Right: Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel trying to put his arm around Kansas’ Mark Mangino.
Bucknuts Photo

Earlier today, I received an email from the public relations firm, Fahlgren Mortine, stating that Donatos Pizza, a Columbus institution for 45 years, will now be selling individual cheese and pepperoni pizzas on its signature thin crust at Ohio Stadium this season.

The email also stated that Donatos has signed a seven-year agreement with Ohio State to sell pizza at seven locations within the stadium – three on C-deck and four on A-deck and that they will cook all the pizzas on-site with the same ovens used in each store. The company sought to replicate the cooking process in its stores at the stadium to ensure customers get a hot, great-tasting pie every time.

In celebration of this agreement, Donatos catered today’s press luncheon at the Jack Nicklaus Museum, and none other than Kansas head coach Mark Mangino showed up to get his hands on some free pie.

If you have paid attention to this web site over the past five years, each week throughout the season I document what transpires at these press conferences every Tuesday, except for Michigan Week when it’s held on Monday.

Now I would personally attend, if only there wasn’t a restraining order placed against me by Coach Tressel after wandering to his home late one night with a notebook full of plays back in 2003. So now I have to rely on the information provided by ohiostatebuckeyes.com.

Coach Tressel’s opening remarks:

On behalf of everyone here we want to thank Donato’s for that wonderful lunch. If at some of the TV timeouts we are all dashing to the concourse for Donato’s this year, you’ll have to excuse us. It was wonderful. Thanks for supplying that.”

Well, everyone loves free pie, coach.

Later, Coach Tressel was asked about James Scott:

Well, James didn’t report to camp. Outside of that, I can’t give an update. He’s not with us.”

Those who stay will be champions.

Jimmy T. then elaborated on the status of Brandon Saine and Doug Worthington:

Brandon Saine, the trainers said today they felt he was like 95 to 100%. And sometimes with those injuries, right when they’re starting to feel better, it’s dangerous, and last week was that week, so we tried to keep him from overdoing it last week. He made a nice play in a live situation which shows the explosion that we all enjoy seeing him have, so I think Brandon will be fine. He’s missed practice time and practice is critical, but he’s going to be able to ease his way back into it. As far as Worthington goes, Doug will be suited up and ready to go. Exactly when he’ll get his car keys back in the course of a game, I don’t know that answer at this moment, but it won’t be at the beginning.”

Saine was nowhere to be found on the two-deep depth chart at running back, but was listed as one of the kick returners. Backing up Chris Wells will be redshirt freshman Boom Herron. Listed third is senior Maurice Wells. Worthington, who would of been a starter, is second behind Nader Abdallah at defensive tackle.

Lord James Patrick Tressel was then asked about how many snaps each quarterback may get against Youngstown State:

If you look at the quarterback situation, I would say there are two guys at number one and two guys sharing the number two snaps, which is the way it’s been going on a good bit during the camp. Todd has taken a lot with the ones. Joe has taken a lot of the snaps with the twos and some with the threes. Terrelle has taken a lot of snaps with the threes, but some snaps with the twos. So I would say based on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, we’ll see just how much each guy will have an opportunity, but I’m hoping it would be nice in the first half of the game — we always like in the first half of the game to get our quarterbacks in there just so they’re not nervous anymore and all that. Perfect scenario for me would be to have all three of them get in the game that first half.”

FYI…Terrelle Pryor is listed third on the depth chart, but I am going to go out on a limb and say he’s next in line to get playing time behind starter Todd Boeckman.

Last year against Youngstown State, the Buckeyes had a hard time running the ball against the Penguins, and Beanie Wells had one of this worse outings of the season, gaining only 46 yards on 16 carries. Senator Sweater Vest explains last year’s game and the progress made by Beanie since:

I think Beanie, if you go back and look at the game, he was so anxious. Every time he got the ball he wanted to just go run for a touchdown and probably didn’t have his eyes on the task of how things were unfolding and the blocking scheme and he just wanted to go because he was so excited. What you saw as the season developed was a more patient back, a back who knew more about the schemes. He can stand in the I-back now and he can visualize how it’s going to be blocked because he’s seen a lot of the different looks. He’s had a lot more carries. And as a person, I think he’s done a very good job with — obviously there’s a lot more attention paid to him today than there was a year ago today, yet I think he’s done a good job keeping his eyes on the task at hand. One of the things that he wanted to accomplish going into last year was to be an Academic All-Big Ten player, to position himself to be so, and he did, and one of the things he talked a lot about this year was he wanted to maintain that because anybody can be something once and he wanted — and he did, and so I think a lot of things — he’s thinking the right things about all the various things that are happening in his life, but it’s tough when you get as much attention as he’s going to get both in numbers of people trying to tackle you, there will be a lot of attention on him and on people wanting to talk to you and have you thinking further out than you should be thinking.”

Later on, Coach was asked about which true freshmen may or may not play this Saturday:

I’d say better than 50% chance that (Terrelle) Pryor will play, Lamaar (Thomas), (Mike) Brewster would play, (Mike) Adams would play, (J.B.) Shugarts will play, defensively (Etienne) Sabino, (Keith) Wells, I think it’s still 50/50 with Nathan Williams, although I think it’s starting to push towards the 50 to play. I think he’s going to be really good. (Andrew) Sweat, I think it’s still 50/50. Who am I missing here? Zach Domicone? Probably 50/50, but I think he’s going to be good. He’s got a presence about him.”

About Donatos

Donatos operates over 200 stores in five states. My favorite Donatos pizzas are The Works® (pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, onions & aged provolone cheese), Founder’s Favorite® (pepperoni, sausage, ham, hot peppers & aged provolone cheese), and the Mariachi Beefâ„¢ (ground beef, jalapeno peppers, sliced Roma tomatoes, cheddar and aged provolone cheeses, Mariachi spice & a side of sour cream).

For more information, check out donatos.com.

Do I get free pizza now?

Tags: Buckeye Football, Tressel Talk //