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OSU notebook: Senior tight end joins fullback mix
Sunday, August 17, 2008
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

While the prospect of Curtis Terry playing fullback for Ohio State now appears dim, the Brandon Smith fullback experiment is glowing.

Think Stan White Jr., and the way he was used at fullback after moving from tight end a couple of years ago -- that's what Smith is doing. The senior is lining up in the I formation some, lining up as an H back some, sharing time at the spot with Ryan Lukens and freshman Jermil Martin.

"In our offense, the tight end and fullback are virtually the same guy, just in different positions," Smith said after yesterday's jersey scrimmage, won by the offense. "It won't be uncommon for me to flex out and move into the backfield, and vice versa."

His No. 87 might look strange in the backfield when he is lead blocking for Chris "Beanie" Wells, and "every-body is concerned about my jersey number, am I going to change it?" Smith said. "I say 'No, I'm going to stay.' Stan wore 89. I'm going to wear 87."

Terry changed his jersey number from 55 to 99 to accommodate his possible use as either a fullback or as an outside linebacker. But the past week he practiced pretty much on the defensive side, which was fine with him.

"I have no idea (how he's going to be used), man. I'm just enjoying it," Terry said. "Whatever the team needs, I'm willing to do.

"They could put me anywhere. They could put me at long snapper, punter, I don't care."

He has never long snapped nor punted, "but I could."

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : OSU notebook: Senior tight end joins fullback mix