Micro-managing Matta wary of all opponents

Associated Press

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If anyone gets the idea that being unbeaten and No. 1 means life is all sunshine and lollipops for Ohio State coach Thad Matta, think again.

Matta worries about everything. He worries about opponents, of course, but more about what’s going on in the heads and hearts of his own players. Oh, and he also worries about the weather, food, injuries, conditioning, academics, defense, offense and a thousand other things.

Whether a team is 21-0, as are the Buckeyes, or 0-21, to Matta there is always something lurking out there that can get in the way of winning the next game. That was evident by a recent exchange between the Ohio State basketball and football coaches.

“Coach [Jim] Tressel and I were texting a week or so ago,” Matta said Friday. “I can’t remember what he said, but I said, ‘Be thankful you’ve only got 13 of these.”’

For meticulous, micro-managers like Matta, there is never anything so small that it couldn’t screw up a game or season.

He is constantly on the lookout for the next impediment to a win.

“It’s ‘How much rest? Are they getting the right nutrition?”’ Matta said of his players. “You’re trying everything that you can. I was nervous before the Illinois game because we ate bar food at Hoolihan’s. I’m looking over and saying, ‘This can’t be good.’ But I guess we were OK.”

Yes, the Buckeyes (8-0 Big Ten), the last Division I unbeaten, have been OK, to say the least. They overcame the chili-cheese fries and chicken fingers to win at No. 23 Illinois, 73-68.

They’ve won close games against not-so-good teams and then they’ve rolled past quality opponents such as No. 12 Purdue, which they routed 87-64 on Tuesday night.

Next up is Northwestern. The Wildcats (13-7, 3-6) may not look imposing to a lot of fans, but they’re downright scary — particularly when playing at home — to Ohio State.

After all, they’ve been told by Matta that every opponent is a contender, every player on the other team can embarrass you and every lackadaisical effort is an opportunity for a defeat.

Freshman Deshaun Thomas, instant offense for the Buckeyes off the bench, has been taught to trust nothing but hard work and your teammates.

“I learned from what coach Matta said, ‘Don’t worry about what everybody says that is good,”’ he said. “We’re trying to win a national championship. We’ve got to get there. That’s our goal.”