Home>Video>Big Ten Media Day: Jim Tressel

Video Archive Search

+

Tags:

  1. coach4:38, 14:09
  2. target1:41, 1:55
  3. Big Ten5:00, 5:27, 5:52
  4. Ohio State1:51, 6:01, 6:28
  5. Rose Bowl4:39, 9:10, 13:37
  6. senior class0:55
  7. funnier1:29
  8. trepidation7:44
  9. Terrelle Pryor's2:28
  10. regular season game6:44

Current Video:Big Ten Media Day: Jim Tressel|

Jim Tressel hopes to lead Ohio State to its sixth straight Big Ten title. Hear from the Buckeyes head coach on media day.

+

Automatically Generated Transcript (may not be 100% accurate)

Thanks so much. It's good to be here I know most of you're probably tired on the eleventh person her soul on that on the docket but. Excited to get going in and that. This kind of kicks off the reality for all of us coaches that. It's going to be four or five months before we come up prayer but it's been a lot of fun working with our group far. 2010 Buckeyes serve I think a little older group than we've had. 25 seniors and and I feel good about them maturity of the leadership and I think our rising junior classes really. Grown quite a bit didn't you can see how they're coming along the back half of our team I think. We need to find out little bit more about. To -- just. How far along they've comment and no we're gonna need them to. To provide depth we lost a good senior class from a year ago. And not all of them more starters but all of them were excellent contributors. So there -- some roles that have to be filled -- and we need this young group. Our freshmen know most of our freshman Lauren this summer. And that they seem to be like a good group open. I've heard good things from our academic people on our strength people as to how there. The tending to things and now I'm anxious to see them on the practice field we get going. Reporting for camp on the fifth and now looking forward to the funnier and Tony tend. -- open up to questions and don't. -- Part of the year for what is it like playing with a target on your back you know as a team in do you like that in some way. Well I think the reality we've had for years and years and years and Ohio State is that. You know we normally. Have a target I think once you get started though you don't really know. You just trying to get better and we try to focus. -- to become as good as we can be and and a and I think we're very capable team I think we should be a team that's being targeted -- I know we will be a team is being targeted and will always get everyone's best shot and with that in mind we better make sure our best shots ready Saturday and and have it you know it's just part of part of the deal.

Then Travis -- Jim could you talk about Terrelle Pryor's growth process is learning curve last year's pre season player of the year had more turnovers early in the year and seemed to grow as the year went on where is he right now how do you feel behind.

Well that I've kind of talked through that. That's a journey a few times and I don't wanna for the people that I've done that with -- Charles had an interesting career and that. His freshman year he was kind of thrust in there -- a little bit more than any ailments had planned himself included. He was thrust him with a veteran team and trying to find his way and his identity and his acceptance if you will. And I thought by the end of the year he he really progressed. And then his sophomore year all of a sudden it was a brand new huddle and he was supposedly the veteran and supposedly the guy that was gonna. Kind of lead that group then and I thought he had them figure out the difference between. What he had experienced before -- what it was and experiencing. In his sophomore year. I thought he learned a great deal throughout the regular season his sophomore year at and then I thought it really started to really. Crystallized in his mind during bowl practice and that's the beauty of if you have they -- earn a bowl getting that extra practice and guys come along and and I thought he really was able to focus in on. What he needed to do better in the newest place amongst the group and all that and and I thought he he warmed fairly well in the bowl game and then I thought he. Did the same thing in the spring he really focused on. And becoming the best he could be end and now he has a new team that he's. You know without question looked to for leadership been. I thought his summer was good as well so I feel good about where he is right now he's always thinking about football these. He's. You know I was sitting over there in the ESPN truck in and night he called and had an idea. And I so I let her street answer the -- those let those quarterbacks talked to one another and and he's just always thinking about it then and you know I think he's anxious to get this season under way.

He won one game. Our coach given giving your win in the Rose Bowl last season and and I was in the orange ball in the expectations for those two programs coming into this season along with Wisconsin. Do you think the national perception of the conference has has been altered a little bit and -- team sort of magnified I don't know that.

