Game Ten: #1 tOSU 17, Illinois 10 (11/4/06)

[CrabMan]

I was thinking more along the lines of the 65-64 Buckeye hoops upset in 2005.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

'A great opportunity' for Illinois

Wednesday, November 1, 2006
By JOHN SUPINIE
of COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

CHAMPAIGN - Illinois football coach Ron Zook joked about it. Linebacker Brit Miller began thinking about it minutes after the loss Saturday at Wisconsin.
No. 1 Ohio State is coming to town for a Big Ten Conference game.
When the Buckeyes (9-0, 5-0) visit at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, history and Las Vegas won't be on the Illini's side. According to oddsmakers, the Illini (2-7, 1-4) are 26 1/2-point underdogs. Perhaps that's why Zook gave a light-hearted response in his weekly news conference.
"I just talked to Ron Guenther,'' Zook said of the Illinois athletics director. "He said we have to play them. So the game is on ... 2:30 Saturday.
"All kidding aside, it's a great opportunity for us. More than anytime here, our players are excited about going out and playing. How many times in life do you have a chance to play a team like Ohio State?''
Illinois is 3-11 all-time against No. 1 teams. In its last matchup against No. 1, Illinois fell 41-0 to Ohio State in 1998. Illinois' last victory against a top-ranked team came in 1956, when it upset Michigan State 26-10.
Ohio State's 16-game winning streak is the nation's longest. Meanwhile, the Illini have lost four in a row, but this matchup has them motivated.
"I've been thinking about that since we left Wisconsin,'' Miller said. "For the program, (a victory) would be phenomenal. It would put us on the map. People would know we're a good football team.
"It's probably the biggest football game in my life. Guys are excited. It's not very often that you get a chance to go against the No. 1 team in the country.''
In 2002, Illinois lost 23-16 in overtime when Ohio State was rated No. 2 by the Associated Press. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 1 in the BCS and eventually won the national title.
TOP OF THE LIST: Instead of successfully recruiting Juice Williams to Ohio State, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel has to watch the Illinois freshman quarterback develop from afar.
Williams chose Illinois over Ohio State, among others.
"He was absolutely at the top of our recruiting board,'' Tressel said. "His coaching staff has done a nice job of giving him bits and pieces of the package and making sure that he understands why. That's good coaching.
"They've done a nice job of bringing him along. You'll see a lot about him in the Big Ten for years to come.''
INJURY REPORT: Illinois right tackle Charles Myles and freshman tight end Michael Hoomanawanui were expected to play against Ohio State.
Myles suffered an ankle sprain in the opening minutes at Wisconsin. Hoomanawanui missed the last two games with a knee sprain. John Supinie can be reached at (217) 377-1977 or johnsupinie@aol.com.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

Buckeyes Hope to Squeeze Illini's Juice

By RUSTY MILLER, AP Sports Writer
12:19 AM PST, November 1, 2006


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When Jim Tressel was recruiting Isiah "Juice" Williams to come to Ohio State a couple of years ago, he knew the athletic quarterback had a lot of potential.

Now, Tressel and his top-ranked Buckeyes will find out just how big of an upside the freshman has when he leads Illinois against Ohio State on Saturday.

They're a big-play team," Tressel said of the Illini (2-7, 1-4 Big Ten). "Juice Williams has got four touchdowns over 60 yards throwing the ball and he does a great job with his feet as well. He's a guy we recruited very hard. He can make things happen."

Williams had the size (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) that marked him as a star during his prep days at Vocational High School in Chicago, where he passed for 1,841 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior -- while also rushing for 1,441 yards and 17 more scores.

The Buckeyes (9-0, 5-0) already had a quarterback who could elude onrushing tacklers and then throw deep over a defense in Troy Smith, a top candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

Williams was offered a scholarship by Ohio State in his junior year. He considered coming to Columbus as an understudy to Smith.

"Looking back, I saw an incredible football history and tradition and the opportunity to play with Troy Smith was remarkable," Williams said. "Just knowing that Ohio State had one of the better quarterbacks in the country, it was a great situation to be in."

Williams passed it up to stay in his home state and play for the Illini. He said he wanted to learn by playing, not by standing around on the sidelines and watching someone else.

"Most people say that you make progress being out there on the field and learn from game experience instead of sitting back and watching someone play in front of you," he said.

