No. 1 Ohio State Kicks Off Season at No. 11 West Virginia – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/30/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
August 30, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Game Facts Saturday, Sept. 5, 1998, 8:08 p.m. EST Mountaineer Field (63,500; Turf) Morgantown, W. Va. CBS Television
The Broadcast
TV – CBS Television. Sean McDonough, play-by-play; Terry Donahue, color analyst and Mike Mayock, sideline reporter.
Radio – Sports Radio 1460 (AM) The Fan and Oldies B97 (97.1 FM). Paul Keels, play-by-play; Jim Lachey, color analyst and Jim Karsatos, sideline reporter.
For The Buckeyes
Head Coach John Cooper, Iowa ’62 OSU Record: 86-32-4 (.721), 10 years Career Record: 168-72-6 (.695), 21 years Record Against WVU: 0-0 (.000) Offensive Coordinator: Mike Jacobs Defensive Coordinator: Fred Pagac
For The Mountaineers
Head Coach: Don Nehlen, Bowling Green ’58 WVU Record; 130-77-4 (.626), 18 years Career Record: 183-112-8 (.617), 27 years Record Against OSU: 0-1 (.000) Offensive Coordinator: Dan Simrell Defensive Coordinator: Steve Dunlap**********
KICKOFF
The Ohio State University Buckeyes, the preseason No. 1 team in both the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 coaches polls, travel to Morgantown, W.Va., to take on the West Virginia University Mountaineers in a neo-version of a backyard brawl. A jammed and long ago sold out Mountaineer Field crowd of better than 63,500 will witness the 8:08 p.m. kickoff. The game will be carried to a national television audience by CBS, with Sean McDonough, Terry Donahue and Mike Mayock handling the announcing.
QUOTING JOHN COOPER
“This is the toughest opener by far since I’ve been here as coach,” said John Cooper, who is 10-0 in opening games at Ohio State. “And if we were playing at home it would still be the toughest opener. West Virginia is a veteran team. They have an experienced quarterback, two great receivers, one of the best running backs in college football, and an offensive line with four returning starters and they all average 300 pounds at least. They are a big and experienced football team. I think they have a lot of offensive similarities with us and they do have a proven, big-time running back and we don’t. Amos Zereoue does everything. He breaks tackles.he has speed.durability. He’ll carry the ball a lot.”
BUCKEYES vs. MOUNTAINEERS
This game, a return for West Virginia’s 1987 visit to Ohio Stadium, is just the sixth meeting ever on the gridiron between Ohio State and West Virginia and only the second since the 1903 season. Ohio State leads the all-time series, 4-1. West Virginia claimed a 24-0 win over Ohio State in 1897 at Parkersburg, W.Va. Ohio State won 27-0, 30-0 and 34-6 in 1900, 1902 and 1903, respectively, with all three played in Columbus. In the season-opening game for Ohio State in 1987 (West Virginia had opened a week earlier with a 23-3 win over Ohio University), the Buckeyes scored 17 first-quarter points and defeated the Mountaineers, 24-3, in a defensive struggle in front of 88,272 fans. OSU had 213 total yards while WVU netted 197. The difference was turnovers. William White tied an OSU school record with three interceptions and the Buckeyes forced eight Mountaineer turnovers in all.
A MOMENT OF SILENCE
A moment of silence was given in honor of Woody Hayes before the 1987 Ohio State/West Virginia game. Ohio State’s 28-year coach passed away March 12, 1987
JUST 10TH “AWAY” OPENER
Ohio State is 93-11-4 in season opening games through its first 108 years of football and it has won 11 consecutive opening games dating back to a 16-10 loss to Alabama in the 1986 Kickoff Classic. This is the first time in 23 seasons and only the seventh time in its storied history that Ohio State is opening its season on enemy territory. The Buckeyes last played a road opener in 1975 at Michigan State (a 21-0 Buckeye win). In 1974 they opened the season at Minnesota (a 34-19 Buckeye win), and prior to that the Scarlet and Gray had opened the season on the road in 1890, 1892, 1893, 1894 and 1912. Ohio State has opened its season three times on a neutral field: in 1986 vs. Alabama at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.; in 1994 vs. Fresno State at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego; and in 1995 vs. Boston College at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J. The Buckeyes are 6-4 in season-opening “away” games.
