Getting Fundamental and Getting Healthy: Big Ten Teleconference

Getting Fundamental and Getting Healthy: Big Ten Teleconference
Jim Tressel

Getting Fundamental and Getting Healthy: Big Ten Teleconference

Head Coach Jim Tressel spoke with the media on the Big Ten Teleconference this week. He discussed Penn State, offensive line play, and getting fundamental during the off week.

By Steve Patterson

Bye Week

            With no one to prepare for on Saturday this week, Ohio State will be working on fundamentals Wednesday and Thursday at practice with a focus on consistency. “I think whenever you have a setback typically you go back and examine how well you are doing in your fundamentals,” Coach Tressel stated during the teleconference. “That’s hard to do in the course of a season because you go from one week to another facing a different defensive concept. And so you have to do different things against different styles of defenses and so you lose a little bit of that individual fundamental time. I think whenever you go back and look at your film it’s typically fundamental errors versus anything else.” He said about evaluating the Penn State film from last weekend.

Fundamental Days

            The staff is hoping to find what they do best during the off week to finish off the season with three additional wins and a trip to the Rose Bowl. They will need Penn State to make it to the National Championship game for their opportunity this year. “So, we’ll have a chance on Wednesday to have a big fundamental day and the same thing on Thursday. A couple good examination days of what it is we feel we can do best. And then Friday we’ll move into a bit of a game-plan type of thing. And again, conceptually you have to go back and say, ‘OK, what are the offensive things that this style of defense lends itself to?’ But we’ll have two good fundamental days.”

Consistency & Injury

            Consistency is always something Coach Tressel mentions when he discusses play this year. But with the injuries on the offensive line every week, get good protection and a solid running attack have been difficult. “Well, we haven’t had the consistency of play that we had hoped,” he explained. “I think Alex Boone has consistently been solid. Bryant Browning is a newcomer and he’s playing a difficult position at right tackle and Penn State has got outstanding ends and he had his hands full from that standpoint. I think Mike Brewster has been a pleasant surprise that he’s been able to step in and help us. And Jimmy Cordle is probably doing about as well as guard as he did at center last year, which was solid. Steve Rehring, obviously, getting injured and Ben Person getting injured and perhaps not playing up or beyond where they have played in the past hasn’t helped us.”

 “I just think the inconsistency that we’ve had across the board offensively – not just up front – has lent itself to not being ecstatic about our offensive performance.” If the offense can get healthy, they should be able to finish the season strong with three easier opponents remaining on the schedule.

 
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