Coach Ron Zook, a former Ohio State assistant under John Cooper, installed Williams as the starter when Illinois played Iowa. He had an awful day, completing just 9 of 32 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions.

A week later, however, Williams showed some of that potential by running for 103 yards on 17 carries and hitting on 9 of 16 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown with one interception in what at the time was a huge upset of Michigan State.

Since then, the young Illini have lost four in a row. There have been growing pains as Williams has gradually become more comfortable at his position.

He'll face his toughest test yet against a Buckeyes defense that is the stingiest in the nation, allowing just 7.3 points a game.

Asked what jumped out at him about Illinois' offense when he looked at game film, Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman pinpointed one player.

"I'm just going to say Juice Williams," he said. "Everything revolves around him. He's a playmaker. He keeps plays alive with his feet."

Tressel knew that Williams would be a fast learner.

"He really enjoyed studying the game. He loved to compete," Tressel said. "He obviously had a good arm and great athletic ability and he just looked like a guy that, man, this guy's going to become something, and he has."

Williams is completing just 42.6 percent of his passes, with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has run for 364 yards as the Illini try to turn things around after going just 13-41 since the start of the 2002 season. The Buckeyes are 52-8 over that same span.

"Being a starter and going up against the No. 1 team in the country was far from my mind at this time last year," Williams said. "I look at it as just another game against a good team."

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

Tressel appreciates the one that got away By MARK TUPPER H&R Executive Sports EditorBy MARK TUPPER H&R Executive Sports Editor

CHAMPAIGN - Juice Williams says Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith is one of his idols. He loves quarterbacks like Smith and Michael Vick, dynamic guys who can beat you with their arms as well as their feet.

But if not for Smith, Williams might be wearing Buckeye red rather than Illini blue and orange Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Williams was wooed by many colleges when he was quarterbacking at Chicago Vocational High School and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel confirmed Tuesday that Williams' athleticism and eye-catching presence made him a prime Buckeye recruiting target.

"He has a great grasp of the game and it starts there," said Tressel, coach of the nation's No. 1-ranked team. "He enjoys the game and the competitiveness of football. He has great stature and great athletic ability, and he's blessed with a fine arm.

"He absolutely was at the top of our recruiting board, and I think he'll be a great quarterback."

Williams was naturally flattered when Ohio State came calling.

"There were very interested in me, actually," Illinois' 18-year-old freshman quarterback said. "One of their assistant coaches came and watched me practice. They offered me a scholarship late in my junior year.

"I saw an incredible football history and tradition and an opportunity to be a part of it. And they thought I was one of the better quarterbacks in the country, and that added confidence to my game."

So why Illinois, a program that can't match Ohio State's winning tradition and a program that was just launching a rebuilding phase?

"Probably the opportunity to play as a freshman instead of as a redshirt freshman," Williams reasoned. "Most people say you make progress out there on the field instead of sitting back watching film."

Williams, of course, knew he would not play as a true freshman at Ohio State with senior QB Troy Smith poised to lead the Buckeyes in pursuit of a national championship.

Williams, who took over the Illini starting job Sept. 23 against Iowa, has at times been spectacular and at other times looked like a freshman in over his head. All of which is to be expected.

Seven of his nine touchdown passes have been for 76, 69, 69, 53, 44, 35 and 31 yards, proving his big-play capability. But his overall completion percentage is 42.6 percent and some of his eight interceptions have been the clear result of inexperience.

But while preparing for the Illini this week, Tressel sees a raw, young talent getting better all the time.

"I think the coaching staff has done a nice job giving him bits and pieces of the package and making sure he understands the whys and wherefores before they move to the next step," he said.

"Coach Zook and his staff have done a nice job bringing him along. You are going to hear a lot about that young man in the years to come."

Smith, who is the national frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, is having a stellar season, Zook said, in part because he is running less and throwing more. That's the result of greater experience that results in greater patience as he waits for receivers to pop open.

Smith has learned that the mere threat of running can be as effective as running itself. And resisting the inclination to run as a first option can bring about big plays in the passing game.

It's part of the maturation process Williams knows he's already going through.

"I've improved in just keeping my eyes downfield," Williams said. "I haven't perfected it yet, but my game has gotten a lot better. When I'm scrambling out of the pocket, I keep my eyes downfield and look for the pass instead of the run. It's just confidence, having the faith that (receivers will) get open."