MORE ON THE AP RANKINGS
In the second-closest preseason vote ever, Ohio State just edged Florida State for the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press preseason poll. The Buckeyes finished with 30 first-place votes and 1,668 points. Florida State totalled 22 first-place votes and 1,633 points. This is the sixth time overall that Ohio State has been ranked number one in the preseason by the Associated Press. The previous five times were in 1958, 1962, 1969, 1970 (under Woody Hayes) and in 1980 (under Earl Bruce). Some additional poll facts:
*Eight Associated Press preseason No. 1 teams have won AP national championships that same year with the last being Florida State in 1993.
*This is the second year in a row that the Big Ten Conference has had the No. 1 team in the nation according to the Associated Press preseason poll. Penn State was No. 1 last year.
*The last time a conference has had the distinction of back-to-back No. 1’s was in 1980 and 1981 when Ohio State and Michigan were back-to-back top choices.
*This is the first time in any poll since the 1980 season that Ohio State has held a No. 1 ranking.
SOME PRESEASON
Coach John Cooper’s Buckeyes were voted No. 1 by the 62 collegiate coaches voting for the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 coaches poll. The Buckeyes were also selected No. 1 in virtually every preseason magazine, with the exceptions being The Sporting News, which ranked OSU third, and Sport magazine, which ranked OSU second. Jeff Sagarin’s computer poll has the Buckeyes ranked fifth.
COOP’S AMONG BIG TEN’S BEST
The Big Ten Conference released its winningest Big Ten football coaches (conference games only) with a 10-year minimum coaching stint and John Cooper is ranked fifth on the list. Cooper’s .725 Big Ten winning percentage (56-20-4 thru 10 years) trails only Bo Shembechler (.850; 143-24-3 in 21 years at Michigan), Fielding Yost (.796; 42-10-2 in 25 years at Michigan), Woody Hayes (.785; 152-39-7 in 28 years at Ohio State) and Fritz Crisler (.777; 42-11-3 in 10 years at Michigan).
NO SURPRISE FOR BEST LB
1997 Butkus Award winner Andy Katzenmoyer heads a list of 68 of the nation’s linebackers on the preliminary list for the Butkus Award, presented to the nation’s best linebacker. The list will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists on October 15. The final three will be announced November 12 with the winner, chosen by 27 national media members, to be announced Dec. 11 at Universal Studios Florida. Last year Katzenmoyer, from Westerville, Ohio, was the first sophomore to ever win the award, and he was the first Buckeye.
JOHN COOPER ON THE TEAM’S TALK . . .
“We don’t talk much about being No. 1. We talk about work ethic and what you can do to control the outcome of a ball game. We don’t talk to the players a whole lot about being No. 1 or No. 10 or even about being unranked. We’re talking about ‘let’s have a great practice today.’ We’re playing what we think is in outstanding football team in West Virginia.”
JOHN COOPER ON FALL CAMP . . .
“Some of the veteran players had great camps. Tyson Walter’s, Ben Gilbert Kurt Murphy and Brooks Burris have taken every snap on offense. David Boston, Dee Miller, all the receivers and Joe Germaine have played well. Some of the running backs have been beat up but they’ve still played well. Defensively, the guys who’ve been out there have given us good effort. The entire secondary has been solid.”
JOHN COOPER ON THE OSU LINEBACKERS . . .
“I like our linebackers.”
ANDY KATZENMOYER ON AMOS ZEREOUE . . .
“He is an unbelievable back.”
JOE GERMAINE ON THE WVU CROWD . . .
“Once you step between the white lines, and you’re into the game, you don’t hear the crowd that much. We’ve played in big stadiums and in front of big crowds.”
JERRY RUDZINSKI ON THE WVU CROWD . . .
