BUCKEYE FOOTBALL TEAM TIMELINE
By Bruce Hooley
Here is the schedule Ohio State’s football team follows on a weekly basis:
SUNDAY
| 9 a.m. | Coaches convene at Woody Hayes Athletic Center to grade film of the previous day’s game. Each coach is responsible for grading the film of players under his direction. |
| 1 p.m. -3 | Football coaching staff meeting. Film is graded by groups of offensive and defensive coaches. |
| 2 | All players who competed the previous day must check in with team medical staff. |
| 2-3:30 | Weight workouts for players. |
| 3:30-5:30 | Team meeting. Head coach Jim Tressel addresses players, who watch the special teams’ film from the previous day’s game together. Position groups then break down to watch film with respective position coaches. |
| 5:30-7 | Light practice, stressing special teams’ corrections raised in meeting. |
| 7-10 | Coaches grade and break down upcoming opponent’s game film from the previous day. |
MONDAY
| 8 a.m.-noon | Coaching staff meets to break down film and begin work on game plan. |
| 1 p.m. -5:30 | Offensive and defensive staffs meet separately to compare notes on proposed game plan and discuss individual opinions of the upcoming opponents film. |
| 1-5:30 | Players are off today, per NCAA rules, but must check in with academic counselors for 30 minutes in the afternoon at WHAC. Players have the option to do a weight workout, or watch film on their own. |
| 5:30-6:30 | Coaches’ families share dinner together, catered to WHAC. |
| 7-10 | Coaches finalize game plan for upcoming opponent. |
TUESDAY
| 7:30 a.m. | Staff meeting to cover special teams’ play. Each member gets 10 minutes to discuss his respective specialty (i.e., punt return, punt block, field goal, field goal block, kickoff return, kickoff coverage) and give a scouting report on the next opponent. |
| 7:30 a.m. -2 p.m. | Players are assigned weight workout times that do not conflict with their academic class schedule. |
| 9 a.m. | Coaching staff meets to formulate that day’s practice plan and perfect the game plan for Saturday. |
| noon | Tressel press conference with the media. |
| 2 p.m. | Team meeting. Tressel reveals award-winners from Saturday’s game. |
| 2:30-3 | Player meetings with respective position coaches. |
| 3:15 - 5:30 | Practice in full pads. |
| 6-7 | Player interviews with the media. |
| 6-7:30 | Training table for players at the Fawcett Center. |
| 6:30-9 | Coaching staff meets to complete game plan for upcoming opponent. |
WEDNESDAY
| 7:30 a.m. | Staff meeting to cover special teams’ play. Each member gets 10 minutes to discuss his respective specialty and give an opponent scouting report. |
| 7:30 a.m. -2 p.m. | Players are assigned weight workout times that do not conflict with their academic class schedules. |
| 8:30 a.m. | Coaching staff meets to discuss that day’s practice plan, and academic matters of players under their supervision. |
| 9 a.m.-noon | Offensive and defensive coaches meet to perfect game plan for upcoming opponent. |
| noon-2 p.m. | Coaches formulate practice plan for that afternoon. |
| 2:15 | Player meetings with respective position coaches for film and game plan study. |
| 3:15 - 5:30 | Practice in full pads. |
| 5:30-6 | Post-practice film study to correct practice errors. |
| 6 | Players sign up for game tickets with Ohio State Compliance Department supervision. Coaches eat with families at home and make recruiting calls. |
| 6-8 | Training table for players at the Fawcett Center. |
THURSDAY
| 8 a.m. | Coaches arrive at office. |
| 9:15-10:30 | Staff meeting to complete checklist that includes weekend itinerary, dress list for upcoming games, tickets, depth chart, rules compliance, and academics. |
| 10:30-2 p.m. | Coaches formulate practice plan. |
| noon | Tressel radio show in WHAC atrium. |
| 2:10 p.m. | Special teams meetings. |
| 3-4 | Position meetings. |
| 4-5:30 | Light practice in helmet at shoulder pads. |
| 5:30 | Team meeting for motivational talk. Two designated assistant coaches meet with media to discuss upcoming opponent. |
| 6 | Coaches eat with families at home and make recruiting calls. |
| 6-7:15 | Training table. |
FRIDAY
| 10:30 a.m. | Coaches arrive. |
| 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Staff completes office work; may view available recruiting video. |
| 2 | Player meetings with position coaches. |
| 3:15-4:15 | Light walk-through of the next day’s game plan. |
| 4:45 | Team takes bus to Ohio State golf course for pregame meal of steak and chicken. |
| 6 | Team departs via bus for Blackwell and overnight accommodations. |
| 6-8 | Free time for players. They may watch television in rooms or view an on-site movie. |
| 8:30 | Offensive and defensive meetings. |
| 9 | Short team meeting. |
| 9:15 | Players take snacks to their rooms. |
| 11 | Lights out. |
SATURDAY
| 7:20 a.m. | Wake-up calls to players’ rooms. |
| 8 | Team walk. |
| 8:10 | 8:10 a.m.: Honorary captain and Tressel address team. |
| 8:30 | Players meet with team captains. No staff present. |
| 9 | Players return to their rooms and change into coats and ties. |
| 9:45 | Offense, defense, and special teams meetings. |
| 10:05 | Team walk to skull session at St. John Arena. Bus takes players’ clothes to Ohio Stadium. |
| 10:30 | Team walk to Ohio Stadium. |
| 11:10 | One hour before kickoff, quarterbacks and centers take the field to work on their exchange. |
| 11:15 | Kickers, specialists take the field. |
| 11:20 | Receivers and remainder of team take field. |
| 11:48 | Teams return to locker rooms. Offense and defense receive final instructions. |
| 12:02 p.m. | Team leaves locker room. |
| 12:05 | Team runs onto field. |
| 12:10 | Kickoff |
| 3:30 | Game ends. |
| 3:35 | Tressel post-game radio interview. Tressel addresses recruits who were at the game. |
| 3:40-4 | Coaches and requested players address media. |
| 4 | Tressel tapes television show. |
