08-24-2005, 09:27 AM
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Everything we do is dictated by motive
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Buckeyes Fight Urge to Look Ahead to Big Showdowns
yahoo.com
8/24/05
Quote:
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio State has three pivotal games on its schedule that fans in Columbus have been talking about all summer.
No. 2 Texas visits Columbus on Sept. 10. No. 11 Iowa comes to Ohio Stadium on Sept. 24. And, of course, the season ends with No. 4 Michigan on Nov. 19.
But the sixth-ranked Buckeyes can't afford to get caught looking ahead, not in the tough Big Ten.
``Of course, it doesn't really matter what the fans are thinking about because that's just what they do; they have fun, and that's fine. We like their interest,'' coach Jim Tressel said. ``Now if the guys who are playing and coaching fall into that trap, yeah, it's a big concern.''
In the biggest intersectional showdown at the Horseshoe in years, the Buckeyes host Texas and quarterback Vince Young under the lights. Looking for tickets on e-Bay? Be prepared to dole out at least 10 times their face value.
The season starts the week before for Ohio State with a home game against a more-than-capable Miami of Ohio team.
``We address constantly being right here in the moment, not on our tiptoes looking at Miami and not up on a stepladder looking clear out to Texas,'' Tressel said during preseason workouts.
Two weeks after the Longhorns come to town, Ohio State opens Big Ten play at home against the Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes were 10-2 a year ago, including a 33-7 whipping of the Buckeyes, part of an 0-3 conference start for Ohio State.
Then there's the annual regular-season finale against Michigan, this year in Ann Arbor.
``We can be great,'' quarterback Troy Smith said. ``The only people that can beat us is ourselves. The 2002 team was a great team. They had leaders. That's what we have now. We've got the continuity. We've got the leaders. Now all we've got to do is put it all together.''
Ohio State has nine starters back on each side of the ball, but will be without Smith in the opener because of an NCAA suspension. Smith also sat out the Buckeyes' 33-7 Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma State for accepting about $500 from a team booster.
Tressel must be delicate in his handling of backup quarterback Justin Zwick, who'll get the call against Miami (Ohio) but will likely slip into the background when Texas comes to town. Smith will have to shake off the rust against a Longhorns team that went 11-1 a year ago and returns nine starters on defense.
``You need to kind of massage your reps accordingly to prepare for the first game, yet have Troy keep progressing,'' Tressel said. ``That's a little bit tricky, I think.''
Ohio State is searching for a front-line tailback to revive its running game. Neither Antonio Pittman or Erik Haw has a glittering collegiate resume. Acclaimed recruit Maurice Wells out of Jacksonville, Fla., will also vie for playing time.
``The problem with the running game last year was that everybody was too anxious. We were outrunning the blocks and weren't letting things develop,'' Pittman said. ``Now we're more patient.''
The Buckeyes' biggest loss is kicker Mike Nugent, who broke just about every school record during a remarkable three-year run in which he converted 88 percent of his attempts -- including 8-of-9 kicks from 50 yards out or farther.
Ohio State had come to rely on Nugent to bail out a sputtering offense during last year's 8-4 season. His replacement is Josh Huston, a sixth-year senior, who was 3-for-10 on field goal attempts during the 2001 season.
``I got to learn from the best,'' Huston said. ``Hopefully it shows this year.''
Other than that, Tressel has few major worries.
Ted Ginn Jr. scored eight touchdowns on just 59 touches as a freshman, setting school and Big Ten records with his four punt return scores. Fellow wide receiver Santonio Holmes had 55 catches and seven TDs.
The lines are experienced, the linebackers might be tops in the country -- led by All-American A.J. Hawk -- and the secondary is among the best as well.
Ohio State won five of its last six games a year ago, including a 37-21 victory over Michigan.
Talk about those ``Big Three'' games started just moments after last season ended, and Tressel has been trying to temper it ever since. ``The whole city's talking about it, everyone in the Midwest is talking about it,'' linebacker Bobby Carpenter said of the big games ahead. ``As a team, we want to win a national title and a Big Ten championship. That's our goal every year. This year we have the talent to do it.''
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