“I think its something we are going to be ready for going into it. If anything, it’s going to be a motivational tool. I know when all those people are booing us, it will pump us up more. It’s going to be like playing at Notre Dame or Penn State or Michigan.”
ANTOINE WINFIELD ON WVU’s WRs . . .
“I read in a couple of magazines that West Virginia’s pair of receivers are the best duo in the Big East and that Ahmed Plummer and I are the best [corners] in the Big Ten. So we are looking forward to the challenge and its going to be a great game.”
ANTOINE WINFIELD ON AMOS ZEREOUE. . .
“You know they’re going to get Amos Zereoue the ball. Zereoue is a great player. He’s quick, fast, has great moves and he’s a hard runner. He may be the best back we face this year.”
A. WINFIELD ON THE WVU CROWD . . .
“It’s going to be crazy down there but we can’t worry about what their fans are doing. We’ve just got to go out and play the game.”
JOHN COOPER ON BEING NO. 1
“I’m proud and humbled to be the head football coach of the No. 1 ranked team in the country. Now it’s our job to live up to that. Nobody is going to out-work us. I don’t know if we are the best team, but we are going to work hard and try to be the best team. It is an honor to have your peers [coaches] and the sports writers have that much confidence in your football team, but that doesn’t mean anything. The games are going to be decided obviously on the football field. The rankings are going to change throughout the course of the season so our job is to get this team ready to play West Virginia.”
JOHN COOPER vs..
John Cooper-coached Ohio State teams are 9-2 vs. teams from the BIG EAST Conference. The Buckeyes are 4-1 vs. Pittsburgh, 3-0 vs. Boston College and 2-1 vs. Syracuse, and they have won six straight games vs. the BIG EAST since 1992.
MOUNTAINEER MIKE
Ohio State offensive coordinator Mike Jacobs is in his fourth season with the Buckeyes and his second as its offensive coordinator, but prior to this he was on Don Nehlen’s West Virginia Mountaineer staff for 15 years. Jacobs served as the Mountaineers’ offensive coordinator for the last seven years of his tenure. He served as offensive coordinator for two West Virginia teams that established perfect, 11-0 regular season records and went on to play in national championship games.
SENIOR SUCCESS
This year’s seniors have a chance to become the third straight senior class to break or tie a four-year Ohio State record for wins. This year’s class enters with a record of 32-6 and with sights set on breaking the 1996 senior’s mark of 41 wins. The 32-6 mark also represents the fifth-best record in Division IA football over the last three years, trailing only Nebraska (36-2), Florida (34-4), Florida State (32-4) and Tennessee (32-5).
700 WINS
Ohio State became the seventh major college team to win 700 football games with its 41-6 win over Illinois Nov. 15, 1997. The Buckeyes enter the season with an all-time record of 700-276-52.
JUST NOTES & GOOD STUFF
Over the last five years, Ohio State University has produced more football Academic All-Big Ten Conference honorees – 57 – than any other school in the Big Ten..John Cooper’s 168 career victories places him sixth on the winningest active collegiate coaches list..The 1998 Buckeyes will be trying to extend a streak of having played in four straight New Year’s Day (or beyond) bowl games..The Buckeyes return 17 starters (nine on defense; eight on offense) from last season’s 10-3, Sugar Bowl “rebuilding” squad. Among the returnees are three first-team All-Americans – Andy Katzenmoyer, Antoine Winfield and Rob Murphy – and five additional players who earned all-Big Ten Conference honors….QB Joe Germaine may have only one start to his credit, but he has played in 25 games..Ohio State features a candidate for college football’s major awards at every position, including special teamers Brent Bartholomew and Kevin Griffin, who will be up for the Mosi Tatupu Special Teams Player of the Year Award….Ohio State is expected to start four sophomores along the defensive line Saturday: ends Rodney Bailey and Brent Johnson and tackles Joe Brown and Clinton Wayne. Johnson and Wayne are each from Ontario, Canada. Johnson from Kingston and Wayne from Brampton..CB Nate Clements is the only true freshman to crack the two-deep chart….David Boston’s 106 career receptions are the most by any college football junior entering the 1998 season..Boston set two school records last year: single season receptions (73) and game receptions (14 vs. Penn State). He needs 63 receptions to break Cris Carter’s career record of 168 and he needs seven touchdown receptions – he has 21 – to break Carter’s school record of 28..Boston and Dee Miller combined last year for the most receptions (131) and receiving yardage (1,951 yards) of any Ohio State receiving tandem.
