[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

8/11/06

OSU notebook

Friday, August 11, 2006


LUKENS CHANGE Hoover High School graduate Curt Lukens has switched positions again. He went to Ohio State as a linebacker, moved to safety and is now a wide receiver. Lukens had to make the change because of shoulder problems. “It was either change positions to wide receiver or quit playing football, and that wasn’t an option,” Lukens said. He has above-average speed and played some wide receiver at Hoover. “I was pleasantly surprised at what Curt could do,” Tressel said. “He was a pretty good high school receiver, if you remember.”

FUTURE SCHEDULES Ohio State has filled its schedule with a 12th game through 2010 with the exception of one year and Athletics Director Gene Smith said that will be filled in a matter of time. Smith did say the university is paying out record guarantees to schools, upward of $750,000, and said it wouldn’t be long before a seven-figure guarantee is paid. “We’ve got one that’s $850,000 now,” Smith said. “The Michigans, Ohio States, Tennessees and Texases of the world are all trying to get a seven- or eight-game home schedule. We’re trying to get Division I-A schools, and everybody is playing more.” Ohio State has marquee nonconference games scheduled with Southern Cal (2008-09), Miami, Fla. (2010-11), California (2012-13), Virginia Tech (2014-15) and Oklahoma (2016-17). The Buckeyes will play Army in 2009 and 2010 in a home-and-home deal. The 2009 game will be in Columbus, and the 2010 game would be in the Meadowlands or a new stadium if one is constructed for the NFL’s Giants and Jets.

NCAA GIVES CLEARANCE The NCAA approved Ohio State’s request for relief for assistant coach Joe Daniels, who is battling cancer. Daniels will not coach in two-a-day sessions. When he is off the field, the NCAA has approved offensive quality control assistant Nick Siciliano to be used as a full-time coach in Daniels’ absence. NCAA rules allow for nine full-time assistants on the field.
OPEN PRACTICE The Buckeyes will host an autograph session and open scrimmage at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Aug. 21. Coaches and players will sign from 7 to 8 p.m. and then hold a two-hour practice. The event is free, but there is a fee for parking. Fans are allowed to bring one item per player to be signed.