"There are times when he will pull the ball down and run where if he'll sit another fraction of a second a receiver will come open," Zook said.

When this season began, Williams said he never once thought about quarterbacking against the No. 1 team in the nation.

"I was just trying to learn the system the best I could," he said. "The thought about going against No. 1 was far from my mind."

Not any more. On Saturday, he'll carry Illinois' upset dreams onto the field, looking across at a team and a coach he could have been with.

Mark Tupper can be reached at mtupper@herald-review.com or 421-7983.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

Illini's QB once was a Buckeyes prospect

By Stu Durando
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

11/01/2006

Illinois quarterback "Juice" Williams (7).
(Heather Coit/AP)


Isiah Williams could have been Troy Smith's teammate, preparing to stand on the sideline Saturday when Ohio State visits Illinois.

Instead, the freshman quarterback will go head-to-head with the Heisman Trophy candidate as the Illini's starter for the 2:30 p.m. game at Memorial Stadium.

Williams was offered a scholarship to play for the Buckeyes during his junior year at Chicago Vocational, but he opted to sign with Illinois, envisioning a chance to play sooner. His sixth career start will come against the No. 1 team in the country.

"They were very interested in me," Williams said. "An assistant coach came to watch me practice and work out. The opportunity to play with Troy would have been remarkable, and knowing they considered me one of the better quarterbacks in the country added confidence to my game.''
Ohio State ended up with freshman Antonio Henton, who like Williams was widely regarded as a four-star recruit. Henton was the offensive player of the year as a high school senior in Georgia.

But Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel acknowledged that he coveted Williams at one time.

"We've been watching him since high school,'' he said. "We tried to recruit him like crazy.''

Williams reiterated that the quarterback situation at Illinois was a big factor in his decision. He finished camp in August at No. 2 on the depth chart and was named the starter for the fourth game.

Although he has a long way to go, Williams sees himself being comparable to Smith in style and has been watching him through his college career.

"We have pretty similar playing styles,'' he said. "He has the ability to run and make big plays with his arm. I've been watching Troy Smith since I was a junior in high school. He and Michael Vick are the guys I look up to the most."

Healing again

Linebacker Brit Miller said the early part of recent weeks has been difficult as the Illini have suffered a string of close losses. But once the players get over the hump, they have been far more upbeat than in 2005, when the losses came by huge margins.

"Morale is great right now," he said. "Monday and Tuesday are hard to get through for the fact we lost and the mistakes we make are miniscule. It's death by a thousand paper cuts right now. But as we've moved to the next opponent, we've corrected the mistakes, and hopefully the guys will keep learning.''

Injury update

Coach Ron Zook expects Illinois to be at full strength to face Ohio State after several players emerged from the game at Wisconsin with ankle injuries. Offensive lineman Charles Myles' injury was the most severe. He wanted to practice Monday but was held out.

"We wanted to make sure it calmed down," Zook said. "He was in the training room all day Sunday, and I feel very strongly he'll be ready to go."

Defensive back Travon Bellamy and defensive end Derek Walker returned to practice and appear to be fine.

Tough series

In the last five meetings between Illinois and Ohio State, only last year's game was a blowout, with the Buckeyes winning 40-2. Illinois won at Columbus in 1999 and 2001, lost on a last-second field goal at home in 2000 and in overtime at home in 2002.

sdurando@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8232

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Juice belonged with the orange

OSU could not get QB to leave Illinois
Wednesday, November 01, 2006 Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter

