Mark Dantonio Quotes

"He certainly played well in the fall. He's a guy with a lot of ability - a big, strong guy."

"It was as tough an experience as I've had in coaching. It was one that we will remember."

"That's not an excuse. We've got to grow up in a hurry."

"This will be their first game in this type of environment. I'm sure they'll be a little wide-eyed, but hopefully we've learned our lesson in terms of young players and how they prepare."

"He has great eye-hand coordination. He's a big-body receiver who also played linebacker. He's just a great athlete, with great running ability after the catch. We're very, very excited to get him."

"Our guys have worked hard this spring and we have had good competition at a lot of positions. I have been pleased with our effort most of the time, yet I know we need to get better in a lot of areas, too. I am looking forward to who comes out ready to play and compete on Saturday, and who plays with toughness and who plays fast."

"I asked him about that. They wanted to make the commitment to play one or the other. I brought up the basketball issue, but there was no interest in doing that. Right now, from an academic point of view, he needs to concentrate on one sport."

"Our guys have worked hard this spring and we have had good competition at a lot of positions."

"I don't think our confidence was shaken at all, I think we came out in the second half prepared to play."

"They remind me of our Ohio State defense in 2002. Teams are not going to score on them. They don't give up big plays. They pressure the ball and force turnovers."

"I think the defense had a little bit to do with that. When the ball got out in space, they got there quick."

"It's an extremely great class for us. This year's class builds on our previous two and has established a foundation for us to build championships."

"I am very excited about this class because we have guys that can contribute now with the young guys that now have experience after one year under their belt."

"It's not just another game, it's a huge game on our schedule. We'll measure our success as a football team against that game, and we always will."

"I firmly believe if we get that ball in there, it's a football game. I don't know if we were going to win, but it's a football game. ... We weren't the same team in the second half."

"You'll probably see him play three positions out there (today). That's something that's a positive for him. He's a football player, we just need to find him a role and allow him to grow into that role."

"It was very bad for our players. It had a tremendous impact on the game, huge. We're about to score, then they go 98 yards very quickly and it's 18-7 instead of us leading 14-12. I firmly believe that if we had gotten it in the end zone there it's a football game. I don't know if we would have won, but it's a game. Even at that, we were still in it at halftime. But we weren't the same team in the second half."

"He plays consistently. We've got to get all of our football team playing like that."

"Tony plays so hard and he is so smart. He is a winner who makes plays and has made himself a starter this spring."

"Tight end is a strength of this team and should be throughout this year, next year and the year after."