NATIONAL CHAMPS.NET
Coach: John Cooper
103-39-4, 12 years
185-79-6, 23 years overall
1999 Record: 6-6
Aug 29 Miami (FL) Lost 12-23
Sep 11 UCLA Won 42-20
Sep 18 Ohio Won 40-16
Sep 25 Cincinnati Won 34-20
Oct 02 Wisconsin Lost 17-42
Oct 09 Purdue Won 25-22
Oct 16 @Penn State Lost 10-23
Oct 23 @Minnesota Won 20-17
Oct 30 Iowa Won 41-11
Nov 06 @Michigan State Lost 7-23
Nov 13 Illinois Lost 20-46
Nov 20 @Michigan Lost 17-24
1999 Final Rankings
AP-NR,  BCS-NR,  Coaches-NR
2000 Outlook

Any debate about how Ohio State's 1999 season should be viewed was settled by coach John Cooper minutes after the Buckeyes' season-ending 24-17 loss at Michigan which dropped them to 6-6. "Hopefully, none of us at Ohio State will ever have to go through another year like this one,'' Cooper said. Having gone to 10 consecutive postseason bowls, OSU sat out because it didn't finish with an above-.500 record. Coach John Cooper is talking about big plans for the future. Prior to spring ball, he practically guaranteed a winning season when he said OSU would be back in the national championship picture. Cooper has new offensive and defensive coordinators and a new assistant head coach. The Buckeyes will go as far as QB Steve Bellisari takes them. It's hard to put that kind of responsibility on one player, but with those two wideouts and the possibilities at tailback, it's up to Bellisari. The second need will be to develope some team chemistry and forget about last season. The schedule is tough with all of the Big Ten power hitters dotting the schedule. Ohio State will overcome their bowl disappearing act, but how good of a bowl awaits.
Projected record: 8-4

Ohio State 2000 Schedule

OHIO STATE
*POWER RATINGS
Offense
Defense
QB - 2 DL - 4.5
RB - 2.5 LB - 3.5
WR - 5 DB - 1.5
OL - 3  

 

 


OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
2000 FOOTBALL PREVIEW


2000 OFFENSE
The Big Ten is loaded with outstanding receivers, and two of the best are in Columbus with Reggie Germany and Ken-Yon Rambo. Both are big time game breakers. Other than Rambo, OSU's best offensive player could be lineman Tyson Walter, a four-year starter at left tackle. This year, OSU will possess one of the better lines in the Big Ten. LeCharles Bentley moves to center after being the 1999 OSU Lineman of the Year playing both guard and tackle. How quickly will quarterback Steve Bellisari develop? He put up decent numbers last year after taking the job away early in the year, but his play was often erratic. Bellisari took over as the starter in the season's third week and embarked on a wild ride that saw him complete more than 50 percent of his passes only twice in 10 starts while finishing as the league's lowest-ranked passer and the worst at OSU in more than 20 years. Michael Wiley was a very productive running back for the Buckeyes in '99 but they should be able to replace him with little trouble. Look for OSU to go with alternating ball carriers playing the back with the hottest hand, or feet. Seniors Derek Combs and Jerry Westbrooks team with junior Jonathan Wells to provide different styles and looks for the defenses. Wells will be the #1 back providing a punishing style while Combs gives the Bukeyes a speedier dimension. The only positive in losing fullback Matt Keller to injury last season is it gave Jamar Martin a chance to showcase himself as an outstanding blocker.
OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
QB Steve Bellisari 6-3 220 Jr. Craig Krenzel 6-4 215 Fr.
FB Jamar Martin 6-1 245 Jr. Jesse Kline 6-2 210 Fr.
RB Derek Combs 6-2 197 Sr.   Jonathan Wells 6-1 230 Jr.
WR Reggie Germany 6-2 195 Sr.   Vanness Provitt 6-3 200 Sr.
WR Ken-Yon Rambo 6-1 190 Sr.   Chad Cacchio 6-0 190 Jr.
T Tyson Walter 6-5 295 Sr.   Ivan Douglas 6-6 310 Jr.
G Mike Gurr 6-7 290 Sr.   Jim Massey 6-5 290 Jr.
C LeCharles Bentley 6-3 290 Jr.   Mike Jacobs 6-1 285 Jr.
G Tam Hopkins 6-5 305 Jr.   Scott Kuhnhein 6-6 285 So.
T Henry Fleming 6-7 305 Sr.   Adrien Clarke 6-4 342 Fr.
TE Darnell Sanders 6-6 265 So.   Ben Hartsock 6-4 250 Fr.
K Dan Stultz 6-0 205 Sr.   B.J. Sander 6-3 195 Fr.
Returning starters in bold.

Key Losses: Michael Wiley-TB, Ben Gilbert-OL, Kurt Murphy-C, Steve Wisniewski-TE,
Matt Keller-FB


2000 DEFENSE
The most solid unit will continue to be the defensive line, where all four starters return for the Buckeyes and had solid springs. They're extremely deep with experience up front. The strength is up the middle where the tackles, Mike Collins and Ryan Pickett return while Joe Brown is back after being hindered by shoulder troubles last season. Linebacker Na'il Diggs has left early for the NFL after leading the Buckeyes with 94 tackles, including team-highs of 15 stops for a loss and six quarterback sacks. This season, the Buckeyes will be looking for the whole corps to be playmakers and not rely on a Diggs or a Katzenmoyer. The coaches are high on junior college transfer Jack Tucker, who will be up for one of the starting linebacker spots. The losses on defense will include cornerback Ahmed Plummer and safety Gary Berry and so half of the secondary will need to be rebuilt. The better the linemen rush the quarterback, the better the weakened secondary will be.
DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
DE Rodney Bailey 6-3 270 Sr. Kenny Peterson 6-4 265 So.
DT Ryan Pickett 6-3 290 Jr. Tim Anderson 6-4 280 Fr.
DT Mike Collins 6-3 290 Jr.   Heath Queen 6-5 275 Jr.
DE Brent Johnson 6-4 265 Sr.   Joe Brown 6-6 285 Sr.
OLB Joe Cooper 6-2 225 Sr.   Pat O'Neill 6-3 215 Fr.
MLB Jason Ott 6-4 240 Jr.   Fred Pagac 6-1 218 So.
OLB Courtland Bullard 6-3 220 Jr.   Matt Wilhelm 6-4 240 So.
CB Nate Clements 6-0 190 Jr.   Richard McNutt 5-10 160 Fr.
CB David Mitchell 6-1 195 Sr.   Derek Ross 6-1 200 Jr.
SS Mike Doss 6-0 185 So.   Duane Crooks 5-10 185 So.
FS Donnie Nickey 6-3 203 So.   David Mitchell 6-1 195 Sr.
P Dan Stultz 6-0 205 Sr.   B.J. Sander 6-3 195 Fr.
Returning starters in bold.

Key Losses: Na'il Diggs-LB, James Cotton-DE, Ahmed Plummer-DB, Gary Berry-DB, Percy King-DB