2003 Statistics

Quarterback
Justin Zwick was possibly the most regionally heralded starting QB Ohio State has ever seen coming in. He is an in-state legend who eclipsed 10,000 yards and 100 TDs in prep play, as well as being a sprinter and basketball player. His older brother, Jared, was under coach Tressel at Youngstown, so it all comes home to roost for the entire Buckeye offensive effort in this regard. The junior has an uncanny quick-release. Zwick's past stats prove how he prefers to settle into the pocket, but he is an adept scrambler who takes his knowledge of where defenders are and turns it into smart improvisational efforts. Justin has the size and speed to assure all in Columbus that he has no perceived weakness but his lack of real-game reps. Krenzel never was such a master, but he was mistake-free on the whole, so Zwick need just to keep it together and it will all work.

Running Back
The same two tailbacks return, so, with the new line, expect little more than their bottom-third NCAA ranking again. Both seniors, Hall and Ross have not lived up to what it seemed they were as they backed Clarett in 2002. My observation has been that neither gets a real good first step, and neither is then able to get any real mid-body power to plow through defenders if they are in the OSU backfield. Both are able to streak through holes and make moves when in the secondary, but this doesn't happen enough to warrant calling it a common occurrence. We will again find this to be the case, unless Zwick can get hot and distract that eighth man out of the box. Joe Branden will be good for two to four carries a game, and he is an extremely physical lead blocker who punishes whoever gets in his way. The line will determine if this area increases production or not (only averaged 3.3 yards per carry as a team all year in 2003). The talent behind the starting two-deep is there, but Tressel has shown unusually little pension for grabbing this depth and developing it.

Wide Receiver
This will be a breakout year for Santonio Holmes. He isn't as big as the now-departed Jenkins, but he is just as sure-handed and will be even more open with his extreme speed. Holmes ran on the Florida state champion 4 x 400 meter in his junior and senior prep seasons, as well as being part of Glades Central runner-up basketball squad in his senior year. This means he can go and go, and will not get tired in the fourth. He's proven to stretch the gridiron, so mark him down as a constant deep threat that will be accessed early and often. We see the other receivers as untapped, talents just waiting to emerge. Soph. Roy Hall will be key. His size and strength can replace the possession, underneath routes Jenkins ran with similar effectiveness, as well as being superior in jump-ball situations, both deep and short. The smallish Bam Childress is a big time player just waiting for a QB like Zwick who can get the ball to him as quickly as he gets to where he's supposed to be. Any receiver rotated in will shine, really. Depth exists in this unit for the Buckeyes.

Tight End
Tressel knows how to employ the tight end, proven through the standout work produced through the now-departed Ben Hartsock. Ryan Hamby is a junior who will easily replace Hartsock, with speed and hands to make opposing LBs always have to keep an eye on him. Ryan had 18 snags and three TDs (one more than Hartsock), so he needs not prove himself for why he deserves such praise.

Offensive Line

This is an area that we in the prognostication business call "iffy". As you read above or may have already known, the Buckeyes had a pitiful run-push, and this unit is ostensibly the reason they failed to repeat as national champs. Also, they allowed 33 sacks, but Krenzel was no runner. Alas, four of the main cogs of that under-achieving line have vacated. Any OSU fan must realize this to be a glass-half-full situation - the talent coming in behind them will now be Tressel-recruited, seasoned, and ready to go as upperclassmen. Rob Sims and Nick Mangold are such players, and the others who fill in during spring ball will be eventually better than those leaving. It just may take a while for it all to jell, but a mobile Zwick will help them get the needed confidence, as umpteen possibilities offensively means the box will then be less crowded more often.

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
Even in the two-TE sets made for running and drawing defenses in, Ohio State failed to produce their classic, physical running results (slipped from 31st in rushing offense in 2002 to 84th, gaining 65 yards less per game in 2003). We all knew the offense's strongest suit in that national championship campaign was consistency. They barely beat most of those foes to win it all, and that kind of marginal luck never lasts. We digress to tell you that the facelift the offense gets will do the Buckeyes right for years to come. Zwick and company will have obvious growing pains to start, but the long run is what this squad is playing for. Until they can find the back that can get the job done, Zwick will have that much less success. But look for the same classic two-back (and then sometimes three-receiver) sets, with more facets of Zwick's talents highlighted as Justin gets the system underneath him. Don't expect that to take very long, and thus a new era of efficient Buckeye offense will be born.