THIS WEEKEND AROUND THE BIG TEN
Illinois at Washington State Central Michigan at Iowa Michigan at Notre Dame Michigan State at Oregon Arkansas State at Minnesota UNLV at Northwestern Southern Mississippi at Penn State Wisconsin at San Diego State
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THE SCOOP ON COOP
Twelve Buckeyes have been first round NFL draft picks under John Cooper.
THE COACH
John Cooper, now in his 11th season as head coach of the Ohio State University Buckeyes and in his 22nd season overall, is building as fine a collegiate coaching resume as any active coach in the business. Period. And the resume is getting better every year. Cooper, the second-winningest coach in OSU history – behind Woody Hayes’ 205 victories – and with the third-longest coaching tenure behind Hayes (28 seasons) and John W. Wilce (16), has guided four straight Ohio State teams into New Year’s Day bowl games and each of his last three Ohio State teams to at least 10 victories. The former is part of nine straight bowl appearances for the Buckeyes under Cooper. The latter is an accomplishment that only three other current head coaches can match (Bobby Bowden at Florida State, Steve Spurrier at Florida and Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee).
THE 1990’s
Cooper’s Buckeyes have won 51 games the last five seasons, and in the decade of the 1990s, Ohio State has a 74-22-3 record, the ninth-best record in the decade among all Division IA schools. These streaks of successes has positioned Cooper with an Ohio State record of 86-32-4 and an all-time mark of 168-72-6 entering the 1998 season.
THE AWARDS
Regarding student-athletes, the honors, awards and accomplishments that Ohio State student-athletes have garnered under Cooper is matched by no other active coach. Consider, that under John Cooper 15 Buckeyes have won first-team All-America honors, 12 have been first-round NFL draft picks, six have won National Football Foundation Scholarships, five have been named first-team Academic All-Americans and eight have won major athletic and academic awards in the last three years alone.
THE MAN
Away fromm football, Cooper likes any outdoor activities such as golf, fishing and lawn work and hates being confined to a desk or in the office. As for dining, he says he has never had a bad meal and still loves an old fashioned home-cooked meal of beans, potatoes and cornbread. He enjoys oldies music and country music and truly enjoys relaxing with his family.
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WEST VIRGINIA
Facts & Figures Location ———————-Morgantown, W. Va. Enrollment ——————–22,200 President ———————David C. Hardesty, Jr. Athletic Director ————-Ed Pastilong Nickname ———————-Mountaineers Colors ————————Old Gold and Blue 1998 Record ——————-0-0-0, 0-0-0 BIG EAST Head Coach ——————–Don Nehlen Alma Mater ——————–Bowling Green ’58 WVU Record ——————–130-77-4 (18 years) Career Record —————–183-112-8 (27 years) Record vs. Ohio State ———0-1 Offensive Coordinator ———Dan Simrell Defensive Coordinator ———Steve Dunlap Letterman Returning/Lost ——36/15 Offensive Starters Returning –10 Defensive Starters Returning –5 Specialists Returning ———2 Offensive Formation ———–Multiple Defensive Formation ———–Multiple 4-4 University Website ————www.wvu.edu Athletics Website ————-www.MSNsportsNET.com BIG EAST Website ————–www.bigeast.org
1998 Schedule/Results
Sept.5, OHIO STATE Sept. 19, MARYLAND Sept. 26, TULSA Oct. 3, at Navy Oct. 10, at Temple Oct. 24, MIAMI Oct. 31, at Virginia Tech Nov. 7, SYRACUSE Nov. 14, at Rutgers Nov. 21, BOSTON COLLEGE Nov. 27, at Pittsburgh
The 11th-ranked Moutaineers are the talk of the state with 15 returning starters from last year’s 7-5 squad.
