Jordan Ingram reporting for FishDuck.com on today’s head coach news conference in Dallas, TX.
One more day and history will be made. Tomorrow is the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T, a national championship that has historical significance for not only Oregon and Ohio State, two schools that share an interesting past, but also for the sport of college football.
Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer held what may be their final pre-game press conference in Dallas this morning. Both coaches had the opportunity to share their thoughts on what could be the biggest national sporting event short of the NFL’s Super Bowl.
Coach Mark Helfrich & Coach Urban Meyer, one day away from the inaugural #CFBPlayoff National Championship. #UOvsOSUpic.twitter.com/D2zu9Y0lZm
— CFB Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 11, 2015
“This is a great match up. It’s college football history,” Meyer said. “It’s a game that I’ve devoted a good portion of my life to, same with our players and now our players can say they played in the first College Football Playoff national title. It’s something we take very serious and we’re very honored to be here.”
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has “tremendous respect for really Eugene, Oregon, the way they’ve handled their business, and the way they coach, obviously.”
Meyer is no stranger to CFB’s grand stage, having won two national titles at Florida. But Meyer made it clear that this particular game has special significance for two reasons: he’s an Ohioan and he holds the highest respect for Oregon and Mark Helfrich, a program he has admittedly studied and emulated for years.
“We have worked very hard on it, and I think the culture that Oregon has created is something I’ve studied in great detail, and I say culture because that’s what it is. Ohio State has this culture and so does Oregon and so do all the great programs. Programs without culture, that’s when you start to see failure,” Meyer said.
For Oregon’s Helfrich, this will be his first time as head coach under the brightest lights, a chance to deliver the goods with a national title hungry team, school and fan base.
Helfrich has steadily navigated Oregon’s flashy football barge through the endless gales and squalls that come with college athletics, keeping his players and staff focused amidst a flurry of distractions.
Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich : ‘Our guys are excited and ready to compete’
“Things are great both from a football standpoint and athletic department standpoint at the University of Oregon,” Helfrich said. “Rob Mullens has done a great job and then also, University wise, we’re the best, most diverse, biggest University of Oregon that’s ever existed, and we think those things are certainly–they happen together–and so we are proud to be ambassadors for our university and great things are happening in all phases.”
Both teams seem to be ready. So, what are the Buckeyes concerned about tomorrow?
“…Our number one concern is their quarterback,” Meyer said.
Top photo by John Sperry
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Jordan is a lifelong Duck fan currently living in San Diego. Jordan graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, after serving a prestigious fellowship with the Washington State House of Representatives. Upon graduation, he worked as an English language teaching assistant for the Spanish Ministry of Education’s Ambassadorial Program in Monforte de Lemos, Spain. Jordan has worked as a journalist, writer, and editor in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and California, covering a wide range of topics, including sports, local politics, and crime. He is VERY excited to be writing about his beloved Oregon Ducks.
