Football
Reynolds' Goal: Faster Buckeyes
By John Porentas
"This is an honor. This is like me going to the Olympics."
Former Ohio State track athlete and new Ohio State Strength and Conditioning Coach Butch Reynolds knows exactly what that means, because in 1988 Reynolds did just that, went to the Olympics, and didn't come back empty handed. Reynolds brought home the silver medal in the 400, then struck gold when he anchored the 4 x 400 relay team that swept to victory.
Earlier in 1988 Reynolds set the world record in the 400 at the world championships at Zurich, Switzerland with a time of 43.29 in winning the gold medal.
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[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]New Strength and Conditioning Coach Butch Reynolds speaks with reporters on Tuesday.
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In 1990 , his track career was marred by controversy. He was accused of testing positive for the steroid nandrolone and was banned from competition for two years by the IAAF. Reynolds filed suit, and in the ensuing court battles, the US Supreme Court ordered the US Olympic Committee to allow Reynolds to compete. Reynolds eventually won a $27.4 million judgment against the IAAF in December of 1992. In 1994, an appeals court overturned that judgment and it was vacated when the Supreme Court would not hear his case.
Reynolds continued to compete until 1999, though he did not compete in 1998 due to injury.
Since his retirement Reynolds has been active in a number of enterprises in the Akron area, his home town. Among those activities is speed training for a variety of amateur athletes. Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel has now brought Reynolds to Columbus where one of his jobs will be to make the Buckeyes faster. His return to Columbus and association with the OSU football program has Reynolds excited.
"I'm back at home. I've been away about seven years. It's like being back home," said Reynolds.
"Running out into the Horseshoe come September or August will be a dream come true for me. I'm glad Coach Tressel gave me the opportunity to showcase the opportunity to make this team faster hopefully," said Reynolds.
Reynolds will have the task of helping the Buckeyes get faster, but according to Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Al Johnson, he will specialize in that task, but will not limit his attention to just speed work despite having the title of speed coach.
"Oh no. That's his title so to speak, but he will be fully engulfed in everything we do," said Johnson when asked if Reynolds' responsibilities would be limited to helping the Buckeyes get faster.
"It will be totally encapsulated in terms of everything we do," said Johnson describing Reynolds' new duties.
"It will be speed, strength, flexibility, conditioning, we're throwing him into the fire fast. We're not working on speed every day. Going into our summer program here on Monday, we'll work on speed two days a week hard, the other two days of the week we're teaching him the other part of the world, the other part of our world, the strength training, the flexibility, quickness, explosion, and the thing he brings to the table is the speed and sprint techniques and improving running," said Johnson.
After a career as a track athlete, Reynolds is looking forward to becoming fully immersed in the football program.
"I always loved football. I played football in high school. It was my first love before track and field. I tried out for the Cleveland Browns back in 1989. I do understand the concept of football," said Reynolds.
When word of Reynolds' hiring was announced, Buckeye fans immediately had visions of an even faster Ted Ginn. According to Reynolds, however, athletes like Ted Ginn are really not his target. Ted is already fast, and Reynolds will try to help him get a little faster, but it's everyone else on the team that Reynolds will focus.
"Ted Ginn? That's different. He's separate. He's a gift. Ted, all I'll do with him is work on form and technique, because the speed is there, just like I would any other athlete that is a part of this team," said Reynolds.
"I think that guys who are slow, guys who maybe don't move as well, like your big speed guys, linebackers, tight ends, fullbacks, those type of guys, and your bigger guys, your offensive and defensive linemen, those guys can be helped tremendously instantly, but I think all guys can be helped," said Johnson.
"You get those 300 pound linemen going head-to-head and they have more speed, that will make them that much stronger," said Reynolds.
"That's really a good focus, because there's not much focus on the linemen. The d-backs, wide receivers, there's always focus on their speed, now we're going to put some speed on these linemen. You're going to see them making tackles, see them down field blocking more," Reynolds said.
Reynolds will try to make those players faster by applying the things he learned in the world of track and field.
"I have the eye and passion for form and technique. We don't have any magic wands. We're going to keep it natural and good and holistic all the way. No jumping off buildings or anything like that," said Reynolds.
"I got guys who never use their arms when they run. Anybody who runs track knows you better use your arms. When I teach these guys how to use their arms and how to have a rhythm in running, it's going to increase automatically. From a day to day process we'll all get better as a team," Reynolds said.
Will it work? Can Reynolds make the Buckeyes faster at every position?
"I better. That's why Coach Tressel hired me," said Reynolds.
Reynolds has been away from Ohio State for seven years, but it's clear he remembers what is important. He already has a self-imposed deadline for producing noticeable improvement in OSU's overall team speed.
"It's a repetition thing. They have to do it over and over again. Hopefully they'll get it before the Michigan game."
They can't even SPELL positive... look at the headline again: 
