Eddie George Monday Press Conference Transcript (Toledo)

Eddie George Press Conference 
Oct. 6, 2025
Bowling Green, Ohio 

Opening Statement:
Coach George: Excited about playing in this rivalry game against Toledo. Been a fan of college football pretty much all my life and this one here is definitely in the top five of rivalry games.

Of course, in my time at Ohio State, I played the team up north and was at the Army Navy game. This one here ranks right up there with that. So, to have had the opportunity to coach in this game is an honor. Thrilled to compete against that team up north.

Really feel good about where our guys are right now. Coming off the bye, we got a little bit healthier, a little bit better and now we've got to put our product on the field and control the emotions and try to beat a really, really talented football team in Toledo.

Question: Is there an added pressure to playing at home in a rivalry game?
Coach George: Honestly, it doesn't matter. You know, in these types of games, it doesn't matter what you're ranked, how many games you've won coming into this game, if you're ranked number one in the country in run, pass, it doesn't matter. It's always different whether it's on the road, in the backyard, in any cornfield, in between here and Toledo, it does not matter.
It could be that added pressure. I asked a couple guys on the staff, why has that been? We don't know. I think it's just less distractions. It could be a multitude of things. But the most important thing is that you've got to be present. You've got to stay locked in. You have to control the emotions of the game and control the momentum shifts as it happens, both good and bad, to stay even keeled and stay locked in throughout the course of the game.

Question: How important is it to pack the stand for this game?
Coach George: Yeah, I mean having that on-field advantage is huge. To have a packed house and have the energy, especially the more orange and brown, we feed off of that. I think that's a huge advantage for us, and this being the biggest game on our schedule, especially for this community and what it means for the MAC championship and all of that, it's a big one. So, we're hoping that it is full. Hopefully it's full of orange and brown and screaming and it's loud. So be loud on critical downs for the opposing opponents. We’re looking forward to that.

Question: What do you guys do to hammer home the rivalry?
Coach George: A lot of these guys haven't played in this game last year. There is a sprinkle here and there. There are coaches that have coached in it. I told my staff last week, I think it's important for them to understand what they're walking into. What it means to this university, what it means to this community.

You look at, nowadays, with the transfer portal, there's so much turnover in college football. Now almost nationwide, you kind of lost appreciation for the rivalries, because of the close proximity.
20, 25 miles, 26 miles up the road, you typically include the same type of players. It's bragging rights. It's all of that. It's Toledo being an urban school and Bowling Green is in no man's land. The better resources, all of it. I mean, it means something.

So, it's important for these kids to understand, they’re part of something special. You're standing on the shoulders of giants before you.

We're playing for men who have worn this jersey before you, so you want to leave it better. We want to continue the tradition. We want to continue to keep the trophy here at Bowling Green. So, it matters. When you come to schools like this, you play in games for this particular reason, to play in games like this.

We're making a real emphasis for them to understand that, hey, this is an important game. This really means a lot to this university.

Question: Do those old rivalry games still stick with you?
Coach George: Absolutely. In games like this, it's just where legends are made. That's the reality if you look at it across the board, whether it's Army/Navy, the Iron Bowl, The Game, you can pick any one of them and it's where you play your best football. The Red River shootout between Texas and Oklahoma. Both teams coming into that one. You just have no idea what's going to happen because it's so highly competitive and so many emotions are wrapped around it.

So, I expressed to them that this is one that lasts a lifetime. It goes on forever. And I feel the pain. I still feel the pain of the ‘95 loss. You think about the what ifs, and you don't want to ever have that so there's no regrets going into it.

Our kids understand what it is. It’s been preached the moment that I've got here, the important emphasis around this one and what it means. Players that have played on my staff that are now coaches understand coaching this game. They’re enforcing that same message.

Question: What’s your approach to a rivalry game?
Coach George: The approach is always the same. We're always looking to get better. We're always emphasizing that. I think the emotions of it will take care of itself. Things are heightened in this game, certainly. Every possession counts. Every turnover is bigger, every touchdown is bigger, and momentum shifts are bigger, and there's nothing that you can prepare for during the course of the week for that. You just have to ride along with that emotion and take that as it comes.
Understanding that you know you don't want to necessarily exert all your energy during the course of the week. But you don't want to just sleepwalk into the game.

There is a fine line between both understanding that, hey, I got to play with controlled anger, controlled rage, this controlled focus to go out and do my job, and not to go out and play above and beyond the call of duty, but do my best in that moment. Understand that every play and everything counts. Playing with discipline is going to be key for us.

Question: What makes Toledo different?
Coach George: Well, they're talented. Always have been. Coach Candle has done a phenomenal job of building that program. They've had some really great football teams up there. Certainly, this year. They do have a quarterback that's played in this league for a long time and is very experienced. They have a running back that's that can really control the game. He’s talented and can hit explosives from anywhere on the field and is heavy. You can get yards after contact. Couple guys in that offense you have to be mindful of. For special forces or special teams, the return guys are special. The defense is always stout, so you got your hands full.

You got a complete football team you got to be concerned about. It is going to take the best out of us to go out there trying to get a victory.

Question: What are the keys for your team to be successful in this game?
Coach George: Protect the football. Number one, protect the football. That's going to be key for us. That will help clean up those mistakes that we had in the last few weeks.

We were able to move the ball effectively pretty much with anybody that we played, it’s just being able to finish drives with scores, not giving up explosive runs toro passes, having a team drive the ball against us is going to be huge too.
So, being disciplined with our eyes defensively, protecting the football and taking advantage of the opportunities that are given to us on both sides of the football and being able to score a touchdown as we drive.

Question: Did you move away from the run in the second half against OU as a reaction to something?
Coach George: Well, we were still behind. We had to pass the ball a little bit more to try to get it going. We couldn’t afford to keep running the football as much.

There were moments in the third quarter, certainly the third quarter has been our Achilles heel. I don't know what the stat is, but it's during the last nine quarters. We got three straight three-and-outs starting off in the third quarter. That has to change. A lot has to do with that.
So, most of it's been, hey, you know, they've been able to stop our offense coming out of the third quarter and they've made adjustments quicker than we have.

We've got to be able to be effective whenever we want. So, our goal is to be balanced, to come out and move the ball the shortest way, the best way possible. We need to be able to throw the football and have the opportunity to make plays in the passing game. We have to remain balanced and not be one dimensional.

Question: Thoughts on Drew Pyne this season?
Coach George: I think he's been great. We’ve seen the mistakes that he's made. There have been catastrophic turnovers. But that happens to be in the game of football.

Look at last week or two weeks ago, tipped ball goes back six. That's a fluke. Dropped back a little bit more in the pocket, buy more space for him to throw it. Later we’re driving and should have tied it up, it goes back and forth and there’s the one that happened right before halftime. That was an error, and he knows better. I think he's learned a lesson from that that, he's going to make better decisions and that's fine. I think for the most part he shows flashes of what he can be.

He just has to be more consistent, making the best plays. I think that has a lot to do with being on the same page, and that goes with our coaching staff too, and being able to communicate. Understanding the why behind certain past concepts or what we're doing, why we're calling these plays, what the effect is, and why this receiver has to get to his depth across the face of the defender so we can open up a window for a certain player.

That understanding has to be collected. It can't be information held on to just one particular unit. That has to be shared, that has to be communicated, and that has to be executed at a high level. So, once you know he understands that and we’re on the same page we’ll be operating the high level.

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