College football coaches will say every hour they have throughout a week to prepare for an upcoming game is crucial, so it’s not surprising Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Ash isn’t going to waste his time dealing with hypothetical situations.
That was exactly the case Monday when Ash was asked about the Buckeyes’ opposition Saturday, Michigan State, and the status of its star quarterback Connor Cook.
“We’re not wasting a lot of time,” Ash said. “He’s going to be there, we know that. That’s not really a concern of ours.”
Cook did not play in the second half of the Spartans’ game last Saturday against Maryland after suffering an injury to his throwing shoulder. He said after the game it was a precautionary measure and that he expected to play in the game this Saturday against Ohio State.
On a conference call Monday, Cook said, “the shoulder is great. Feels good.” He declined to comment if he’s been able to throw so far this week or if he has had X-rays, however.
Either way, Ash and the Buckeyes aren’t worrying about his status. They’re prepping as if the potential first-round NFL pick is going to play.
“Cook will play,” Ash said. “He’s a competitor, he’ll play.”
Mark Dantonio is scheduled to meet with the media Tuesday morning, but the Michigan State head coach has a policy where he does not address injuries so it is likely he won't speak on the subject. It would be surprising to all if Cook isn’t under center for the Spartans on Saturday, however.
Cook is the frontrunner to be named the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year. The Hinckley, Ohio native has thrown for 2,472 yards this season with 21 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He is completing 56 percent of his passes and, in his career, has a 32-4 record as a starting quarterback.
“One of the best quarterbacks in Big Ten history,” Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said of Cook on Monday. “Someone showed me his winning record and that’s how you value a quarterback is do you win games? Because that’s his job and he wins almost every game he plays.”
The Buckeyes’ defense is also aware of the challenges Cook presents.
“He’s definitely one of the best quarterbacks we will have faced this year,” cornerback Eli Apple said. “He’s not shy about throwing the ball in traffic, he has a lot of confidence in his receivers, he can get a good ball in there in coverage.”
Tyler O’Connor and Damion Terry each saw playing time against the Terrapins in Cook’s absence. Neither played particularly well in place of the Michigan State star.
Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan said Cook “runs the show” for the Spartans, and it’s for that reason the Buckeyes fully expect to be out there on Saturday.
“We’re planning as if [Cook] will be there,” Ash said. “We’re not going to waste a lot of time worrying about whether he’s not.”
