Football
The-Ozone Note and Quotebook
By John Porentas

First Things First: Who is going to be the quarterback? That's the burning question around the Buckeye nation. Coming into the season Todd Boeckman was the odds of favorite to win that job. After the jersey scrimmage, it looks line nothing has changed.

Todd Boeckman

"Todd is progressing and if we had a game today he'd certainly be our starter," said OSU head Coach Jim Tressel after the jersey scrimmage.

That's a pretty strong hint at this late stage of camp, but Tressel was quick to add that things could still yet change.

"I've been happy with his progress, but we still have a lot more to prove. I'm not sure you become 'the guy' until you graduate. Troy is now the guy because he's not here anymore and won a lot of game, but while you're in the middle of the battle you're always in the middle of the battle, but I've been very pleased with Todd."

Robby Schoenhoft seems to currently hold the backup spot while Antonio Henton is number three behind Schoenhoft. Newcomer Joe Bauserman is currently working as the fourth quarterback.

For what it's worth, Boeckman's competition seem to think he's earned a shot at the starting role.

"Todd has been here four or five years. I think he deserves a chance to go out there and show what he's capable of doing," said Antonio Henton.

"Guys like me and Robby and Joe who just got into the program, we've just got to keep getting better."

Freshmen Impressing: The Ohio State freshman class is making a very favorable impression on the coaching staff. So much so that it looks like more than half of that class could contribute this season.

Wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher is currently working with the first unit as the slot receiver, the position vacated by Anthony Gonzalez. OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel listed the other freshmen who look like they have a chance to play.

"Cameron Hayward has stood out the whole time he's been here," said Tressel, and that's good news for the Buckeyes who are looking for interior defensive linemen this fall.

"I think he played very well. Those freshman wide outs have done well (Sanzenbacher and Taurian Washington).

"Those freshman DBs, I saw Nate Oliver have a nice hit, Eugene Clifford, James Scott had a hit (in the jersey scrimmage) where he knocked someone's helmet off. The helmet went about 15 yards and everyone was ooh-ing and ah-ing about it. Brian Rolle and those guys were in there mixing it up. Jermale Hines is going to be a good player.

"It looks to me like those backs (Brandon Saine and Daniel Herron) can help us, not just running the ball but on special teams.

"Out of 15 guys you might have eight or more play," Tressel said.

That says something about the quality of the recruiting class. It also says something about the benefits of coming to Columbus over the summer to work out with the team.

"You took away the freshman camp, which hurt them, but being there in the summer I think the biggest thing that does is let them realize that they're not that much different than the guys, as opposed to the first time they come in and and all they've ever seen them is on TV and they're bigger than life and all of a sudden they're bark is a lot worse than their bite," said linebacker coach Luke Fickell.

"But now they've worked out with them for five weeks and realized that they struggle just like they do running and they're not that much different."

As to the brilliance of OSU's evaluation process, Fickell had some examples of players that didn't pan out exactly the way the coaches planned.

"Nobody's a genius. We recruited Gonzalez and Ginn as corners, and that didn't work out," deadpanned Fickell, who then added "You just want people like that who are excited about playing football and you'll find a spot for them."

It's Not Just the Freshmen: At this time of year it seems like there is always a lot of focus on which new players will be able to help the Buckeyes. What is often lost is that there are always veteran players who have been waiting in the wings who step up and make a move every fall.

Austin Spitler

A player who falls into that category is linebacker Austin Spitler. Spitler actually began his move in spring ball and now has the full confidence of the coaching staff.

"Austin Spitler has done great job. He's come a long way. He's fast, he's strong, a good athlete," said fellow inside linebacker James Laurinaitis.

According to Larry Johnson, Spitler and Laurinaitis have been sharing reps this fall, and that is a real tribute to Spitler.

"Austin is a guy who we have to find a way to get him on the field," said Head Coach Jim Tressel.

Spitler is a player who was not well knows last season and is stepping up. It's also happening with players who did play last year, but have seem to have drastically elevated their game this fall.

Lawrence Wilson

Lawrence Wilson saw the field extensively last year as a backup defensive end but is currently penciled in as a starter this season. Wilson, who played well last year, says there is a lot more to come.

"They definitely haven't seen the best of Lawrence Wilson yet," Wilson said.

" I haven't seen the best of Lawrence Wilson yet. I think the best is yet to come.

"I'm definitely bigger and stronger (6-5, 275), I think I'm a lot quicker and a lot faster, and I think I've matured as a player. This year I'm demanding more of myself and the coaches are demanding more of me so I have to make plays on d-line. I have to."

Wilson is bigger, faster, stronger. He's also more experienced, and perhaps most importantly of all, he's healthy.

"I had a groin injury last year in the first week of camp, so that kind of threw me off.

"I missed a lot of reps and that kind of set me back at the beginning of the year. It's not bothering me at all now. I missed so many reps last year at camp that I didn't get a chance to settle in. I think this year I'm going to take a lot of reps so I think this year will be better."

Wilson says his bench press is now in the 410 pound range and his squat around 500. When he arrived at OSU, his bench press was around 345.

Goo: This Buckeye team has no lack of intrigue and story lines this fall. What it may lack is nicknames.

Steve Rehring

Team members were hard pressed to come up with nicknames for teammates this year. The one notable exception was Steve Rehring who has a rather unique handle with the rest of the Buckeyes.

"Steve Rehring, we like to call him Goo," said Rory Nicol.

When asked how Rehring got that nickname Nicol was a little vague, but did remember its source.

"I don't know. I think actually Bobby Carpenter came up with that one. Bobby lived with a young Steve Rehring back in the day," said a smirking Nicol.

There's More to it: There is a segment of college football fans who are utterly transfixed on heights, weights, and above all, 40 times. Size, strength and speed are certainly important, but according to OSU linebackers coach Luke Fickell, there is a whole lot more that goes into determining whether a player is a standout or not.

"Speed is great, but this isn't a track team," said Fickell.

"A guy goes to a combine and you hear a guy ran this, that or the other thing, but still it comes down if a guy runs a 4.5 and he's running the right direction, that good. If he's running a 4.5 and he's running the wrong direction it's no good.

"There's still an element of football that has never changed from whenever they started playing it until now. Obviously speed is a great thing, but there's so much more to football than just being a fast guy."

A Deep Thought: The Buckeyes may feature the running game more this season and may also go more to the tight ends, but that doesn't mean they will totally forget the deep ball in the passing game.

Brian Robiskie

For starters, there are a number of receivers capable of getting deep including Brian Robiskie, Brian Hartline, Albert Dukes and when he is healthy, Ray Small. Word out of fall camp is that freshmen Taurian Washington and Devon Torrence are also showing their mettle as wide receivers.

The main ingredient, however, may be Todd Boeckman. Sometimes affectionately called "Touchdown Todd" by his teammates, Boeckman has a real knack for going deep.

"I think Todd has excellent arm strength and is getting stronger," said OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel.

"I think Todd is at that point where he's got plenty of arm strength and now he's got to let it go, let loose.

"He's got all the arm you possibly could need. I think he's thrown the deep ball as well as we've had anybody throw the deep ball since we've been here," Tressel said.

If the Buckeyes can get the safeties up near the line of scrimmage with the running game and short passing game to the tight ends, OSU's wide receivers could find themselves running free for the deep ball, and Boeckman appears to be a guy who can get it to them no matter how deep they go.

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