OHIO STATE FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW: TRESSEL-BALL, VERSION 2006

By Jay Hansen

Ohio State fans might be watching a different brand of Tressel-ball this year.

Since Jim Tressel took over as head football coach, his Buckeye teams have played great defense, been conservative on offense, and prided themselves on winning games in crunch time, often with field goals.

That could change this year. The 2006 Buckeyes are expected to feature an explosive offense keyed by eight returning starters. Conversely, only two starters are back on a defensive unit that was one of the nation’s best a season ago.

One thing hasn’t changed: Ohio State is once again expected to compete for a national title.

THE OFFENSE

Quarterbacks
The lowdown: Troy Smith has demonstrated all the characteristics you want to see in a starting quarterback. A natural leader with a rocket arm, he has the ability to make things happen when a play breaks down.

Player to watch: Todd Boeckman. Possibly the future starter, Boeckman will vie with Justin Zwick for backup duties this season.

Player on the spot: Smith. It may be simplifying things, but Smith is the singular most important person to Ohio State’s 2006 season. The offense is going to be counted on to produce big number this year, and Smith will be the biggest influence on that level of production.

Running Backs
The lowdown: Antonio Pittman emerged as the go-to back for the Buckeyes last year, rushing for more than 1,300 yards and seven touchdowns. He anchors a versatile group that includes scatback Maurice Wells and fantastic freshman Chris Wells. Stan White Jr. and Dionte Johnson will vie for time at fullback.

Player to watch: Chris Wells. A heralded recruit, Wells adds a different dimension to Ohio State’s running game. He’s the Buckeyes’ biggest running back (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) and is a punishing runner who does a great job breaking tackles.

Player on the spot: Pittman. Last year Pittman emerged as the back many people thought he could be. He was productive, consistent, and more durable than he’d be at other points of his career. He’ll need to be all of those things and more again this year considering the freshman Wells could push him for playing time as the season progresses.

Offensive Line
The lowdown: Doug Datish, T. J. Downing, and Kirk Barton return from last season, giving Ohio State a strong base of experience to build on. In addition, huge sophomore Alex Boone is back after playing quite a bit last season, and Steve Rehring returns after missing much of last year with pneumonia. Expect a lot of shuffling of positions as the coaches seek the right line mix.

Player to watch: Jim Cordle. He looked poised to earn playing time as a freshman last year before a foot injury cost him the season. Cordle will be one of the top candidates to replace graduated senior center Nick Mangold.

Player on the spot: Boone. One of the nation’s top recruits last year, Boone showed excellent skills and seemed poised to establish himself as the anchor of this year’s line. An off-season arrest for drunken driving quelled that optimism, but he still possesses rare talent and will be needed.

Receivers
The lowdown: In Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State has perhaps the best receiving tandem in the Big Ten, if not the nation. Ginn and Gonzalez will start, but also expect to see plenty of Roy Hall, Devin Jordan, and Brian Robiskie as the Buckeyes look to fill the void left by Santonio Holmes. At tight end, Rory Nicol and Marcel Frost will compete for starting duties.

Player to watch: Brian Hartline. A long-strider with good speed and excellent hands, Hartline was impressive during spring practices and could emerge as a contributor.

Player on the spot: Hall. Big, strong, and fast, Hall has great measureables, but that hasn’t always translated to great on-field production. He is the prime candidate to take the third receiver spot behind Ginn and Gonzalez, but he could also easily lose that spot to some of the good young receivers coming through the program.

Offensive Overview
The lowdown: Ohio State has three offensive players–Smith, Pittman, and Ginn–on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, given annually to the college football player of the year. That’s a pretty good starting point for a group that enters the season with very high expectations. The Buckeye offense will be deep, talented, and capable of scoring points in bunches. Tressel’s offensive philosophy usually starts with a good running game, and Pittman gives him a great starting point. Even better is the depth behind Pittman. Chris Wells and Maurice Wells bring different characteristics to the table, giving the Buckeyes a versatile stable of backs. At receiver, Ginn is the headliner but few receivers in the Big Ten can match Gonzalez in terms of his speed and fundamental grasp of the game. On the offensive line, two starters graduated, but there’s a good stable of young linemen ready to step in. Top it off with Smith, one of the nation’s most electrifying players, and you have the makings of a special offense.

THE DEFENSE

Defensive Line
The lowdown: This is Ohio State’s most experienced unit on the defense. Quinn Pitcock, David Patterson, and Joel Penton give the team a nice rotation at tackle, while Jay Richardson and Lawrence Wilson have the potential to wreak havoc coming off the ends.

Player to watch: Vernon Gholston. A strong spring game marked the physically imposing Gholston as a possible contributor at defensive end this year.