Columbus- All Isiah "Juice" Williams did was follow the Troy Smith gospel. Why go elsewhere when you've got a chance to play for your home-state team?
That Illinois loyalty from the former Chicago high school star may be the only reason that Williams, who was recruited hard by Ohio State, will be quarterbacking against the No. 1 Buckeyes on Saturday instead of redshirting with them as the future successor to Smith.
"Those Ohio guys like to stay home and let their relatives see them at home, and it's the same thing with Juice," said Charles Chambers, Williams' coach at Chicago Vocational Career Academy, the same high school that sent linebacker Dick Butkus to Illinois more than four decades ago. "This is his home state, and this is where he plans on living after he gets out of school. So naturally that played a role."
Williams, who will be making his seventh start of the season, is now in the starring role in an orange helmet for the 2-7 Illini.
Though he's completed only 42.6 percent of his passes, seven of his nine touchdowns have gone for more than 30 yards, three of them for 69 or more yards.
"Juice Williams is a playmaker," Ohio State defensive tackle David Patterson said. "For a freshman quarterback, I think he does a great job out there making plays with his feet and his arm. I saw a play where he threw it 65 yards on the run. It was incomplete, but it shows his athleticism."
Williams is the future and face of the Illini every bit as much as Smith sets the pace for the 9-0 Buckeyes. Smith can't understand Ohio players who choose to leave the state, the senior spreading the kind of message that has helped coach Jim Tressel lock down Ohio. Once Williams turned down Penn State, Tennessee, North Carolina and the Buckeyes and committed to Illinois in the spring of 2005, before new coach Ron Zook had coached a game in Champaign, Williams became a recruiter himself for Zook's first class.
He would have made a lot of sense in Columbus as well, which was the message Ohio State assistant coach Dick Tressel tried to convey to Williams, to no avail.
"He was an early decision, stay in his home state, the need for the quarterback thing, and Illinois is a great school," Jim Tressel said, ticking off the reasons the Buckeyes lost out on Williams. "They did a good job recruiting him and painting the picture of good things could happen, and the picture they painted was accurate."
And what did the Buckeyes like about him?

[osugrad21]

DDN

Concussion could keep Pitcock off field, but not Gonzalez

By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

Wednesday, November 01, 2006
COLUMBUS ? Ohio State defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, who is tied for second in the Big Ten with seven sacks, may miss his second straight game because of a concussion.
Coach Jim Tressel said the Piqua native is questionable this week, as is starting left tackle Alex Boone.
Asked for an injury report on Boone at his weekly press conference Tuesday, Tressel responded: "Am I allowed to say? I don't think so. He won't practice today."
Receiver Anthony Gonzalez (mild concussion) and third-string tailback Maurice Wells (shoulder stinger) are expected to be cleared for the Illinois game Saturday.
"For this point in the year, going into game 10, I feel good about our health," Tressel said.
Smith running more
Quarterback Troy Smith notched his first rushing touchdown of the year last week after getting 11 in 2005. He also had his second-highest output on the ground this season with 43 yards on six attempts.
But when asked if Smith had overcome his season-long reluctance to run, Tressel said: "I don't know if he was hesitant to run. He just had some guys open. We always told him, 'Get it to those guys that are faster than you. And if one of those guys isn't open, and the right decision is to step up and go, let's go.' "
Tressel, though, conceded he's been calling fewer designed runs for Smith, attributing that to the team's depth at tailback. After rushing for 611 yards on 136 carries last year, Smith has picked up only 169 yards on 42 tries this season.
Champs remembered
Tressel waved off a question about whether this year's squad could beat his 2002 national title team ? big surprise, eh? ? but he did admit some personal convictions were reinforced by that championship run.
"The biggest lesson I relearned ? because I'd been at it so long, sometimes you relearn things ? is never underestimate the intentions of a group of people," he said. "Mike Doss and Donny Nickey and that group had some intentions that were not going to be denied."
The current Buckeyes have 16 fifth-year seniors who were true freshmen that season.
"Hopefully, they learned a little bit," Tressel said.
OSU trails Michigan
The Buckeyes moved into second place in the Big Ten in rushing defense after allowing only 1.4 yards per carry over the last three games.
They're giving up 3.1 yards per attempt overall, well behind Michigan's pace-setting 1.2 mark.
The Wolverines lead the nation in rushing defense, allowing 28.4 yards per game. The Buckeyes were No. 1 nationally last year, surrendering 73.4 yards.

[osugrad21]

