Football
Heacock Says Defensive Line Will be Improved in 2008
By John PorentasThere is a fair amount of badmouthing going on about the OSU defensive line this fall, specifically the interior of the defensive line.
The Buckeyes return four players who saw extensive action in the middle of the defensive line last fall, starters Doug Worthington and Todd Denlinger and top backups Nader Abdallah and Dexter Larimore. Despite the number of returners, the talk is that the interior defensive line could be OSU's weakness this season, primarily because it wasn't particularly strong last season, particularly against LSU and Illinois. Heacock says all the nay-sayers might be just a little bit out of line, because last year those players were all essentially first-year players and just getting their feet on the ground in big time Division I football.
Jim Heacock
Photo by Jim Davidson"I thought they played well last year - for freshman," said Heacock. "I thought they did a great job for first-year player."
Heacock is careful to use that qualifier, first year players,when he makes that statement. He feels that a little too much may have been expected of the group last year due to their lack of experience. He also feels that the year of experience they got in 2007 will pay dividends this year, and now its his turn to have high expectations.
"I thought they played decent, but I see a big improvement. They had a great off-season," Heacock said.
"They're very much together, I'm very much excited about them. I think they're going to have a great year.
"Dexter has had a really good fall. He's about 310, 315 now. Todd is consistently good, Nader is better than he was a year ago, he's much better than he was and Doug is really playing well."
In addition to the four returners on the interior Heacock will return Lawrence Wilson and Cameron Heyward at defensive end. Wilson missed last season after breaking his leg in the season opener against Youngstown State. He is back this year and by all accounts isn't just back but is back as an improved version of what was expected to be a very good version last year.
"Lawrence is having a good camp so far. He's back and he looks 100 percent," said Heacock.
Wilson is fully recovered and has slimmed down from 275 last year to the 260-265 range this season.
Lawrence Wilson
Photo by Jim Davidson"I feel quicker, a lot quicker, and I don't get as tired as fast," said Wilson.
Wilson dropped most of that weight in the month just prior to the start of fall camp. He credits a change in his menu and drinking habits for the weight loss.
"I'm eating a lot of salad," he said.
"I like salad. I tried to cut out the fried foods. I try to go with the grilled chicken, I eat fruit at breakfast and a little bit of oatmeal. I try to not to eat as much cheese. I cut the cheese out of omelets and I drink just water. I drink Gatorade after football, but then I drink just water."
Wilson will fill the void left when Vernon Gholston left for the NFL at the end of last season. At the other end, Cameron Heyward returns after getting experience as a starter last year after the injury to Wilson and then Wilson's backup, Robert Rose, pressed him into action as a true freshman. Rose underwent two shoulder surgeries and is now back as well adding depth to the defensive end position. Thaddeus Gibson is working as a pass-rush specialist at defensive end.
Currently Wilson and Heyward are penciled in as the starters but Rose and Gibson will see plenty of action as well. Gibson will play on passing downs and is a ferocious pass rusher. When he is on the field, Heyward or even Rose may move down to defensive tackle to give OSU speed mismatches across the line of scrimmage.
"Really what it does is it lets us get a faster guy on the edge and when he goes down inside it puts a little faster guy inside, so it picks up the speed in both spots a little bit," said Heacock.
Heacock is also toying with the idea of using Rose the same way, at both defensive end and on the interior of the defensive line.
"I'm going to be playing both inside and outside. I'm up to 300 pounds now but I kept my quickness," said Rose.
Rose sat out the end of last season with his injuries and all of spring ball after his surgeries. The layoff left him a little rusty.
"I do feel a little rust because I haven't practiced since November. I'm trying to get the kinks out as we go. The rust is coming off. The first couple of days it was tough getting back into the habit of running to the ball but its coming back," Rose said.
Heacock said Rose started a little slowly in camp but has shown glimmers of greatness of late.
"He's coming off two shoulder surgeries and it always takes a little time to get confidence, you can see him kind of protecting himself a little bit, but he had a good practice today (tuesday), very dominant out there and I guess noticeable, he was making some plays. He's really trying hard and he wants to get back in there," said Heacock.
Incoming freshmen Garret Goebel at defensive tackle is also turning some heads.
"Goebel is going to be a really good player. He's really impressive as a freshman. He's a state wrestling champ and one of those guys you like. He stays on his feet. Whether he can crack into the depth chart, really I doubt it to be honest with you but down the road he's really going to be special," said Heacock.
"Garett Goebel is fighting those double teams, he's getting low, he;s getting better every day," added Abdallah.
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