2004 Ohio State Spring Preview – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 30, 2004
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Jim Tressel’s fourth spring practice at Ohio State could well be his most challenging. The Buckeye mentor must replace 13 starters – six on offense and seven on defense – from last year’s 11-2 team.
The list of graduates includes quarterback Craig Krenzel, split end Michael Jenkins, tight end Ben Hartsock and three of the five interior linemen on offense. Krenzel was 24-3 in his two-plus years as a starter and Jenkins closed out his career as the school’s all-time leader in receiving yardage. Hartsock and all three of the linemen were selected to play in post-season all-star games.
The losses are equally significant on defense where end Will Smith, tackles Tim Anderson and Darrion Scott, linebackers Robert Reynolds and Fred Pagac and safety Will Allen all have exhausted their eligibility. Smith and Allen were both first-team All-Americans in 2002 and the former was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Anderson also won first-team All-Big Ten honors. All of the above could play at the next level.
Additionally, cornerback Chris Gamble opted for early entry into the NFL draft and will be playing on Sundays instead of Saturdays in 2004.
Add punter B.J. Sander, last year’s Ray Guy Award winner, to the list of non-returnees and the 2003 OSU two-deep looks like it has been ravaged by a Kansas twister.
But Tressel, whose lifetime record of 167-64-2 includes a three-year record of 32-7 and a national championship at Ohio State, eagerly awaits the task that lies ahead.
“We have lost an exceptional group of seniors, but we are fortunate to have a number of proven players returning, as well as a group of younger players who will now have the opportunity to step up and show what they can do,” said Tressel. “We began the process with winter conditioning and will continue it in the spring in hopes of getting ready for the fall and giving our fans a team they will be proud of.”
The cast of holdovers includes several all-star candidates.
Linebacker A.J. Hawk is at the top of the list. The 6-2, 230-pound junior-to-be led the Buckeyes in tackles last year with 106, including 13 tackles-for-loss and four sacks. He also had a pair of interceptions and was credited with five passes broken up. The hard-hitting Hawk was the Defensive MVP in the Fiesta Bowl, collecting 10 tackles in the win over Kansas State.
Senior cornerback Dustin Fox is another standout. Fox, who will be in his third year as a starter in 2004, had 77 tackles and three interceptions last year playing the boundary, or short, side of the field. He is coming of his best year.
Simon Fraser, the lone holdover up front, has the wherewithal to be one of the top defensive ends in college football. The 6-6, 265-pound senior is an exceptional pass rusher and is blessed with size, speed and great instincts. He is also a fine leader.
The offensive line returns a standout in center Nick Mangold. The 6-4, 280-pound junior played superbly last year in his first-year as a starter and is expected to be one of the top centers in the Big Ten, if not the nation, in 2004.
Another youngster, flanker Santonio Holmes, came on like gangbusters last year and has fans and coaches alike buzzing about his potential. The 5-11, 170-pound sophomore-to-be finished the year with 32 receptions for 549 yards and seven touchdowns. He was sensational down the stretch, catching 29 passes in the last six games, including a pair of touchdowns against both Michigan and Kansas State.
Senior Mike Nugent will again be in the hunt for all the national kicking awards. A first-team All-America and Lou Groza Award finalist in 2002, Nugent has led the Buckeyes in scoring each of the past two years and has set 10 Ohio State records in that span. He handles all the OSU placekicking duties.
Tailback Lydell Ross also returns. Slowed by injuries the first half of last year, he finished the season with a very respectable 826 yards and 10 touchdowns on 193 carries.
Tressel and his staff will begin the process of plugging the holes on Apr. 1, the first day of spring drills.
All eyes, of course, will be riveted on the quarterback position, where third-year sophomores Justin Zwick and Troy Smith are expected to wage a spirited competition to replace Krenzel. Another youngster, grayshirt freshman Todd Boeckman, is also in the picture. The 6-6 Boeckman practiced with the Buckeyes before school began in the fall and was also at the Fiesta Bowl practices. All three are talented.
There should be some interesting battles up front, too. Mangold is a lock at center, as is junior Robbie Sims at left tackle, but the other three interior spots are wide open.
Senior Mike Kne, who played both guard and tackle last year and is a two-year letter winner, is the only other experienced lineman. He enters the spring as the No. 1 right guard.
Some of the younger players to keep an eye on include Doug Datish, T.J. Downing, Tim Schafer and Kirk Barton. The first three are third-year sophomores. Barton was redshirted as freshman in 2003. Offensive line coach Jim Bollman likes them all. Additionally 6-8, 315-pound Steve Rehring enrolled at the beginning of winter quarter and will take part in spring drills.
