIntosh has emerged as a fine player on the inside.



Ohio State's LBs have had a fine year, and they'll be playing a key role in this one. Matt Wilhelm will have to have another All-American performance, and they will have their hands full in covering Kellen Winslow. Cie Grant's speed will be an asset.



Defensive Backs: One uncertainty coming into the season for Miami was the defensive back situation. They had lost big names such as Phillip Buchannon, Mike Rumph and Ed Reed to the NFL. All they did was replace them with a unit that helped the Hurricanes to the #1 pass defense ranking in America. Sean Taylor is a star at safety, and Antrel Rolle is looking like the next great Miami CB.



Needless to say, OSU's DBs will be challenged in this game. If they have shown a weakness this year, it has been in pass coverage, and they'll have to be at their best Friday night.



Special Teams: Let's not be too quick to give OSU a huge edge in special teams. An edge is there as you won't find a kicker/punter combo who were better in 2003 than Mike Nugent and Andy Groom, but the Miami combo of Sievers and Capshaw is solid as well. Miami also brings plenty of athletes on special teams, and Roscoe Parrish is electric as a return man. Special teams will be instrumental in this game; a mistake on special teams could be a turning point.





So what must OSU do to win? Play great, for one. They have to put together their best performance of the year in every facet. Mistakes have to be few if any, and they have to be the team making the big plays. Pressure must be applied to Ken Dorsey, and the OSU DBs will have to tighten up on the pass. The OSU offensive line will have to play their best game in order to contain Miami's front, and Craig Krenzel is going to need to have success through the air. The Buckeyes will need to keep Willis McGahee in check and win the turnover battle.



It's a lot to ask, but it's not impossible. This Buckeye team has been proving people wrong all year, and now they have the ultimate chance to do it. They're going to find out if they can stand up to Miami's best shot.

 

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For Ohio State to stand a chance in the Fiesta Bowl, three key defenders have to clamp down on the Canes

By Tim Layden

Time for a math lesson. Miami's offense averaged nearly 42 points while extending the sixth-longest winning streak in college football history to 34 games and putting the Hurricanes in position to win a second consecutive national title, in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3. Their opponent, unbeaten Ohio State, averaged less than 19 points in its last five games and wasn't always impressive down the stretch. Conclusion: The Buckeyes are not going to win a shootout. Their defense is going to have to find a way to slow down Miami and give the feeble Ohio State offense a shot at winning the school's first national title since 1968.


Johnson (5) is one of many threats Gamble, Wilhelm and Doss will face. David Bergman
This isn't all bad news for the Buckeyes, who have been living off their defense since the leaves started falling (and freshman tailback Maurice Clarett got hurt). "Their defense is physical and disciplined," says Purdue offensive coordinator Jim Chaney. "They do not get themselves out of position, and they do not allow big plays." Sound defense, however, will not be enough for the 13-point underdogs to upset Miami. The Hurricanes have two Heisman finalists (quarterback Ken Dorsey and tailback Willis McGahee) and at least three other offensive starters who are likely future first-round NFL draft picks (wideout Andre Johnson, center Brett Romberg and tight end Kellen Winslow). Miami will be the fastest and most explosive team Ohio State has seen, and at least three of Ohio State's best defenders will have to raise their level of play to halt the Canes.

Matt Wilhelm , middle linebacker . The 6'5", 245-pound senior led the Buckeyes with 111 tackles. At the vortex of a 4-3 alignment, he gets most of the inside running plays and cutbacks funneled to him. For Ohio State to succeed, he must stop McGahee. Easy to say. Consider the play McGahee made against Pittsburgh on Nov. 21, when Miami trailed the Panthers 14-7 with just over two minutes left in the first half. On first-and-10 from his 31, McGahee ran left, found little room, quickly slashed to the inside, cut abruptly right and ripped into the open field. Sixty-nine yards later the game was tied and Pitt was deflated. Miami went on to win 28-21. "We had the play stuffed," says Pitt defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads. "We had people in every gap, we had every zone covered. A great runner made a great cut, and our guys just froze. He broke three sets of ankles on one play. On that kind of play, I think Miami's speed is going to surprise Ohio State."

