Under The Helmet with the Ohio State Buckeyes

With the USC game only two days away, we wanted to get an insider’s perspective. So, we turned to Maurice Hall, a former player who played in plenty of big games.

As every Ohio State fan remembers, Maurice was an invaluable member of Ohio State’s 2002 National Title. Need I mention his huge plays against Illinois and Michigan?

Among many projects, Maurice runs an all-star football camp for youth and covers the Buckeyes for NBC4. We think he provides a unique perspective and a wealth of knowledge that comes from being part of the team we love. Enjoy.

Player’s Mindset for Big Game:
Going into a big game like USC, there are sure to be a lot of emotions going through a player’s head. Last Saturday’s struggle against Ohio University witnessed by fans was also recognized by the players.

For a small second, players wonder if they are ready to play in the biggest game of their season right now. Regardless of how they approach that question, ready or not, it’s going to happen.

Their mindset immediately changes starting Sunday of game week when they report back to practice and our coaches get them to focus on USC: the game of the year. This is every reason each player on the Buckeye team came to The Ohio State University.

Mistakes that happened over the past two weekends have to be addressed and the ultimate goal for Saturday’s game is for your team to play their absolute best.

Every player realizes the talent they have on Ohio State’s team; if USC plays their best—and Ohio State plays at their top level, there is no way those Trojans will walk away with a win.

Inside the Locker Room:
The locker room at Ohio State will be cluttered with numerous quotes from USC players and coaches regarding Ohio State’s lack of ability to play with a Pac-10 team. Those comments will start to get the Buckeyes motivated for the upcoming game.

There’s likely to be an oversized poster of current Cincinnati Bengal and former USC quarterback Carson Palmer’s infamous loose-lip conversation about how “Ohio State doesn’t stand a chance” and “Coach Tressel is overrated.”

Palmer is anticipating a Buckeye loss at the Memorial Coliseum—yet maybe what he doesn’t realize is that there’s nothing better than giving a team that “bulletin board” material. His “smack-talk” gets the Buckeyes fired up and ready to topple USC.

To beat a team like USC, great players have to play exceptionally and average players have to play great—and getting a player motivated for that next team as soon as Saturday wraps up is one way to make that happen.

Motivation for Coaches and Being Aggressive:
Coach Tressel knows he has to be aggressive on all sides of the ball in order to beat USC. It’s a legendary rivalry.

Ohio State has longed to play the mighty USC Trojans for the simple purpose of proving we have just as much dynasty as Pete Carroll and the Trojans—and perhaps more recently to throw a wrench in Carson Palmer’s plan.

These two coaches were hired by their respective teams within months of each other. Both teams have won a National Championship and witnessed Heisman Trophy athletes since the hiring of these great coaches, but it’s only Carroll who receives the credit for being a great coach on a national level.

Now is Tressel’s time to show he’s not just a great coach, but better than Carroll. This game means bragging rights and the opportunity to take USC out of its current No. 1 ranking.

Coach Tressel has to go into this game being aggressive and ready to pull out all the stops. Don’t be surprised if every play from USC’s playbook is used throughout the course of this game—Tressel should take the same mindset.

After our coaches have motivated the Buckeyes and given them the confidence needed during the course of the week, taking risks in this game will not be a second thought.