The record 13 wins against zero losses this Ohio State football team accumulated did not come through the accurate arm of quarterback Craig Krenzel, the churning legs of tailback Maurice Clarett, the sure hands of wide receiver Michael Jenkins or the hard hits of linebacker Matt Wilhelm and safety Mike Doss.
That perfect and ground-breaking record came through the head and demeanor of coach Jim Tressel.
Throughout the gauntlet run of a baker’s dozen opponents, Tressel never overlooked any team, never thought about the postseason, always stressed an opponent’s strong side and made sure his team was fully prepared for every possible situation.
You could have predicted his pre-game quote six days in advance.
“(Opponent’s name) is a very good football team,” Tressel would say. “Their ability to (opponent’s strong side — i.e. pass the ball, stop the run) will pose a challenge to us. We have to be ready.”
Even at a time when the national championship berth was only two wins away and a top 10 showdown against Michigan was looming, Tressel was focusing on the task at hand.
While the rest of the nation saw a pathetic 4-6 Illinois team that would crumble under the Buckeyes, Tressel saw a Fighting Illini team that had won its last three games and would be playing for bowl eligibility.
And the Buckeyes’ ability to absorb this attitude of their coach and become mini-Tressels led to their great success.
Saying the football team is a bunch of mini-Tressels does not mean Wilhelm is going to trade his three-inch spiked hair for the Ward Cleaver ‘do or Shane Olivea is going to start wearing sweater vests. What it does mean is that every player on the team talks and acts in a manner that is nearly identical to that of Tressel.
Tressel knows everyone in football is useless without the help of teammates, and he made sure every Buckeye on the team was aware of this.
As a result, players on the team downplay their own great individual accomplishments while up playing the overlooked aspects of their teammates’ contributions. Instead of saying he made great throws, Krenzel would say the receivers made great catches. Instead of saying he ran great, Clarett would say his blockers did an awesome job.
They would both say this even if Krenzel’s receivers dropped half of his passes or if Clarett’s blockers left holes so small Stuart Little couldn’t fit through them. This trait is characteristic of everybody on the team.
The team acted in this manner even on the greatest play of the season — Krenzel’s fourth and one bomb to Jenkins in the fourth quarter against Purdue. Jenkins said Krenzel threw the perfect pass even though it was a little behind him. The receiver didn’t have to say what a great over-the-shoulder catch he made because Krenzel said it for him. Then the quarterback thanked his offensive lineman for providing such great protection despite the fact the pocket was collapsing around him and he had to throw the ball on the run.
Afterwards, Krenzel and Jenkins thanked their coaches for the awesome play calling.
After Tressel made his players smaller clones of himself, he instilled in them a belief they can do anything. Nothing for the team is impossible.
Without its top tailback for the majority of four games? Piece of cake. Down by three points on fourth down with less than two minutes to go on the road? No worries. Losing late to an archrival that had dominated every aspect of the game and the last 15 years of the series? No problem.
Facing the defending champions that have come into the national title contest on a 34-game winning streak? Not even breaking a sweat.
Tressel is the first coach since the Great Depression to win his first two games against Michigan. It is no coincidence this coach and his mini-Tressels are having such success because they have the perfect attitude for it.
Brad Kane is a senior in journalism and The Lantern sports editor. He will miss watching the scoreboard video of the girl tackling the penguin. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
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