OVERFLOWING OPTIMISM
An offense loaded with experience and three returning all-BIG EAST picks on the defensive side has led to a No. 11-preseason ranking for the West Virginia Mountaineers. WVU was also picked to win the BIG EAST title in the yearly media poll, edging out 1997 champion Syracuse by two votes.
ZEREOUE AND CO.
The Mountaineer offense is led by All-American tailback Amos Zereoue (ZAIR-uh-way), a 5-10, 200 pound junior from Hempstead, N.Y. The compact but powerful back rushed for 1,589 yards last season, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and ranking third among NCAA rushers with a 150.5 yard-per-game average. Zereoue may become WVU’s all-time leading rusher against the Buckeyes – he needs just 24 yards to tie Artie Owens with 2,648. Quarterback Marc Bulger also returns after starting all 12 games last season. Bulger is a far cry from one of the flashier quarterbacks in college football, but rarely makes mistakes. He threw for 2,465 yards and 14 touchdowns last year, ending the season as the fourth highest rated passer (129.3) in the BIG EAST. Wideout Shawn Foreman is Bulger’s favorite target. Standing just 6-1, Foreman set a WVU single-season receiving record with 77 catches in 1997. He led all BIG EAST receivers with 65 catches in league games, and was a first team all-league selection. Overall, 10 starters return from an offense that rolled up 381 yards per game last year.
A HEALTHY DEFENSE IN 1998
A rash of injuries to the WVU defense near the end of last season spurred a three-game Mountaineer losing streak to close out the year. If the unit can remain healthy, head coach Don Nehlen believes they can dominate a game. NG John Thornton, LB Gary Stills, and DB Nate Terry all earned first-team all-BIG EAST honors last season. Of the trio, Stills is WVU’s main threat to blitz (67 tackles, 12 sacks in 1997). Terry is not only a solid cover man, but also notched two 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns last season. The rehabilitation of linebacker Damon Cogdell will be critical to the overall success of the WVU defense. Cogdell was leading the team in tackles before fracturing a hip against Syracuse last season.
1997 STATISTICAL LEADERS
RUSHING Att. Yards Avg. TD Amos Zereoue 281 1589 5.7 18 Curtis Keaton 60 268 4.5 3
PASSING Att. Co. Yds. TD Int. Marc Bulger 323 192 2,465 14 10
RECEIVING No. Yards Avg. TD Shawn Foreman 77 928 12.1 5 Pat Greene 32 491 15.3 1 Khori Ivy 19 282 14.8 1
TACKLES Solo Asst. Tot. Sacks John Hadley 49 34 83 2 Steve Lippe 51 23 74 2 Barrett Green 42 29 71 3 MORE ON 1997
West Virginia parlayed its 7-4 regular season record into an invitation to the Carquest Bowl – its fourth bowl appearance in the last five years. The Mountaineers had climbed to No. 22 in the Nov. 17 AP poll, but ended the year with consecutive losses to Notre Dame (7-0), Pittsburgh (41-38; 3OT), and Georgia Tech (35-30; Carquest Bowl).
MOUNTAINEER NOTES
WVU returns 86 percent of its scoring…Of the top 18 teams in the AP preseason poll, the Mountaineers are the lone squad that did not end 1997 ranked in the top 25…When a WVU back rushes for 100 yards or better, Nehlen’s teams are 61-15-1…On first down last season, WVU averaged an impressive 6.02 yards per play…Exactly 10 years ago, WVU went a perfect 11-0.
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OHIO STATE OFFENSE
FIRST TEAM
SE 9 DAVID BOSTON (6-3, 215, Jr.) All-America candidate…a force on the field…led Big Ten with OSU record 73 rcpts. in ’97…6th at OSU w/106 rcpts…22 TDs.
LT 77 TYSON WALTER (6-5, 305, So.) Strong spring camp…confident, athletic & intense…stepped in for Orlando Pace to start all 13 games as RS frosh in ’97.