Mike Doss, strong safety . A three-time All-America, he is the Buckeyes' best player, a physical run-stopper who likes to attack the line of scrimmage but is also effective in zone pass coverage. "They never let Doss get very far away from the ball," says Chaney. To control the Miami run, Ohio State will often have to outnumber the Hurricanes' blockers, with eight players in the box and three defensive backs against Miami's favored two-back set. Doss, a senior, will be the X factor, the player who either commits to the run or drops into coverage. He must hide his intentions from Dorsey as long and as convincingly as possible, because if Dorsey sees Doss moving up, he'll know he's getting single coverage and exploit it. If he sees Doss sitting back, he'll give the ball to McGahee.

"You have to make Dorsey read your defense, postsnap," says Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, who was an assistant coach at Miami when Dorsey arrived. "He can still be effective, but it's a lot harder for him that way."

Chris Gamble, cornerback .A sophomore, he started the season exclusively at wide receiver but finished it as a 60-minute man in the mold of Charles Woodson -- and as one of the best corners in the country. Against Miami he'll likely find himself in man-to-man coverage against Johnson, Roscoe Parrish or Ethenic Sands, because Ohio State will probably cheat senior free safety Donnie Nickey to whichever side sophomore corner Dustin Fox is playing. "Nine of the 11 guys on their defense are probably the best in the conference at their position," said one Big Ten offensive coordinator. "Fox is one of the other two. Teams were able to do some things against him. Ohio State is going to have to roll their coverage to give him some help. That's going to leave Gamble on an island. He's good, and he's going to have to be."

"Look at Miami's wide receivers," says Schiano. "Andre Johnson is as good as you get. Winslow is just like a wide receiver, and he's as good as you get. And Dorsey is not only bright but physically talented, which he doesn't get credit for."

The key for Gamble, and for the combination of Doss, Fox and Nickey, is to disrupt Miami's flow. "It's all rhythm with Miami," says one Big East coach. "Once the receiver plants his foot and commits to the route, the ball is gone. And they get big chunks. They don't drive the field -- they make big plays."

But here's the killer: It's possible to do everything right against Dorsey and still lose. On Nov. 30 in Syracuse, Miami was leading 14-0 early in the second quarter. On second-and-goal from the Syracuse four, Dorsey took a quick drop. "He looked for Roscoe Parrish on the fade, but Syracuse had outside leverage on him, so no sale there," says a coach who has seen the Miami-Syracuse tape. "Then he looked for Winslow in the middle, but he was bracketed [covered front and back]. Nothing there. So he saw Andre Johnson at the back of the end zone to his right. He was covered, but Dorsey sat on his back foot, fully cocked, then just gave Johnson a little head shake to the middle. Johnson cut, and -- boom! -- touchdown. Dorsey read three receivers, improvised and completed the ball."

If he does that on Jan. 3 in Tempe, class dismissed.

 

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These are the keys to the game:

1) Can the Buckeyes put pressure on Dorsey?
2) Krenzel will have to make a big play. Will he?
3) Can the Buckeyes run the football? If not, it's over early.

If Clarett is running successfully, the Bucks can control the clock and field with the top kicking tandem in the nation. I just think this game will be much closer than many think.

The Bucks are battle-tested, they have won close games all season. The 'canes were kinda tested by Pitt but that's about it. Let's see how the 'canes respond to a physical team who plays them close. Plus, the Buckeyes are pissed. The motivation for this thread was the thought that the 'canes will be upset that neither Dorsey or McGahee won the Heisman. Please... The Bucks have been insulted for months. They desperately want to prove to everyone how they ball.

 

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[Grama]

when the Favorite with a spread of greater than 8.
Miami was 10-0-0 SU and 3-7-0 ATS in these games.