Canton

Ohio State football: No small games in November
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS When the page on the calendar in Jim Tressel's office is torn from October to November, he gets down to business. His business this week is reminding players if they want to have a season to remember, they better have a November to remember. That starts Saturday in Champaign against Illinois.
Tressel and No. 1-ranked Ohio State have mastered the illusion of building up overmatched opponents. Illinois may not be overmatched as much as the Fighting Illini are inexperienced.
With just two games left until the national championship semifinal against Michigan, staying focused may become difficult.
"It's in proportion to what the team you're getting ready to play looks like on film," Tressel said. "The goods news, and bad news, is when you turn the film on, Illinois looks good, and our guys ... (are) going to see that."
Freshman quarterback Juice Williams has been the talk of Illinois this season. One of five Division I-A true freshmen QBs starting this year, Williams was recruited hard by Ohio State.
He turned the Buckeyes down as the Illinois native wanted to play early, and Ohio State had Troy Smith.
"They offered me a scholarship at the end of my junior season, so I think they were pretty interested," Williams said. "When I look at Ohio State, I see an incredible football history and tradition. ... The opportunity to play as a freshman as opposing to playing as a redshirt freshman was the difference. More people say you make progress out on the field instead of sitting back and watching someone play in front of you."
With Williams under center, Head Coach Ron Zook is watching his offense go through growing pains. Williams has thrown eight interceptions, and he's lost the last four games.
But with Tressel, there is always a caveat.
"They've had some tough situations occur," Tressel said. "They were ahead of Wisconsin, very well could have beaten them. They played Penn State ... and was nose-to-nose. Penn State rushed the ball for 40 yards, and Illinois rushed it for over 200.
"If you watch film, you can see that conceptually they're starting to understand what a new coaching staff a year ago was establishing. ... They're trying to put the pieces together. It doesn't happen overnight."
The staff has fine-tuned film critique. The Buckeyes are correcting big mistakes, but the minutia isn't slipping through the cracks, either, according to redshirt freshman receiver Brian Hartline.
Those critiques may get tougher in the coming weeks.
November is a month when great Ohio State teams separate from good ones. Ask John Cooper.
"There have been a lot of good teams at Ohio State over the years," Tressel said. "The ones that are considered great teams are the ones that played great in November.
"(Players) know the importance that November has in the course of a college football season."
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com

[osugrad21]

Link

Ohio State's Pitcock Might Miss Illinois Game

November 1, 2006
Staff And Wire Reports
Ohio State All-America candidate Quinn Pitcock could miss the game Saturday at Illinois because of a concussion that kept him out last week.

Pitcock, a senior defensive tackle who anchors the top-ranked Buckeyes' line, was a surprise scratch for the 44-0 home victory over Minnesota.

A semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, he leads the team in sacks with seven and is second in tackles for loss with nine.

Pitcock was hurt Oct. 21 against Indiana. He was replaced by senior Joel Penton, who had filled in the past two weeks for tackle David Patterson, who had arthroscopic knee surgery. Coach Jim Tressel said Patterson was in for 47 snaps against Minnesota and came out of the game fine.

Tressel said freshman receiver Ray Small (concussion) probably won't play and Pitcock and sophomore left tackle Alex Boone were questionable.

[osugrad21]

CPD

Injury update:
Tressel said starting left tackle Alex Boone and starting defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock are both questionable for Saturday's game at Illinois. Pitcock still is recovering from a concussion he suffered against Indiana 11 days ago, while Tressel would not divulge Boone's injury. Tressel said neither would practice Tuesday.
Also, freshman receiver Ray Small is out for Saturday after suffering a concussion against Minnesota last week, while Tressel said receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who had a mild concussion, and backup running back Mo Wells will both play after leaving Saturday's game early.
"I think for this point in the year, going into game 10, I feel good about our health," Tressel said.
Rematch is doable:
Sounds like there are some rumors circulating that a Michigan-Ohio State rematch in the BCS championship game would be impossible because you have to win your conference to make the title game. So two teams from the same conference couldn't get there.
Not true.
"The No. 1 and No. 2 teams, no matter who they are or where they're from, are guaranteed access to the championship game," Charles Bloom, the media coordinator for the BCS, said this week. "It's the two teams on top of the standings on Dec. 3."

[osugrad21]

Link


New turf at Ohio Stadium sets the stage for big November
By JON SPENCER
For The Marion Star

COLUMBUS - Ohio State trotted out a doctor to address the media on Tuesday, but Buckeye fans needn't be alarmed. He wasn't there to discuss the health of the nation's top-ranked football team.
He was there to talk about the ailing turf.
For the second time in four weeks, Ohio Stadium is re-sodding its crumbling field. Dr. John Street, a faculty member in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, blamed one of the wettest Octobers on record for the chewed up field and is confident the $60,000 transplant will correct the problem.

"My reaction was, 'Man, that's a lot of money,' " linebacker Marcus Freeman said.

It will be money well spent if it provides a stage up to the standards of a team that always seems to play its best ball in November and beyond.