LG 56 ROB MURPHY (6-5, 300, Jr.) All-America candidate…’97 FN All-American…missed spring drills, but expected to lead in ’98…tough & physical…23 starts.
C 63 KURT MURPHY (6-4, 290, Jr.) Strong, young player…intelligent…makes all line calls…started six of last seven games last year…20-game veteran.
RG 64 BEN GILBERT (6-5, 295, Jr.) Strong spring camp…21-game vet with 13 starts last year as true soph…physical…continues to improve…recently married.
RT 67 BROOKS BURRIS (6-7-290, Sr.*) Versatile…can play guard or tackle…big, but athletic…exper-ienced veteran of 32 games & nine starts…eight starts in 1997.
TE 85 JOHN LUMPKIN (6-8, 260, Sr.) Emerged last year (17-320 yds and 3 TDs)…excellent hands & a good blocker…spectacular 50-yard TD grab in Sugar Bowl.
QB 7 JOE GERMAINE (6-2, 205, Sr.*) Terrific timing & accuracy…6th in OSU passing annals with 3040 yds…31 TD passes…3rd nationally in ’97 in pass effic.
FB 23 MATT KELLER (6-0, 238, Jr.) Savvy, crafty & works hard…3rd-leading rusher and receiver in ’97 (257 rush yards & 19 receptions)…boom-boom blocker.
TB 5 MICHAEL WILEY (6-0, 195, Jr.) Called “talented & gifted & elusive & special”…a threat to score on every touch…averages 8.9 yards per touch.
FL 15 DEE MILLER (6-1, 200, Sr.*) A most pleasant ’97 surprise with 58 recpts, 981 yds, 5 TDs…now one of nation’s best…makes spectacular, big-play catches.
PK 47 DAN STULTZ (6-0, 195, So) Led Big Ten in kick scoring (7.1)…55-yard FG vs. IU…10 of 12 inside 40…could become one of OSU’s all-time bests.
SECOND TEAM
SE 80 Reggie Germany (6-2, 195, So.) On his way to becoming a marquee player…smooth…great hands and speed…gets yards after the catch…expected to play a lot in ’98
LT 71 BEN PULFER (6-6, 270, Fr.) Red-shirted ’97 season…battled through mid-season knee surgury…played defensive tackle last season.
LG 65 MIKE GURR (6-7, 270, So.) Has good quickness and athletic ability…has played tight end, right guard and left guard…concentrated on left in spring.
C 78 DREW ELFORD (6-4, 300, Jr.) Moved to center last fall but can play all the offensive line positions…has continued to improve and will press for time.
RG 55 TAM HOPKINS (6-5, 295, So.) Terrific athlete…strong & explosive…will challenge for starting honors…expected to be 100 pct. after spring ankle injury.
RT 75 HENRY FLEMING (6-7, 305, So.) Tough and massive…is expected to push for starting position…slowed in the spring, but played in seven games in ’97.
TE 87 KEVIN HOUSER (6-3, 250, Jr.) Also has been the long snapper for punts and placements the past two years…good hands and excellent receiver.
QB 16 MARK GARCIA (6-4, 215, Sr.*) Can throw to any part of the field and is capable of making the big play…knows the offense…talented and eager to play.
FB 36 SEAN PENNY (6-2, 215, So.) Highly regarded with all the tools…just needs to grasp fullback mentality…terrific athlete…averaged 6.0 yards per rush.
TB 33 JOE MONTGOMERY (5-11, 216, Sr.) Making valiant comeback from major knee injury & surgeries…confidence is back…team’s most physical tailback.
FL 6 JIMMY REDMOND (6-0,187, Jr.) Missed last season after breaking his right leg in the season opener against Wyoming…one of the fastest players on the team.
LS 87 Kevin Houser HO 41 Brent Bartholomew PK 47 Dan Stultz
KR 80 Reggie Germany KR 5 Michael Wiley PR 1 Gary Berry PR 9 David Boston
OHIO STATE DEFENSE
FIRST TEAM
DE 94 RODNEY BAILEY (6-3, 255, So.) A rising star…only true frosh to start in ’97…makes plays (9 tackles vs. Mich.)…has size, quickness and athletic ability.
