Two quarterbacks, two teams, two days

Germaine has eyes set on Roses, again

Ohio State quarterback Joe Germaine says he loves the attention, but enough with the quarterback controversy.

As far as he's concerned, there is no controversy. The coaches don't have a problem with it, the players don't and neither does Germaine.

"I'm a team player," he said. "I'll do whatever coach (John Cooper) tells me to do. The most important thing to do is win."

The Buckeyes have proven they can win with the two-quarterback system.

AP PHOTO Despite Ohio State's two-quarterback system, Joe Germaine said he does not mind sharing time with Stanley Jackson.

Ohio State (6-1 Big Ten, 10-1 overall) has lost a meager two games in two seasons since the start of the duo. Germaine likes the way the coaches are using Ohio State's quarterback talent.

"You never give the defense the same thing twice," he said. "It's good to mix things up."

That's just what the Buckeyes plan to do against Michigan.

"We have a lot of things to run this weekend until we find something that works," Germaine said. "We're not going to take anything out of our offense just because of the intensity of this game."

If Germaine were calling the plays, he wouldn't do much different, he said.

"You've got to get an even pass and run game," he said. "I think we do that." Germaine gives ample credit for the Buckeyes' success to quarterback coach Tim Salem and offensive coordinator Mike Jacobs.

"Salem can get down to our level," he said. "He's energetic and young - he's been a quarterback; he knows what it's like. Jacobs is great at the mental facet of the game. They're tough coaches; they know what they're doing."

Germaine takes one game at a time and doesn't make predictions for the season. But he does share the team goals to win the Big Ten, take another trip to the Rose Bowl, and the ultimate dream - to win a national title.

"A lot of things have to happen," he said. "We just have to do it."

He said he wants to take another trip to the Rose Bowl "really bad."

"It's hard to put into words. I've always dreamed of going to the Rose Bowl."

Germaine's dream is part of the reason why he left his hometown of Mesa, Ariz., to become a Buckeye.

"I came here for the weather," he joked.

Actually he came because football is "the thing I love to do," he said.

This family man is the youngest of five. "Nothing is more important to me than my family," he said.

"Something my dad said to me that I'll always remember," he said. "'Never get caught up in what's going on ... never let 'em see you sweat.'"

11-20-97