You know I think your only thought of as your most recent performances. And I think if you look at the Big Ten is a whole. Our recent performances our bowl game performance is whether we want -- we lost we lost a couple tough ones. I I thought what people remember. Most recently about our football pretty darn good. Then I think if you really look and how many people are coming back from those teams. You know I think this will be as veteran and is tough in his. As excellent a Big Ten. In the ten years and I've been here and I you know I think we do have a number of teams that they can compete. You know against anyone in America and and I think what. The world remembers is what we did most recently now they may. You know loved think back and do some historical perspective of what we haven't Gunner or whatever but I think the most recent. Evidence. Of Big Ten football. Is is pretty good from this past December and January.

Questions RE. That -- the Ohio State Michigan rivalry is always meant a great deal -- you. In -- landscaped it will include expansion. And divisional play and a conference title game probably. Are you worried at all that something might be taken from that game and what do you wanna see the Big Ten due to make sure that as --

Well there's always going to be change. I don't think. I can't imagine. That there'd ever be a change from the fact that Ohio State Michigan and gonna square off and it's going to be exciting and meaningful and all the rest. You know how will will be done exactly and and where was in the year in and all those things I'm sure if we look back in our history. You know most recently it's been the last regular season game. You know prior to that you know it wasn't. Oh where it will be in the future I'm not sure but I don't think it'll ever change and it's important reason and and the people that are involved in it especially. You know what it means to all of them and all of us in and -- but it's going to be interesting to watch the change unfold. Whether it's. What twelve team division. Setup we have work. Are we an even. Not worry about that and because we're gonna be expanding to more teams or whatever I don't know I'm not part of those discussions. But I think changes exciting and anytime you have someone like Nebraska to the fold in our case or no X. A year from now it's not really relevant to today's press conference but. You know when you -- Nebraska. And their tradition and their academic excellence and and all the rest. There's a lot of neat things going on in. I'm looking forward to watching how that change unfolds. But I have no trepidation and all that it will affect the great Ohio State Michigan reverend. -- passionately back. Back last gym just to follow on that little bit to Ohio State Michigan need to stay in the same division how would you do it. How what I do it and no one that has any. Power is asked me how I would do it. You know I guess amongst friends here. I guess she did you do go one of a couple ways you could just go strictly geographical which would. And the us and Penn State in the two Michigan's in the two Indiana's therein and you know that the western side with you know Nebraska and Iowa Wisconsin. And northwestern Illinois Minnesota you know that type of thing which is. Would be logical and so forth. Or you could not want to get too geographical. And then you could do all those computations of how using people. Should. You'll be aligned in cross over and so forth but. However they do it it's going to be exciting however they do it it's gonna create. You know new things for us and in. You know I'm sure the people in charge -- that our athletic directors are Big Ten office are college president. They're gonna that is up with the best possible deal we can have.

Jim. Coming off of a win in the Rose Bowl. As opposed to the previous couple years where -- you didn't end the season with a win did you really notice anything with the players at the staff through spring ball or maybe even. Over the summer did you feel anything differently you know to end on an up note. As opposed to maybe finishing with a -- and and maybe having a different motivation. Over the summer what was there any difference.