With games Saturday at Illinois and next week at Northwestern, the first (and only) time the Buckeyes step on their new field will be in the Nov. 18 showdown with No. 2 Michigan.

Four of OSU's five regular seasons under Jim Tressel have ended with victories over its archrival. Tressel's record in bowl games is also 4-1, including a 2002 national title-clinching win in the Fiesta Bowl.

Overall he's 19-4 after Nov. 1. Two of those losses came in his 7-5 debut season in 2000.

"The most important task at hand as we flip the calendar over to November is to make sure we're playing our best football in this month," Tressel said. "You do a lot of work prior to November, but the month of November really is the legacy that you leave.

"There have been a lot of good teams at Ohio State over the years. The ones that are considered great teams are the ones that played great in November and that's just the way football is. I suppose in the NFL, it's December."

It's easy to notice Ohio State has scored 44 points in each of its last two games, but the defense seems to be peaking at the right time as well.

Questions about OSU's problems stopping the run have practically ground to a halt. Since giving up 171 yards to Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe in the opener and 172 the following week at Texas, the Buckeyes have quietly shored up that facet of their game.

Their last three opponents - Michigan State, Indiana and Minnesota - have averaged only 1.4 yards per attempt. Ohio State has shot up to second in the Big Ten and 18th nationally in rushing defense at 91.7 yards per game.

While closing in on last year's defense, which led the nation by allowing only 73.4 yards rushing, the Buckeyes have a ways to go to catch Michigan. Both teams have surrendered only two rushing TDs, but the Wolverines' other numbers are just as microscopic. They are yielding 28.4 rushing yards per game, best in the nation, and 1.2 yards per carry.

"From my vantage point, I think we've gotten better (against the run)," Tressel said. "I think, too, when you have some sacks (OSU is second in the Big Ten with 30), all of a sudden that is reflected on your defense. We've been ahead of some folks and all of a sudden they're throwing more, and I think that's had some effect."

Despite its 2-7 record, Illinois might give the OSU defense its sternest test since Texas. The Illini are second in the Big Ten in rushing (181.9 ypg), featuring three tailbacks and true freshman quarterback Isiah "Juice" Williams. In addition to throwing seven touchdown passes of more than 31 yards, the 6-2, 220-pound Williams has rushed for 364 yards, including 103 in a 23-20 win at Michigan State.

"I think some of (the early struggles against the run) had to do with inexperience," Freeman said. "We only had two returning starters and it took awhile to jell."

The Buckeyes got defensive tackle David Patterson back last week after he missed two games following knee surgery. But sidekick Quinn Pitcock might be sidelined for a second straight week by a concussion.

That's a bit of concern, but hey, this is November, Tressel's favorite time of year.

"Coach Tressel wants us to peak every game," Freeman said. "I can't say he says, 'Peak in November, not for Texas.' He wants each week for us to show we're the best we can be.

"That comes from practicing hard and not tailing off, and (the coaches) don't cut us any slack. When you get to November, you strive to be better and better."

[osugrad21]

Link

OSU defense having a good run
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
11/01/2006




COLUMBUS -- As Ohio State players walked off the field at Texas earlier this year, they were 2-0 and feeling pretty good about being the No. 1 team in the country. They didn't, however, feel so good about stopping the run.


After producing the best run defense in the nation last year, the Buckeyes started this season by surrendering a combined 323 rushing yards to Northern Illinois and Texas to rank 85th in the nation and 10th in the Big Ten.

As it heads to Illinois on Saturday, the defense has chopped that down to 91.7 yards per game to quietly climb to second in the Big Ten and 18th in the country.

''I'd like to think we've gotten better,'' coach Jim Tressel said. ''The good backs that we faced early were good backs. And maybe at this point in time, when we've had a little more progression, we would do better (against Northern Illinois and Texas), but we don't get another chance.''

Over the last three weeks, against Michigan State, Indiana and Minnesota, the defense has allowed an average of 1.4 yards per carry. As impressive as that sounds, Michigan has allowed an average of 1.2 yards per carry for the whole season.

But that's a debate for two weeks from now.

Of course, the Gophers are ranked eighth in the Big Ten and Indiana is last in the conference in rushing, so any proclamations of improvement should be hedged until perhaps after this week. The Illini are a surprising second in the Big Ten in rushing, averaging 182 yards a game behind freshman quarterback Isiah ''Juice'' Williams and three tailbacks -- senior Pierre Thomas, senior E.B. Halsey and sophomore Rashard Mendenhall.

