The Cleveland Browns’ yearly plunge into irrelevance has rekindled the seemingly annual talk that OSU coach Jim Tressel could skip town for the NFL and his hometown team.
And, once again, Tressel brushed off the subject.
“I’ve got my hands full with what I’m doing. So that’s my reaction,” Tressel said.
The questions this week came in response to an article in Sunday’s (Cleveland) Plain Dealer that floated the possibility of Tressel heading to Cleveland. The report cited a source close to the OSU program who said the Browns would likely be the only NFL job interesting the northeast Ohio native.
Tressel will make $2.4 million this season in the first year of a newly signed 7-year extension, but the report indicated bigger bucks from the NFL could attract Tressel.
“I’ve got money and I’ve got a contract,” Tressel said, somewhat baffled when asked of the report.
So what would it take? Is there a scenario out there he could envision?
“Don’t know,” Tressel responded. “Can’t think of a thing.”
The widely held belief is that Tressel’s coaching style – largely conservative with a heavy emphasis on team bonding – is best suited for the college level. He agreed.
“I think it does simply because I don’t know anything about fitting at a different level. I don’t know how I’d do coaching high school, teaching math five periods and then coaching them,” Tressel said. “I don’t know how I’d do coaching in the pros where it’s a whole different world.
“So I hope I fit well in this environment. I do consider myself a teacher and love the collegiate environment. I’ve been in it virtually my whole life… and I happen to like it.”
Smith’s Heisman in the bag?
As much as Troy Smith speaks of drowning himself in the present and refusing to look ahead to, say, Michigan, he admits to Heisman thoughts dancing their way into his head.
“I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t sit at home and think about taking that trip to those award places,” Smith said recently. “And being announced as the winner of some of them.”
He may also want to start dreaming about those speeches. Smith was named the Big Ten’s offensive player of the week for the third time this season after his four touchdown showing on Saturday as he continues to pull away from the Heisman field.
The senior under center shared this week’s award with Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton. What he hasn’t shared is the recognition. If there’s a Heisman watch list out there – ESPN, Sports Illustrated – Smith is the unanimous favorite.
“It is not hype with this guy, I can tell you that,” said Minnesota coach Glen Mason. “The last time I looked at a guy and thought about the best player in the country in the same regard was when Barry Sanders was at Oklahoma State. The guy is really something.”
Ginn, Patterson fine
A protective boot has adorned Ted Ginn Jr.’s right foot for parts of the last week, but the wideout looks to be fine and will start Saturday, Tressel said.
Ginn reportedly suffered a broken toe during practice last week, though it hardly hindered his play in OSU’s 44-3 win over Indiana. Ginn caught five passes for 72 yards and was on both the receiving and passing ends of OSU touchdowns.
“That didn’t affect his play Saturday and I’m sure it won’t affect his play this Saturday,” Tressel said.
Also, defensive tackle David Patterson “will be back at full speed” this week. The senior captain had been sidelined for the past two weeks with a sprained MCL (knee.
New grass failing
Meet the new turf. Same as the old turf.
More than a month after OSU installed new grass at Ohio Stadium in response to slipping field conditions, the surface has not progressed as planned.
The grass still looks discolored in places and players have complained of slick and uneven conditions.
“It wasn’t as good as we’d like it,” Tressel said this week. “But don’t get me in trouble. I’ve got groundskeepers that work their rear ends off doing their best, but it wasn’t as good as we’d like it.”
National quote of the week
“One of the teams (Tennessee) that jumped us had the same game that we had. They’re down, they’re playing at home and they win by a field goal. Another team (Florida) that jumped us wasn’t even playing. They were home eating cheeseburgers and they end up jumping us. That befuddles me. Tell me how that works. Maybe I’m just stupid” – Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, questioning how the Irish fell in the polls despite a 20-17 win over UCLA Saturday. Whether the portly coach was simply upset that it wasn’t him at home eating those cheeseburgers is unclear.
Extra points
OSU’s Nov. 4 game at Illinois will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and be televised nationally by ESPN2, the Big Ten announced this week … A big Saturday by OSU’s other Smith also garnered a little recognition. Antonio Smith, who had a team-high 12 tackles (four for a loss) and a sack in Saturday’s win, was named Big Ten co-defensive player of the week. The senior cornerback shared the honors with Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny. “Coming in (this year), I never though I would receive an award like this,” Smith said. “I was just happy to be on the team.” … Freshman Ray Small did not dress Saturday for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, but Tressel said the receiver will be available this week … As voted by the players, receiver Brian Hartline won the Jack Tatum hit of the week for the shot he put on Indiana kick returner Marcus Thigpen Saturday. “He’s 150 pounds when wet, running down the field to drill somebody and he knocked a guy five yards back and took one of their playmakers out of the game,” said linebacker James Laurinaitis. “So it was a huge momentum swing. He definitely deserved the award.”
