[Fuller/MGoBlog]

In a game that’s had a couple big-time special teams plays, how important is John [Baxter] in a game like this? What has he done for the program special teams-wise?

“Yeah, I think obviously every game special teams is a huge part of it. Not just the big momentum plays that anyone can see, but there are a lot of hidden plays in a game that change field position and those sorts of things that are always big.”

Talk about their offense and the challenges it presents.

“They’ve got great athletes at all positions. They’re a cohesive unit. The same starters have really been playing all year long; they’ve been able to stay healthy. There are dangerous guys with the ball in their hand and they do a great job as coaches of getting those guys the ball in their hands and trying to get it to them in space, so it’s a really tough team to prepare for.”

Are you able to use the film against Michigan State or was the weather such a changing factor that you throw that tape out?

“Yeah I mean, we evaluate all the games. Try and get a handle on what they did throughout the season including the Michigan State game, understanding that weather obviously probably affected or played a part in that somehow. It’s just- as most teams do, you sit there and you evaluate the whole season and look at things situationally  and what they’re trying to do.”

There were some reports this morning that you interviewed for the Maryland job. Is that a job you’re interested in?

“It’s- this week is so important to our guys. My 100% focus is on this game and our players. That’s what this profession is all about. You’ve got to make sure that you’re taking care of your job and the job you have week in and week out because it’s a tough task, especially with this team this week.”

[After THE JUMP: Urban planning]

But it’s a natural progression- you’re a defensive coordinator, next step would be a head coach. Is that something you’d like to do before you’re 40? Do you have a goal set?

“No. My goal is to get the best gameplan possible together for Ohio State and have our guys go play well.”

So did you go interview for the job?

“Again, to answer rumors and speculation right now and put something to it…my total focus 100% is on Ohio State and nothing else this week.”

Tackling’s always important, but talk about when it comes to Zeke Elliott and making sure you get him down and not let them give up the big play in the run game.

“Zeke obviously is a great player and he’s got a lot of big runs throughout his career. You’ve got to get 11 guys around the ball and rally because he can certainly make a guy miss, and the key to that is on defense if you’ve got a bunch of guys around the ball some of these missed tackles don’t show up.”

Going back to John [Baxter], I’m thinking of the Northwestern game when you returned the opening kickoff. How big is that for a defense when you feel like, ‘Okay, not we’ve got a little bit of padding going on here’ or how do you do that?

“I don’t think it changes our approach at all on defense or what you’re trying to do but obviously it’s a huge momentum thing for the entire team. Those are- special teams, that’s where a lot of big momentum plays occur, and throughout the course of the game there’s momentum swings back and forth and certainly you want more of those in your favor than the other way and you can get a lot of them in the kicking game.”

Not to compare him head-to-head with other special teams coordinators that you’ve worked with, but what has it been like working with him attitude-wise and day to day?

“Yeah, he’s great. He’s one of the best out there. He’s been doing it for a long time. He’s got a great way of teaching the players. He’s a unique teacher. I think that’s one of the best things he does. He really has a great understanding of the game. He’s seen a lot. When you’ve done it for that long you’ve been through a lot, you’ve seen a lot, and he’s got really great answers for things.”

When you’re evaluating their whole season in terms of film, is it more difficult knowing that they didn’t have their starting quarterback in there for a lot of those games?

“Um…yeah, I mean, I think offensively they do what they do. There’s obviously some differences based on the two quarterbacks, but they do what they do. We’ve got to be ready for both of them, too. Both of those guys have appeared in most games. They’re both great players and they present different problems to a defense, and so we have to ready for both.”

You grew up in Youngstown. You grew up watching the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, I would imagine. You would have been old enough to watch Jim’s ‘86 guarantee game, right? Do you remember that?

“Yeah, absolutely. I do. Just growing up in this part of the country, obviously I think this is a rivalry that carries over throughout the entire country but especially in the Midwest and growing up in this part of the country, this is the game everyone, no matter what you’re doing, everyone’s watching the game on Saturday.”

So you grew up an Ohio State fan?

“I was not. I was not an Ohio State fan growing up.”

You’ve been involved in a lot of different rivalry games and whatnot. What does it mean to be a part of that week preparing for it?

“Yeah, I think there’s just a different feel to it. The feel- obviously the players understand and the fans and the people around the program, it’s different for them. The key to me is your preparation stays the same. You’ve got to do what we do on a Wednesday, on a Tuesday, and keep that the same and just be locked in that way and let anything else distract you from it.”

What about the seniors as well? They’re going through their final week leading up to a big rivalry game. How do you see them maybe elevate themselves a little or get a little emotional?

“Yeah, seniors are always going to have a little more urgency about them because they see the light at the end of the tunnel. The whole challenge for seniors is pass that feeling on to the other class and be great leaders, [to] prepare and play with that same type of urgency that you as a senior have.”

How has Urban Meyer impacted your coaching career at the stops you’ve had with him?

“Yeah, I mean, he’s a great, great, great guy to learn from, work with. Obviously his success speaks for itself, and yeah. He does a great job. I learned a lot from him.”

Is there something you learned from Urban during your time with him that you still use today?

“As a coach you kind of take bits and pieces from everyone you work for or work with. That’s how we all learn from each other, and then you kind of stamp your own personality on it. So absolutely, there’s things. I’ve been very fortunate in my career to work for a lot of great head coaches and number one, coach Harbaugh; there’s things I learn from him every single day. That’s part of coaching, the evolution of a coach as you grow.”

Being a Youngstown guy, when you worked with Jim previously, with Urban previously, did you talk about this game at all, maybe what it meant to you?

“No conversation I can directly remember about being in a specific game. Again, everyone understand the magnitude of it, the importance of it, and I’m sure both teams and coaches will be ready to go.”