The Illini strung together four straight games with over 200 yards rushing, but that ended last week in a 30-24 loss to Wisconsin. The Badgers had to scramble to come back and win at home after Illinois led 21-7 in the second quarter.

''I think they've got all the pieces and I think they're trying to put all those pieces together,'' Tressel said of Illinois. ''Things don't happen overnight, but you can see the progress, for sure.''

Williams took over as the starter in the fourth game of the year. He's 1-6 as a starter, but the Illini are staying in games longer and remaining more competitive than they have been in recent years. Williams ran for 103 yards and threw for 122 in a stunning win at Michigan State back in September. Until then, Illinois had lost 25 of its last 26 on the road in the Big Ten.

It nearly pulled off the upset last week on the road, which is probably good news for Ohio State. With all the whispers and thoughts looming toward Michigan week, watching Indiana upset Iowa the week before the Hoosiers came to Columbus and watching Illinois really push Wisconsin the week before the Buckeyes arrive gives these traditionally weaker opponents more credibility.

''It helps you realize this team can beat anybody,'' linebacker Marcus Freeman said. ''Just because their record (2-7) might not be the best, you have to be prepared and take them seriously.''

Much of the credit for Ohio State's renewed ability to stop the run can be traced back to the defensive line.

The pressure created by defensive ends Jay Richardson and Vernon Gholston and tackles Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson makes for little running room for opponents. The combined 12 1/2 sacks for Pitcock and Gholston is a testament to their ability to get into the backfield.

Tressel admitted that being ahead by such a large margin in so many games also forces opponents to abandon the run quicker in an effort to get back in the game. But Freeman said it was just a matter of this new defense learning to play together.

''I think that was just inexperience,'' Freeman said of the early season struggles. ''We had two returning starters and we just had to jell as a defense. That's what we're starting to do now.''

[osugrad21]

Link

Buckeyes' Tressel a Juice booster

November 1, 2006
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel isn't merely a member of the Juice Williams Fan Club. He was almost Williams' coach. "He absolutely was at the top of our recruiting board," Tressel said Tuesday of the Illinois freshman. "He's going to be a great quarterback. You're going to hear a lot about that young man in the Big Ten for years to come.
"He has a great grasp of the game. It starts there. He enjoys the competitiveness of the game. And he has great stature and athletic ability and is blessed with a fine arm."
Williams turned down offers from perennial powers Ohio State and Tennessee because Illinois presented the opportunity to start right away. He also liked the chance to be at the heart of an Illini turnaround.
Tressel praised the way Illinois coach Ron Zook and offensive coordinator Mike Locksley have brought Williams along.
"They've done a nice job of giving him bits and pieces of the package," Tressel said, "and making sure he understands before they move on to the next step."
? ? In contrast to Illinois, which is last in the Big Ten in turnover margin at minus-11, Ohio State is plus-11, second to Michigan (plus-12). The Buckeyes are tied for fourth in the nation in fewest giveaways (nine); Illinois ranks 116th with 25.
"When you're playing a team that's not very good, turnover margin is important," Zook said. "When you're playing a team as good as [Ohio State], it's exaggerated."

