Canton Rep
Conley has high praise for Tressel
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
COLUMBUS - Over a long coaching career, Bill Conley has played for and coached with the best Ohio State football has to offer.
According to the former Buckeye assistant,
OSU fans are watching a special era unfold. Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel, Conley said, is the best game-day coach he?s seen come through Columbus.
And that?s saying something, since Conley played for Woody Hayes and coached for Earle Bruce, John Cooper and Tressel.
?One of Jim Tressel?s real strong points is game-day coaching,? Conley said Monday. ?The guy is able to make adjustments and get a great feel for the game. Look at what Ohio State did this weekend.?
The Buckeyes got a head start on a national title push with a 24-7 win at previous No. 2 Texas. Ohio State?s offense took apart the defending national champion?s pass defense. Quarterback Troy Smith was on target, and receivers Anthony Gonzalez and Ted Ginn Jr. always seemed to get open when
OSU needed a big play.
Part of Tressel?s game plan was to take the Longhorns out of theirs. Ohio State?s offense was aggressive early. The weakness of the Texas defense was the secondary, especially with starting cornerback Tarell Brown out with a one-game suspension.
When Smith and Ginn hooked up on the second play for a 46-yard gain, the plan was being executed to perfection.
OSU took a quick 7-0 lead and that helped exploit Texas? weakness: Redshirt freshman quarterback Colt McCoy.
?What Jim did was very smart,? Conley said. ?You make the other team play to their weakness, and you play to your strength. The Texas offense with great running backs, even last year, has had the potential to be a high scoring offense. Jim kicks his offense into high gear and took them out of their plan.
?Texas hasn?t had to play catch-up much over the last couple of years. They?re not used to it, especially with a rookie quarterback.?
McCoy hung in there, but at halftime Smith had 219 yards passing. McCoy had 75. The Longhorns converted just three of 10 third downs.
The
OSU offense, the strength of this team, indirectly aided a young Buckeye defense.
Another part of Tressel?s plan was to play as many players as he could in the first quarter. There were two reasons for this. He wanted to get a look at players still trying to earn their major college football stripes. And he wanted to keep his team fresh in the final half in the humid Texas air.
Tressel?s game planning may surprise some. He came from Division I-AA Youngstown State to a Top 25 program and made the transition without much of a problem.
?Just the athletes are a little bit better at this level,? Conley said. ?The thing that has impressed me about Jim Tressel?s game-day coaching is he?s won with different style quarterbacks. He won with option quarterbacks, sprint-outs and pocket passers. He does a great job knowing what his kids do best.?
The game plan, Conley said, doesn?t come together by accident.
OSU coaches spend a long Sunday and Monday in their offices to put together a plan. The dry-erase boards have hundreds of plays scribbled over them. They talk through the plan. They look for the other team?s weakness, their own tendencies and change the system every week.
?He leaves no stone unturned in those meetings,? Conley said. ?Every aspect, every situation you may be in is brought up. They talk about down-and-distance, what part of the field on down-and-distance and what plays work best. He?s a very-detailed man.
?Sunday and Monday are all long days. You can throw in Tuesdays, too. You get in at 6 in the morning and you?re there until midnight. Those meetings are where the coaching staff earn their money.?
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail:
todd.porter@cantonrep.com
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