Defensive Line
"Well, I think you get spoiled a little bit with the three seniors we had last year. I'm not disappointed (in drills) as much as I just have (had) a real high expectation level. I realize we have a real long way to go in the next seven months. You just expect guys to step forward and they need to do that. But I realize when I look at it that we've got about six months before our first game and we've got a long way to go to get ready."

So says defensive line coach Jim Heacock about what he has seen since winter conditioning began. Heacock is a man who (in his eight years at OSU that carry over back to the Cooper days) has produced some of the greatest college football DLs in recent history. He thinks the OSU DL can be great again, but we question how long in real-game time this may take. Senior Simon Fraser is the lone returning starter, and he has the proven stripes to contain runners. The man who may be a team captain has to pick up his sack production, though. The new void-fillers are not under-qualified, just not their predecessors. Sophomore David Patterson is freakishly large-but-mobile and joins Quinn Pitcock as the new middle-cloggers to watch. The ends are buoyed by junior Mike Kudla, who will start right away based solely on experience. The Buckeyes (under Heacock) rotate early and often, so expect the maturation period to be short as the unit and its backups strengthen and bond almost immediately. But individual identities will take some time to be established, such that the right mix of OSU linemen will also take time to find so that the quality of play reflected in recently past results (second in NCAA for rushing defense last year by allowing 62 yards per game) can be approached.

Linebacker
This is another area in which now Tressel-recruited phenoms will pop up. The Buckeyes go two deep across each linebacking specialty. Anthony Schlegel and John Kerr are both junior transfers who will push each other for the middle position. Both come with impressive letters of recommendation and will mean nothing is missed talent-wise. Fellow-junior A.J. Hawk can find the ball-carrier on the weakside as well as anyone playing at this level, shedding blockers like he was greased. Hawk is the returning centerpiece the newbies will play off, so he is evidently ready to become this second-tier leader. 2003-starter Mike D'Andrea is a wildcard whose separated shoulder is still keeping him out indefinitely. D'Andrea remains starting caliber and will be oft utilized, especially as a down-lineman, once healthy. A multitude of underclassmen are ready, too, so look for this quality unit to develop players and a personality for the next two campaigns to come.

Defensive Back
This may be hard to take, especially when considering how two all-time Buckeye greats (Will Allen, Chris Gamble) leave possibly the biggest tandem of Ohio State shoes to proverbially be filled from one specific unit at one time, ever (save the three linemen who just left!). But this secondary in '04 will eventually be as good a squad as the previous two versions. The talent is there. Senior CB Dustin Fox will be looked upon to step up vocally and physically as the leader they need. Fox is representative of the entire depth chart - he is a hard hitter and sizeable presence against taller receivers. Behind him will be Nate Salley at free safety, who will be another stanchion around which to build. The battle for strong safety can only mean good things in the end. Both underclassmen are worthy and have noses for the play and/or ball. The open corner spot will go to E.J. Underwood, but not with any permanence. Behind him are so many talented players that the nickel and dime packages will be spectacular, just watch. There are just too many of these versatile speedsters to list here. Keep an eye out for the USA Today Prep Defensive Player of the Year, Ted Ginn, Jr., who joins the team in the fall.

DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
This side of the ball is what arguably kept Ohio State in their ball games during the last two stellar seasons. With only four returning starters, many would speak of transition. But with the heavy rotations Tressel practices on both sides of the ball, the defense will be a majority of semi-experienced young men, especially at LB, who will easily inherit the starting reigns with productive results. Look again for the front-seven to control many games. But the extra attention paid by them to stopping the underneath and mid-range stuff often puts the OSU secondary in 'island' situations. But since again physical and fast, the DBs will play tight and disrupt at the line if they are smart. Really, not much will change, especially when considering that the same coaches and therefore the same schemes will be practiced. Just expect a few big plays to get through with early opponents, plays which will not succeed at similar rates come October and into 2004's second half.