Football
The-Ozone Note and Quotebook
By John PorentasWounded Runners Return:
The OSU backfield has been a little undermanned so far this season. Both Antonio Pittman (thigh bruise) and Brandon Joe (ankle sprain) have been slowed by nagging injuries that have caused them to miss playing time, and Maurice Hall has missed some practice time as well. That situation is about to change.
"Antonio (Pittman) is healthy," said OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel.
"He was probably 95% healthy at N. C. State. I'd say he's 100% right now. Brandon Joe was probably 75% at N.C. State and up over 95% now."
The practices missed by Hall enabled Pittman to get some extra time with the number one group.
"I've been taking more reps with the first team, but Maurice Hall has been sick," Pittman explained.
"He missed all the last week of practice so that gave me an advantage I believe that allowed me to show what I could do.
"Hopefully I should see more playing time on Saturday.
"I'm 100% healthy, so I should get more carries this week."
Like Pittman, Hall says he is ready to go, while Joe says he is ready but not quite all the way back.
"I can do everything," said Hall.
"They haven't really said anything as far as my role, but I'm ready to do anything that I can do. I want to play running back, do kickoff returns, do it all. I'm ready."
"Physically, I'm doing good," said Joe.
"I'm getting there. I'm not quite all the way, but I'm running out of time. It's the Big Ten opener, it's time to go."
The running backs are getting better, but a player at a different position may have regressed a little. Defensive lineman Marcus Green was hobbled with an ankle sprain earlier this fall, but has been full-go of late. Green, however, was hobbling after practice yesterday.
"I think he (Marcus Green) aggravated it (the ankle) yesterday," said Tressel.
"Those sometimes are slow. I'd say if this were Thursday and we were talking that he'd be questionable. On Wednesday you never know, so we'll wait and see."
Poor Question?:
There was quite a flap this week over comments made by OSU backup quarterback Troy Smith about his possible future at Ohio State. When asked on Wednesday, Buckeye Head Coach Jim Tressel didn't care to comment on Smith's statements.
"Probably a poor question and a poor answer," said Tressel when asked to comment.
"We'll worry about Northwestern," Tressel added trying to direct the questions to an area more to his liking.
Rested or Rusty?:
The Buckeyes will enter the Northwestern game on Saturday coming off a bye-week. One school of thought says that the Buckeyes should be rested and rehabilitated after a week off. Another school of thought, however, is that a team can get a little rusty when taking a break in the schedule.
OSU starting quarterback Justin Zwick says he sees the bye-week a positive, period.
"My body enjoyed the week off. It was kind of nice not to be hit for a little bit," Zwick said.
"As far as anything else goes, we practiced and kept it rolling, so I don't think there will be much of a drop off."
Fullback Brandon Joe, who is coming back from an ankle sprain, agreed with Zwick.
"The bye-week helped a lot even though I practiced," said Joe. "After the bye-week, I feel I'm good enough (physically) to be productive."
Left, Right, Field, Boundary?:
Harlan Jacobs OSU senior cornerback Harlan Jacobs is listed this week as the backup at both cornerback positions. According to Jacobs, he's been around the OSU program long enough to play either corner, no matter how you define it.
"I've played left, right, Boundary and field," said Jacobs.
Jacobs says he's comfortable no matter where he might be asked to play, but says he does have a preference.
"I think I'm capable of playing both field or Boundary I've played both, but I like to play field," said Jacobs.
"At field corner you're more out there on an island, you and the receiver, and that's where I think I'm at my best."
Just What Was That Bet?:
Following the N. C. State game safety Donte Whitner said that fellow safety Nate Salley owed him a dinner because Whitner scored an interception while Salley did not. Whitner joked that he was worried that Salley wouldn't deliver on the deal, but Salley said that the competition is not a single-game challenge, but rather season-long.
"We've a little deal going. Whoever has the most picks at the end of the year, the other one is going to take the other to Applebees," said Salley.
The fact that the competition is season-long gives Salley a chance to get back in the winner's circle in the friendly competition. Salley says he fully intends to be the winner, and intends to cash in on the bet.
"I'm ordering something huge on the menu," he said.
What was that excuse?:
Questions abound about the lack of running game in the OSU offense thus far this season. Lots of theories have been put forward, but Ryan Hamby says it's time to quit coming up with reasons and just get the job done.
"Enough of 'I messed up, I didn't see him coming.' You've got to go out there and play," said Hamby when talking about missed blocks along the OSU offensive front this season.
"Our whole goal at the beginning of the season is to be outright Big Ten champions.
"Speaking for the offensive line, against North Carolina State, none of us are really happy with what we did out there.
"We've got to get movement. You've got to create holes and get movement for Lydell and whoever is back there to find the holes and to get yardage.
"We just need to step it up and play better up front. If you watch the film, there really were no holes for Lydell to find. They were blitzing an awful lot and we were messing up a little bit on that. We've got to know what to do," said Hamby.
Hamby says that the status-quo on the offensive line will not get it done in the remainder of the season.
"As an offensive line against North Carolina State we didn't play good enough to win the Big Ten.
"This week we've got to play a lot harder, know our assignments better and really get after it. I don't think we blocked and protected as well as we wanted to."
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