[Buckskin86]

For seldom-used veterans, it's now or never
Sunday, August 12, 2007 3:48 AM
By Ken Gordon

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Nader Abdallah was fat and unhappy.

Ohio State had just lost to Florida in the national championship game, but that wasn't the only reason for the defensive tackle's despair.

After three seasons at Ohio State, Abdallah had been on the field for 23 minutes. Time was marching on, and he wasn't in the parade.

"I was like, 'I've been on the bench for a while now, I need to step my game up,' " Abdallah said.

Before he could step up, he had to slim down. He weighed somewhere north of 330 pounds. Abdallah cut out fried foods, un-super-sized his portions, drank more water and worked out like a fiend. He reported to spring practice nearly 40 pounds lighter, at 295.

"Surprising," defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said. "He's a new man."

Once a perennial disappointment, Abdallah now is solidly in the tackle rotation and should see significant playing time this fall. His case could provide hope to other players who have been at Ohio State for a few years and haven't done much. Preseason camp provides another chance for underachievers to get on the bus or be left behind.

The Columbus Dispatch : For seldom-used veterans, it's now or never