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OSU recalls 2006 Illinois comeback

Hartline says confident team got lazy; 'a different game this year'

By George M. Thomas Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007

COLUMBUS: Last year's game against the University of Illinois Fighting Illini proved to be a trap the Ohio State Buckeyes barely escaped.

Up 17-0 at halftime, OSU saw Illinois scream back to get within seven, in the process holding the Buckeyes to lows in points, total yards and passing yards to that point in the season, and providing their first real test.

''I thought they played very physical, and I thought we had some things that we could have executed better, and we were doing pretty well for a little bit, and then we hit a point in time where we lost the momentum,'' coach Jim Tressel said. ''And a lot of times, especially when we go to somebody else's stadium, when the momentum shifts, it's hard to get it back.''

Wide receiver Brian Hartline said the Buckeyes are well aware of the pitfall Illinois could be to a potential Big Ten and na
tional championship season. He remembers the 2006 game, a 17-10 victory, vividly.

''I think we just got lazy, to be honest. We got a little complacent last year and confident, and they caught us sleeping, and we couldn't snap out of it. Plus, it was them being a good team,'' he said. ''I think the amount of respect for that team is just as high as anyone else. Being able to watch them do what they've done this year, so far, we have a lot of respect for them.''

Hartline said the 2006 Buckeyes might have suffered from being too confident walking into Champaign, Ill., undefeated and ranked No. 1.

''Confidence isn't a bad thing, but it got a little too high at a certain point. Going to a not-hostile environment in Illinois, it was pretty calm. It was cold,'' he said. ''I just wanted to get out of there and get back to Columbus. A lot of factors played into consideration last year, but I think it will be a different game this year.''

More Illini respect

This week's game will be played for the Illibuck Trophy, a wooden turtle that reportedly represents the longevity of the Illinois-OSU rivalry.

''For years, the Ohio State-Illinois game was the last game. Until we didn't play them in '03, I think it was our longest consecutive rivalry,'' Tressel said. ''So it has rich tradition, and I know from the three years I was here with coach (Earle) Bruce, those were three of the toughest games we had, and I know our games with them — outside of one of them — they were (tough).''

Backup linebacker and special-teamer Austin Spitler said the Illibuck is ''cool'' because OSU doesn't have many games in the regular season in which a trophy is at stake.

''It's been here several years now, so we may as well keep it going,'' he said.

Sleepless night

Kicker Ryan Pretorius was so upset about the blocked field goal against Wisconsin last week that he didn't sleep, Tressel told the media Tuesday.

''You talk to kickers all the time, and the only thing we need on field goals is height. I'm not sure we got the height we needed,'' Tressel said. ''I'm not sure we had perfect protection, I'm not sure we had the exact mechanics, so they got one fingertip on the thing, and it goes, and that might be the difference in the conference championship. So that's a huge concern.''

Tressel told his kicker to shake it off, and judging from Pretorius' record and reputation, the young man should. He was selected one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, which is presented by the FedEx Orange Bowl.

Weekly honors

The coaching staff named Chris Wells the Offensive Player of the Week for his performance (21 carries, 169 yards, three touchdowns) against the Badgers. Vernon Gholston's four-sack game earned him Defensive Player of the Week. Spitler was selected Special Teams Player of the Week.

Lest anyone think linebacker James Laurinaitis received no recognition, he was named Attack Force Player of the Week for his 19-tackle game and co-Defensive Player of the Week in the Big Ten Conference. He also received national recognition from the Football Writers Association of America, who selected him its Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.

George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/sportsblitz/. />

COLUMBUS: Last year's game against the University of Illinois Fighting Illini proved to be a trap the Ohio State Buckeyes barely escaped.

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