Tressel-Speak: Take 2...Action!

This may be a milestone in sports commentary, and I’m probably the only writer in all of sportsdom to say this, but Jim Tressel either lacks confidence in his team or is insecure playing major out-of-conference teams. I can see no other reason for Ohio State’s coach to have turned the Chris Wells injury into the soap opera it has become.

What possible advantage did he believe he could gain? Did he think that Pete Carroll has not prepared his Trojans for every possible scenario?

Carroll inserted Allan Bradford, the Trojans’ huge power back, into Wells’ spot on the scout team. The Trojans other reserve backs, all Top 100 recruits, give their first and second unit defenses the looks of the other Ohio State running backs.

The USC defense will be prepared for any eventuality. Terrelle Pryor?

That, too. Carroll had Aaron Corp, a fleet-footed quarterback, as well as Garrett Green, a quarterback/wide receiver who is also good with his legs, take Pryor’s spot. 

He even had Joe McKnight take snaps to see if the defense could create some fumbles.

So, where's the advantage for all these maniacal shenanigans created by the head coach at Ohio State?

Is it good gameday psychology?  Is it the master stroke of a coaching genius?  Or is it a series of stop-gap moves to save a sinking ship?  Could he feel that his team is undermanned and needs whatever psychological advantage he can give it to pull off at upset in the Coliseum?

Tressel had kept Wells under wraps ever since he injured his foot against Youngstown State and wouldn't allow him to speak with the media. Why?

He shepherded Wells away from his teammates and the media during practices like a scene from the Dark Knight.

Was all that really necessary. 

The last thing college football needs is another soap opera. Haven’t we had enough with Lou Saban and Bobby Petrino and Rich Rodriguez and Charlie Weiss and on and on?

Isn’t the Alphabet network and its four-letter sports affiliate tired of airing reruns of Desperate Head Coachesduring their College Gameday shows?

Even though the big game apporaches and it has been two weeks since Wells went down, Tressel has still not given an accurate assessment of his injury.

Talk about stonewalling. Tressel is quickly becoming the Richard Nixon of college football.

He told the media that he could not explain the injury because he wasn't a doctor. He put it very simply: "…It’s a leg thing. Actually, it’s a foot thing."

Yep. That’s simple all right. I’m sure all of us sportswriters can grasp that.

I can imagine the scene in the Ohio State training room between Tressel and the team doctor last week…

Doctor: Well, Jim, I know you’re a football coach and not a doctor, so you wouldn’t understand these things. But it’s a leg thing.

JT: A leg thing?

Doctor: Um, actually, a foot thing.

JT: A foot thing? What kind of foot thing exactly?

Doctor: Jim, you just wouldn’t understand. Trust me, I’m a doctor.

Contrast that with the way Pete Carroll handled the Mark Sanchez injury. Immediately after the x-rays and the MRI, reporters were given the full extent of the injury. Even Sanchez, himself, was allowed to speak with reporters.

That was on a Friday. On Saturday, Sanchez, with his leg bandaged up, was driving around the practice field in an equipment cart in full view of myself and everyone else on hand for that evening’s scrimmage.

It continued that way all during Fall Camp and Sanchez’s rehabilitation. The media were kept informed of his progress and allowed access to the quarterback.

In fact, the media has always had access to all the players during the Carroll era at USC, regardless of their injuries.

Well, all of the media have had access, that is, except for one particular Bleacher Report senior writer, who shall remain nameless. Hopefully, someone at the top is working on that.

So, the only thing that Tressel has done by his handling of the Wells injury is to create a distraction for his own team. It certainly hasn’t affected USC at all.

"We’re not changing how we go about our preparations one way or another with his (Wells’) injury," Coach Carroll said between staff meetings during the week.

Since Coach Tressel has been one of the most respected coaches in College Football during his tenure with the Buckeyes, I would have hoped that he had enough confidence in his team and in himself not to resort to all the double-talk we have been mired in for two weeks.

For all intents and purposes, Tressel-Speak will have no effect on USC.  On a team in the Big Ten, different story.  On another team in the Pac-10, big difference.

But on USC?  Well, stick and stones may break their bones, but Tressel-speak will never them.

As for the rest of us...

I know we’re not doctors, and the Wells injury may have been a little difficult to grasp.

But trust us, Coach, we’re sportswriters.

Trojan Notes

Speaking of injuries, here's the latest from the Trojan sidelines...

Kyle Moore and Vidal Hazelton practiced today Thursday and said they would be available for Saturday's game.

Hazelton sprained an ankle in the Virginia game.  He has practiced at full speed the last two days and received medical clearance from team doctors.

Defensive end Kyle Moore missed two days of practice on Tuesday and Wednesday with back spasms.  He returned today after seeing a chiropractor.  He said he should be about 95 percent by tomorrow and 100 percent by Saturday.

Backup safety Will Harris also returned to practice today after tweaking his ankle during Wednesday’s practice.

Curtis McNeal was finally cleared by the NCAA and will enroll in classes tomorrow.  The four-star running back from Venice H.S., a 2008 recruit, will redshirt this season.

BUCKEYE UPDATE

Tressel is at it again.  Upon arriving in Los Angeles, he clarified the statement he made just before leaving Ohio that injured running back, Chris Wells, was doubtful for the game.

In Los Angeles, he added that he meant Wells was doubtful if the game were being played today (Thursday). 

Well, when I last looked, no hurricanes are expected to make landfall in L.A. this weekend, and the game has not been moved up to Thursday or Friday.  It is still scheduled for Saturday.

Come on, Coach, give it a rest, will you?

GAMEDAY

Check back here on Saturday for a recap of the game, injury reports, and player comments.