Or -- staff you know who knows we could have run us out of we didn't. I don't know. He not I think when you go back and you watch the film. You see that nothing's as good as it seems enough things is bad girl used to always tell us. Not so we did some good things there. I'm not so sure we didn't play as good game. The year before that when we played Texas in Austin you know the last second and I'm not sure if you were added up all the plays and all that. Performance so -- we didn't play just as well that day and didn't happen downwind but obviously it feels better to win. We felt very strongly. That that was a signal for the Big Ten. You know that today you know we're gonna step up and and win that game I think. We were ranked -- the rates in Oregon was ranked seventh the rates I was -- you know good nose to nose battle and and we were represented Ohio State but we're representing the Big Ten. And especially after we watched some of our. Big Ten -- do a great job you know earlier in the bowl time then and not sold yet felt. You know terrific -- when that ball game but when you go back to work you have to look at the reality is -- where we've got to get better if we wanna. Progress here in 2010. Hitting him right. Coach. How do you feel about the possibility of a nine game conference -- feel like there's much of a chance that the league could switch from me tonight. You know what. Probably. This thing bit in my mind I've always thought wasn't a great idea for a nine game. Was that we may have one of our Big Ten teams that you know they can be one of those special teams that year. And maybe make a run it it went in the whole thing. And then just so happens they've got that drive away games in conference play schedule and and -- they end up you know drop from maybe one of those that. That. Hurt them and keep him from that from the national spotlight and taught I've never been sure that it was the best thing for the conference. I understand from a scheduling standpoint and all that I know us with 36 sports and and we need to. Two -- raised quite a bit of money to them. Two -- fund you know athletic program like we have. It's really important to have home games in if you're signed a five away games from the get go. And then you're in the midst of -- home and home with somebody. -- like we'd like to do. All of a sudden I you have six away games and you know that might be difficult for us to have to do our thirty exports so I guess. Just Ohio State wise I'm not sure it's a great financial thing for the league. I worry a little bit about it falling wrong at the wrong time. -- ago about the rising junior class that you have a winner when you started putting a class together could you tell the media was a different class was -- think -- definitely when you're getting anchor against. Well that's the fun part of recruiting and in coaching is it. There's really no two groups that -- the same. Then make up of our classes typically is about sixty yes 65% Ohio guys and forty. 35 to 40%. Guy from. Either state that touch just or even further. And this group what it was a little bit more far and wide. I think -- even those like 5050. You know a lot of them were very well thought of which is a challenge of its own you know as a young man tries to progress. And meet those expectations. But it. No it was a situation where a handful of them were through and were thrown into the lineup in in. 2008. You know -- really young guys and so it's it's been fun watching them progression. And I you know I just seat. A lot of growth in them and and that's the fun of what we do. You know we get all nervous and so forth and we talk a lot about how we do whether we won a Rose Bowl or won this many games that many games. I know what coaches get nervous about is how does a young for some progress. And are we get him ready for the rest of his life and and it's fun -- see those. Moment when you see the evidence that guys are coming along in that class just seems to me that you know -- given us more more evidence that are coming along. You know you're only one phone call away from maybe not feel that way but. No it I feel good about that group.

Q there in the left back.

A coach in the extent in the expansion question. Do you find yourself and your coaching staff getting caught up in and theorizing about what could happen in what may happen. And when the media ends up doing and do you guys are you worried about what may happen how it's going to impact Ohio State and did is that something you guys actively discussed.

But interestingly enough our staff. I'm not sure we spent three minutes talking about expansion because. I don't really nothing we have to do with it but I know our players for an -- we have three seniors here this. Couple days we have 25 seniors who were you know and they don't really care one bit about expansion and twenties and we know what the deal is and now. Are some younger guys thinking about it maybe. But I don't think. The time I spend with young people the future to them is next Friday. And in the future to them isn't 2011 that's not the way they think so no we have a worry too much about it or talk too much about it then. I think it's exciting when the time is right in the moment happen it's going to be fun to he would unfold but. I think our guys are wired up about Tony ten.

At that time for one more questioning you you just mentioned about. Being nervous about how young person progresses I'm just curious. Another Marie Clare is back on campus taking classes is there any. Participation for him the football program not officially which is coming by the opposite seeing the Brewers he just like any other program there.

Well just from a he's not on a scholarship for anything so we just like any other under grad from that standpoint. He knows he certainly welcome to stop by and and that he also knows were very busy and so forth and one of the first things that he said that when he came back as I told my signal you -- let people know. You know that. You what's your intentions are and so forth and he said -- had the biggest -- I have is to not disrupt. This 2010 football season it's coming up and so he wants to be in the background he wants to be student then he wants to grow and and that just like anything else day by day we'll see how we progress.

Related Episodes

  1. Big Ten Media Day: Kirk Ferentz

    Video

    Tue, 3 Aug 2010

    Kirk Ferentz looks to get Iowa back to a bowl game after last season's Orange Bowl victory. Hear from Ferentz on media day.

  2. Big Ten Media Day: Bret Bielema

    Video

    Mon, 2 Aug 2010

    Hear Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema's entire press conference from Big Ten Media Day.