Zook has no hard feelings about OSU loss
September, 29, 2009
9/29/09
2:24
PM ET
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
I've received several e-mails asking about the end of Saturday's Ohio State-Illinois game and a possible handshake snub between head coaches Ron Zook and Jim Tressel. Now I haven't seen video of the postgame scene, but there were certainly a few lightning-rod moments in the closing seconds of the Buckeyes' 30-0 win.
Leading 23-0, Ohio State faced fourth-and-goal from the Illinois 3-yard line. Though quarterback Terrelle Pryor had attempted only 12 passes all game in rainy conditions, he took to the air and found Dane Sanzenbacher for the touchdown with only 1:18 remaining.
Asked about the play Tuesday, Zook found no fault with Ohio State's strategy.
“It’s up to us to stop them," he said. "I don’t have any issues with that at all. We’ve got to bow up and stop them."
The Fighting Illini coach was also asked about his reaction to the Big Ten suspending Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Illinois quarterback Eddie McGee late in the fourth quarter.
"I didn’t really think anything about it," Zook said. "[The Big Ten has] been very, very vocal about what they’re going to do. They are going to address it, they are going to replay it."
Unlike his colleagues in the SEC and Big 12, Tressel hasn't been known to regularly run up the score in his career. He seemed genuinely upset when Dan Herron scored a late touchdown in a blowout against Northwestern last season.
And while piling on points seems to be the rage in college football, Tressel follows a specific plan when Ohio State has put away the game.
"Our biggest thought process if we're ever fortunate to get into a situation late in the game where we perhaps have a [big] lead is how quickly can we get some other players in the game," Tressel said, "more so than, 'Hey, let's score some more points.' Now we would like to score more points with some new players in the game, but our attention really turns more to, 'When is it safe, when is it appropriate to get some experience for the second group?'"
BIG TEN SCOREBOARD
Saturday, 12/17
Final Temple 37 Wyoming 15 Final Ohio 24 Utah State 23 Final San Diego State 30 Louisiana-Lafayette 32
Tuesday, 12/20
Wednesday, 12/21
Final 18 TCU 31 Louisiana Tech 24
Thursday, 12/22
Saturday, 12/24
Final Nevada 17 21 Southern Miss 24
Monday, 12/26
Tuesday, 12/27
Final Western Michigan 32 Purdue 37 Final Louisville 24 North Carolina State 31
Wednesday, 12/28
Final Toledo 42 Air Force 41 Final California 10 24 Texas 21
Thursday, 12/29
Final Florida State 18 Notre Dame 14 Final Washington 56 12 Baylor 67
Friday, 12/30
Final Brigham Young 24 Tulsa 21 Final Rutgers 27 Iowa State 13 Final Mississippi State 23 Wake Forest 17 Final Iowa 14 14 Oklahoma 31
Saturday, 12/31
Final Texas A&M 33 Northwestern 22 Final/OT Georgia Tech 27 Utah 30 Final Illinois 20 UCLA 14 Final Cincinnati 31 Vanderbilt 24 Final Virginia 24 25 Auburn 43
Monday, 1/2
Final 19 Houston 30 22 Penn State 14 Final Ohio State 17 Florida 24 Final/3OT 17 Michigan State 33 16 Georgia 30 Final 20 Nebraska 13 9 South Carolina 30 Final 10 Wisconsin 38 5 Oregon 45 Final/OT 4 Stanford 38 3 Oklahoma State 41
Tuesday, 1/3
Final/OT 13 Michigan 23 11 Virginia Tech 20
Wednesday, 1/4
Final 23 West Virginia 70 15 Clemson 33
Friday, 1/6
Final 8 Kansas State 16 6 Arkansas 29


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