5-0 against the Wolverines.It was a busy senior season for Jim Cordle. He raised $18,000 for the Special Olympics in July, started the season at tackle before going down for a few weeks due to an ankle injury, returned as a utility guy that played everywhere on the line and finished strong with his mates by winning the Jim Parker Award.
And then, he popped the big one.
After returning from the East-West Shrine game, he was gracious enough to answer a few of our questions.
Were you surprised at all when the pass-heavy gameplan was introduced ahead of the Rose Bowl matchup with the Ducks?
I was surprised at first and part of the surprise was the timing of when we learned the game plan. Coach Bollman told us in our final meeting before the game that we were going to come out throwing the ball. Obviously a good call by the coaches and even better execution by our skill guys. We linemen knew that we could always rely on the run if we had to and were confident in everyone else.
We've often heard Coach Tressel will show a little emotion within the confines of the locker room. How true is that?
Coach Tressel is a very emotion driven coach. He stays within the “Senator Tressel” swagger but I always tell people that you can see his fire in his eyes. He lets us in on his frustrations at times and uses them to motivate in a speech.
The line and Coach Bollman have taken some heat from the fans over the past few seasons. What was the attitude within the group? How aware of the criticism were you guys and did it play a motivating role at all?
Yes we were all motivated by past failures and the media onslaught. The line played well in the USC game but not as well as we could have. Then we were hit with injuries and what not and could not show how far we had come until November. Our attitude all along was to play up to our potential and finally accomplishing that in the last few games was a great feeling.
GET IT?
Which opposing defensive lineman gave you the toughest head-to-head matchup during your career? What teammate was the most difficult to go against?
Everson Griffin was good, Brandon Graham was better, but this year Adrian Clayborn was by far the toughest head-to-head matchup. Next year he will be this year’s Suh. Last year I thought Mike Newkirk from Wisconsin was the best interior guy I faced despite weighing maybe 280lbs. I had fun battling my teammates as well. Dexter Larimore can bull rush anybody. Doug Worthington gave me trouble with his long arms, and Cam Heyward is just a big bull.
What Ohio State tradition will you miss the most?
I think I will miss the walk to the stadium and skull session the most.
You played quite a few positions on the offensive line. Do you think that helps or hurts your NFL prospects?
Playing many positions helps my NFL prospects in the long run. If I had remained at center I would have been higher ranked coming out of college but may have been considered only a C at the next level. Now that I have proven my play at other positions I can add a lot of value to an NFL team.
How would you like fans to remember you?
I would like fans to remember me as the local kid that represented himself, family, team, etc. with great integrity and respect on and off the field. The post game press conference after Iowa is a fun memory as well.
Can we have a pair of your gold pants?
No my gold pants are taken and I’m going to have to coach at OSU one day because five wasn’t enough.
Comments
Thanks for the memories Jim. Good luck in the NFL....
Comment removed.
post script- go away cordle.
Wow, you got an interview with him, nice job 11W
your an idiot.
way to make an ass of yourself. dude went out of his way to do an interview with 11w and thats what you come up with??!?!
Good luck in the future Jim!
Bummer on the D. Brown news.
Still expecting an interview with C Bryant?
Calling you a douche bag is an insult to feminine care products.
You might consider shutting your pork rind hole until you have something either smart, funny or nice to say.
(Somehow I can't imagine you coming up with anything smart so you should shoot for funny or nice)
Nice interview.
I will always remember Cordle as a local kid that represented himself, family, team, etc. with great integrity and respect on and off the field.
I'll second blazers in wishing Jimmy good luck in the future.
I'll also second the gist - if not the tone - of mcnutt's remarks on the subject of Jimmy being a not-all-that-good football player.
A great leader, captain, teammate, etc., sure - lots of people have called Cordle all those things, and good for him and all that.
But like mcnutt says: Not very good at football.
I don't think he was that bad personally. This year he played quite well i thought.
"No my gold pants are taken and I’m going to have to coach at OSU one day because five wasn’t enough."
Well said my friend, well said.
Anyone notice his comment about the timing of when Bollman gave the offensive gameplan to the team?!
2263 days!!! efff that juco up north!!!
I thought Cordle played very well when he was at center, not as well at guard, and seemed lost at tackle. The versatility might help him stay on a team for a bit, but ultimately if he's going to start in the NFL I think it will be at center.
Have to give the kid a lot of credit for being a true team player and selfless. Brewster essentially took his job and he was asked to play positions that were not his comfort zone or strength.
sigh. it is "you're an idiot." idiot
sweet pic
two wrong thoughts don't make a right brian.
As evidenced by your handle, you have trouble letting go of things. so, i understand this is going to be hard for you, but you really do need to let this go. there is no need for mean spirited banter directed at someone kind enough to share a bit of back-story with you and then towards anyone who disagrees with either your tone or viewpoint. you can defend yourself to the death, but you will convince no one and you will look (even more) like an ass.
"five wasn't enough."
beautiful
its called:Shorthand.
Brewster played that position because Tressel wanted to develop the kid at center. I'm not sure it was so much that the staff thought that Brewster would flat out dominate other possible linemen at center, as much as Tressel thought that Cordle could beat out other linemen at their positions. Either way, Jim Cordle did his job and did it without fuss at Ohio State. These days any guy that isn't starting where he wants to start seems to be transferring, I appreciate a guy that loves his teammates and his team enough to change positions and stick around.
Good interview. Now I have one question to ask. The game plan for the Rose Bowl wasn't confirmed by Bollman until the last meeting before the game, which was pass heavy. Now obviously OSU practiced for the game just like all games but even though they played well and passed well on short notice, does that mean it is better to tell a team the game plan that late or not? Is it because instead of knowing what to expect and fretting over it better to tell a team before a game rather than tell them the first practice a week before a game that we are going to pass heavy? What do you think? I mean after all the Bucks played a darn good game!
Great interview - thanks 11w!
(LOL at the Little Animal costume.)
Great article about ET and his girlfriend, also an OSU basketball player:
http://www.thelantern.com/camp...
“We see each other after practice mostly,” Prahalis said. “We go to the movies and stuff. It gets hard but we make it work.”
THATS WHAT SHE SAID.
+1
Any word on Louis?
http://blogs.twincities.com/go...
We're thinking he's having some fun with the process, but don't quote us.
joan,
my 'handle' is in honor of a friend of mine. nothing more nothing less. cordle sucked. bad. anybody who thinks otherwise doesn't what to watch for during line play. i have no respect for anyone who would want jim cordle to start on their team.
false. but nice try
Shorthand is a complicated system of note taking that requires special training. it was used by secretaries back in the day to record what their bosses were saying quickly allowing them to go back and decipher their own notes. henceforth my statement that you're an idiot is correct, while your statement that i'm (your) and idiot is incorrect nor is it shorthand. that concludes today's lesson and on top of failing the lesson you were also the first person out in dodgeball and in the spelling bee.
if you had used 'ur' i might have bought it