DT 90 CLINTON WAYNE (6-3, 275, So.) Called “the best athlete among the tackles”…strong, physical and tough to defend…worked on technique & is ready to shine.
DT 73 JOE BROWN (6-6, 285, So.) One of the team’s quickest linemen…active, strong, physical… sheds blocks…hard worker…will a have major presence.
DE 60 BRENT JOHNSON (6-4, 265, So.) Most improved & most consistent end this spring…played run and pass extremely well…becoming an influence player.
BLB 32 NA’IL DIGGS (6-4, 235, So.) A most promising young Buckeye…athletic and exceptionally quick…solid pass rusher and run stopper…up from DE.
MLB 45 ANDY KATZENMOYER (6-4, 255, Jr.) The best player in college football…Heisman Trophy, Lombardi, Outland, Butkus, Maxwell & Nagurski awards candidate.
WLB 35 JERRY RUDZINSKI (6-2, 225, Sr.*) Scholar-Athlete…key player & leader on the field…intelligent, hard-working & never out of position…savvy.
CB 11 ANTOINE WINFIELD (5-9, 180, Sr.) All-American…Thorpe Award candidate…loves to practice… loves to play…makes plays with a vengeance…a warrior.
FS 1 GARY BERRY (6-0, 195, Jr.) Called “the top athlete among the DBs” and is one of the team’s fastest…a veteran, but best football is ahead of him.
SS 13 DAMON MOORE (5-11, 200, Sr.*) Fierce hitter…a force in the secondary…runs the show…makes adjustments…Tenuta: “there is no task he cannot accomplish.”
CB 19 AHMED PLUMMER (6-0, 190, Jr.) Student of the game who is fast becoming a big-time player… studies technique…excellent athlete and a productive corner.
Pu 41 BRENT BARTHOLOMEW (6-2, 210, Sr.) All-America candidate…All-Big Ten, 10th nationally in ’97 (45.2 ypp; 4th best at OSU)…42.4 career average with 23 I20.
LS 87 Kevin Houser PU 41 Brent Bartholomew
SECOND TEAM
DE 48 MATT LaVRAR (6-3, 240, Jr.) 11-game starter in ’97…consistent at stopping the run & improving as a pass rusher…still learning after switch from LB.
DT 98 MIKE COLLINS (6-3, 290, Fr.) True freshman…picked up defense quickly…will push for playing time…has good strength and is a tough player.
DT 93 RANDY HOMA (6-2, 285, Jr.) One of the strongest players on the team with a bench press of 475 pounds…great attitutde and eager to play.
DE 52 JAMES COTTON (6-4, 245, Jr.) Opened eyes in spring camp after switching from LB to DE…learning the system, but is an athlete…made plays this spring.
BLB 10 JOE COOPER (6-2, 213, So.) Moved to linebacker in fall camp…tough football player…sat out last season but did practice…powerfully built.
MLB 44 CHRIS KIRK (6-3,235, jr.) An excellent run stopper and a physically tough player…a fine player in his own right…simply plays behind college FB’s best.
WLB 30 JASON OTT (6-4, 240, Fr.) Can play either outside LB position…will see playing time this year after a fine spring…a tough & physical player.
CB 3 DAVID MITCHELL (6-1, 195, So.) Played in all 13 games last year as a true frosh with plenty of special teams action…has good size and speed…still learning.
FS 17 PERCY KING (6-4, 210, Jr.) The “surprise of the secondary” this spring…finally realized his skills and will push for playing time this year…a big hitter.
SS 20 CENTRAL McCLELLION (5-11, 190, Sr.*) Has terrific talent and can play all the secondary positions… works hard and is a favorite to be around…the nickel back.
CB 18 NATE CLEMENTS (6-0, 185, Fr.) True freshman…very impressive fall camp…high school All-American by numerous publications.
*Indicates fifth year senior
–GO BUCKS–