Hartsock had his best year in 2003 with 33 receptions, and while his all-around ability and leadership will be missed, junior Ryan Hamby and sophomore Louis Irizarry give the Buckeyes a pair of solid replacements. Senior Jason Caldwell also returns.
Fullbacks Branden Joe and Brandon Schnittker round out the offense. Joe is a senior and Schnittker a junior. Both played extensively last year and Joe was particularly effective as a runner, receiver and blocker down the stretch. Speedy senior Maurice Hall adds depth at running back. Hall was hurt much of last year, especially early on.
On the defensive side of things, replacing three-fourths of what has been one of the best defensive lines in college football the past two years will be a high priority for newly appointed coordinators Mark Snyder and Mel Tucker.
While Fraser is the lone returning starter up front, Marcus Green, Quinn Pitcock, Joel Penton, Mike Kudla and David Patterson all played extensively last year – Patterson as a true freshman. Additionally, redshirt freshmen Marcel Frost and Sian (she-on) Cotton are highly regarded. Sophomore Jay Richardson also returns, meaning the Buckeyes should again be talented and deep up front.
In addition to Hawk the linebacker corps features juniors Bobby Carpenter and Mike D”Andrea, both key reserves last year, and transfers Anthony Schlegel (Air Force) and John Kerr (Indiana). D’Andrea underwent shoulder surgery last fall and will be held out of contact in the spring. Schlegel and Kerr are tough, physical football players who can run to the ball.
The secondary returns Fox and hard-hitting free safety Nate Salley. Junior E.J. Underwood and sophomore Ashton Youboty are the candidates at the field corner, while sophomore Donte Whitner and junior Tyler Everett are the leaders to replace Allen at strong safety. All four have at least one start to their credit either last year or the year before. Brandon Mitchell is another solid safety prospect. All should grow under the watchful eye of Tucker.
In the kicking department, the Buckeyes need to find a replacement for Sander at punter. Senior Josh Huston hopes to fill that bill.
OSU NOTES
* The Buckeyes begin spring practice on Apr. 1 and conclude Apr. 24 with the annual Scarlet & Gray game in Ohio Stadium. Tickets are $5.00 each and can be purchased at the Athletics Ticket Office in the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
* There are four new faces on the Ohio State coaching staff. Darrell Hazell will coach the OSU wide receivers and Dick Tressel will mentor the running backs. Hazell has spent the past three years at Rutgers. Dick Tressel, the older brother of head coach Jim Tressel, has been the assistant director of football operations at Ohio State for the past three years. Previously, he was head coach at Hamline University in St. Paul. Additionally, Paul Nichols and Jared Smith have joined the staff as graduate assistants. Nichols, a graduate of Davidson College where he played quarterback, will work with the defense, while Smith, who played at Kansas, will assist with the offense.
* As a result of defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio leaving the Buckeyes in January to become head coach at Cincinnati, Head coach Jim Tressel elevated linebackers coach Mark Snyder to defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Mel Tucker to co-coordinator. Additionally, defensive line mentor Jim Heacock has been given the added responsibility of assistant head coach and Luke Fickell will now coach the linebackers after two years as special teams coordinator. On the offensive side of the ball, Joe Daniels, who had worked with the quarterbacks and wide receivers, will now concentrate exclusively on the signal callers.
* The Buckeyes open the 2004 season Sept. 4 by hosting Cincinnati. It will be the 14thoverall meeting between the two schools and third in the past five years. OSU leads the series, 11-2, and has won all six games played in Columbus, including a 34-20 decision in 1999.
* The Buckeyes have an all-time opening day record of 98-12-4 and have won their last 25 home openers dating back to 1978.
* The Buckeyes have won 16 straight in Ohio Stadium and have amassed an all-time record of 350-101-20 in the Horseshoe since 1922.
* Five true freshmen will be on the roster in the spring: quarterback Todd Boeckman, linebacker Marcus Freeman and offensive tackle Steve Rehring enrolled at OSU at the beginning of winter quarter, while punter A.J. Trepasso and tailback Tony Pittman enrolled at the beginning of spring quarter.
* The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon will take place Aug. 4 (interviews) and 5 (luncheon) at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.
* Several players could see limited, or perhaps even no, action this spring because of injuries. They include defensive tackle David Patterson, running back Mike DeMaria, linebackers Mike D’Andrea and A.J. Hawk, offensive lineman Kirk Barton and fullback Colby Staubs. All will have their status evaluated during the spring.