Player on the spot: Pitcock. Although he’s unheralded, Pitcock was at times last year Ohio State’s best defensive lineman. That kind of performance will be needed every week this year considering he’s one of the most experienced players on the defense.

Linebackers
The lowdown: With the departure of three standout seniors, the Buckeyes have some big shoes to fill here. Three players who likely will see time are Marcus Freeman, Mike D’Andrea, and John Kerr. D’Andrea and Freeman are both coming off of injuries, while Kerr is getting his first chance at playing time since transferring from Indiana. Expect sophomore James Laurinaitis to also see the field. He filled in admirably for Bobby Carpenter last season in the Michigan game and the Fiesta Bowl.

Player to watch: Ross Homan. A true freshman from Coldwater, Ohio, Homan is already drawing comparisons to A. J. Hawk for his knack for being at the right place at the right time.

Player on the spot: D’Andrea. The fifth-year senior came to Ohio State more heralded than fellow recruits A. J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter, who both ended up as first-round NFL draft picks. Injuries have kept D’Andrea from reaching his potential and this is his final go-round. It’s now or never for the senior from Avon Lake.

Defensive Backs
The lowdown: The Buckeyes have to fill all of their starting spots here. At cornerback, Antonio Smith and Malcolm Jenkins came out of spring football as the top candidates to start. Brandon Mitchell, the most experienced returning safety, also will get a shot at starting. Expect Nick Patterson and Jamario O’Neal to figure in the mix.

Player to watch: O’Neal. He was one of the Buckeyes’ top recruits two years ago and brings big-play capability to safety.

Player on the spot: Smith. A former walk-on, Smith has advanced to the top of the depth chart and earned a scholarship. Although he lacks experience, his age and intelligence will be needed in a secondary that’s pretty green.

Defensive Overview
The lowdown: So, you’ve probably heard all about how Ohio State’s defense is going to take a step back this year, right? Well, it probably will, but count on a small step, not a big one. Considering the talent the Buckeyes lost off of last year’s team, it’s only natural that production would drop. But there are some very talented players on this unit, so expecting a total drop-off is unrealistic. The biggest area of consternation is in the defensive backfield, where there is little if any experienced players returning. The good thing is that Ohio State’s most experienced defensive group is its defensive line, and good defensive lines have a way of making the guys playing behind them look a whole lot better.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kickers/Punters
The lowdown: A. J. Trapasso returns as Ohio State’s punter after averaging 40.4 yards per punt last year. Sophomore Ryan Pretorius and freshman Aaron Pettrey are competing to replace graduated kicker Josh Huston.

Player to watch: Trapasso. He was the first player selected in this year’s Scarlet and Gray spring game draft. That speaks volumes about his ability and the confidence his teammates have in him.

Player on the spot: Pretorius and Pettrey. Whichever of these guys wins the kicking job will be key and have big shoes to fill considering the success of recent kickers Josh Huston and Mike Nugent.

Return Game
The lowdown: Ginn, one of the most explosive return men in the nation, will likely get the call on kickoff and punt returns. He should be joined by Pittman, Maurice Wells, or O’Neal on kickoff returns.

Player to watch: Ginn. If you can see him. Sometimes he’s just a blur.

Player on the spot: Whoever is opposite Ginn. You can count on most teams kicking away from Ginn, so the kick-returner opposite him better be ready for a heavy workload.

Special Teams Overview
The lowdown: In the past, special teams have been a crucial element to Ohio State’s formula for success. The Buckeyes have won many games on late field goals after dictating field position with either great punts or great kick-off returns. Although the team’s expected offensive excellence should give it more leeway, there’s no team that doesn’t desire good field position. With Ginn and Trapasso, that shouldn’t be a problem. The biggest concern is at kicker, where a player who’s never kicked in a game before is going to be relied on to shoulder a heavy burden.

2006 SCHEDULE

Sept. 2	Northern Illinois
9	at Texas
16	Cincinnati
23	Penn State
30	at Iowa
Oct. 7	Bowling Green
14	at Michigan State
21	Indiana
28	Minnesota
Nov. 4	at Illinois
11	at Northwestern
18	Michigan

Schedule Overview
The lowdown: At a quick glance, the schedule sets up favorably for the Buckeyes. The team has seven home games, including home dates against tough teams like Penn State and Michigan. The road game at Texas could be scary, but it got a lot less concerning when Longhorn quarterback Vince Young decided to go to the NFL. The game at Iowa will also be tough, and you can expect the Hawkeyes and Drew Tate to be ready for that game, considering the drubbing they took in Columbus last year. The biggest worry is the night games. Ohio State’s toughest road games–Texas and Iowa–are night games, and the Buckeyes have not fared well in regular-season night games in recent season. Over the past three seasons, four of Ohio State’s eight losses have come in night contests. If the Buckeyes can get past those two early night tests, a shot at a national championship is a strong possibility.