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ABJ

Buckeyes may play without Pitcock

Defender still suffering from Oct. 21 concussion

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

COLUMBUS - A concussion could sideline senior All-America candidate Quinn Pitcock for the second consecutive game Saturday at Illinois.
Pitcock, a defensive tackle who anchors the top-ranked Buckeyes' line, was a surprise scratch for last weekend's 44-0 home victory over Minnesota. A semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, he leads the team in sacks with seven and is second in tackles for loss with nine.
Pitcock suffered the concussion Oct. 21 against Indiana. He was replaced by senior Joel Penton, who had filled in the previous two weeks for tackle David Patterson, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery. Tressel said Patterson got 47 snaps against the Golden Gophers and came out of the game fine.
Tressel said freshman receiver Ray Small (concussion) probably won't play and that Pitcock and sophomore left tackle Alex Boone were questionable to play against the Illini. Tressel wouldn't specify what is wrong with Boone, who didn't hint of a problem during interviews Saturday night, but Tressel said he would miss practice later Tuesday.
Senior Tim Schafer is Boone's backup.
Junior slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez (possible concussion) and sophomore running back Maurice Wells (shoulder) will play ``for sure, unless the unforeseen happens,'' the coach said.
``For this point in the year, going into game 10, I feel good about our health,'' Tressel said.
Field resodded
For the second time in five weeks, the field at Ohio Stadium is being sodded. The Kentucky bluegrass that was laid Sept. 25 failed to take, mainly because of the 6 ? inches of rain that fell in Columbus in October (not counting Tuesday).
Besides the rainfall, which was 4 inches above average, the average temperature was 10 degrees below normal, said John Street, OSU associate professor and turf grass specialist.
The previous grass was grown at Cygnet Turf farm near Bowling Green. Street said the new sod came from Eastside Nursery outside Columbus and should be completely installed by Friday. That will give the staff two weeks to get it in game shape before the clash with No. 2 Michigan on Nov. 18.
OSU converted to natural grass in 1990, and Street said the field has been resodded several times. What was laid in 1996 lasted through the 1999 season, including three seasons of games played by Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew.
``It has been a difficult battle and the weather has not been the greatest and they have worked like crazy,'' Tressel said. ``We appreciate their efforts. They're out there night and day and I feel for them.''
Steve Snapp, associate athletics director, estimated this job would cost $60,000. He put the September bill at $75,000, with the difference being transportation cost.
Asked his reaction when he heard of the resodding, sophomore linebacker Marcus Freeman said, ``Man, that's a lot of money.''
Religious rally
``The Main Event,'' a rally combining football and religion that Penton organized, was held Monday night at St. John Arena and drew a crowd of about 12,000. Among those who spoke were Tressel, Penton, Patterson, receiver Roy Hall and fullback Stan White Jr.
``I know how hard he worked on it -- and his buddies -- and they sure seemed enthusiastic,'' Tressel said of Penton. ``It was a neat thing.''
Buckeyes . . .
The Nov. 11 game at Northwestern will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and be televised by ABC.... OSU has surrendered 117 total rushing yards in the past three games against Michigan State, Indiana and Minnesota and has improved its per-game average to 91.7, 18th in the nation. Last year, the Buckeyes led the country in that category with a 73.4 yards-per-game average. In 2006, Michigan's defense stands No. 1 with a 28.4 average.

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

OSU NOTEBOOK
Boone, Pitcock doubtful for game
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

When top-ranked Ohio State goes to Illinois on Saturday, the Buckeyes might be without a starter on each of its lines.
Coach Jim Tressel said yesterday that offensive tackle Alex Boone is questionable. The sophomore apparently suffered a slight knee injury during the win over Minnesota last week.
That put him on the questionable list with senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, who missed the Minnesota game because of a concussion he suffered the week before against Indiana.
Freshman backup receiver Ray Small, who was knocked out momentarily after a big hit by Minnesota?s Dominic Jones, also is questionable.
"Ray will be fine. He probably won?t play this week, but he seems to be getting along just fine," Tressel said. "It is just one of those things that happens."
Otherwise, Tressel said junior receiver Anthony Gonzalez (concussion) and backup tailback Maurice Wells (shoulder stinger) likely will gain clearance to play as the week continues.
"For this point in the year, going into game 10, I feel good about our health," Tressel said.
Sod sacked for good reason

Dr. John Street treated the demise of the Ohio Stadium grass field almost like a death in the family. For him and some of his colleagues in the Ohio State horticulture and crop science department, it almost was.
They are part of the athletic department?s sports turf team that has long monitored the condition of that field and others around campus. In explaining why the turf, transplanted the last week of September, had to be scraped out and replaced this week, he said the outgoing slab of grass never had a chance.
The past month the area experienced 6 1 /2 inches of rain, about 4 inches above normal, and the average high and low temperatures were about 10 degrees below normal, he said. That meant the field had to be covered much more than usual, which didn?t give the grass room to breathe, essentially, in between having to play host to three games in four weeks.
"The turf, in essence, was not very happy under those conditions, if you want me to put it in layman?s terms," Street said.
So the decision was made to replace it again, at a cost of about $60,000, according to an athletic department spokesman. The new turf, harvested in 42-inch wide by about 30-foot long strips from a field at Eastside Nursery outside of Groveport, should be in place by Friday, though the rain yesterday slowed operations.
Street said that will give the university groundskeepers two weeks to make sure it is ready for the regular-season finale against Michigan.
tmay@dispatch.com