Ohio State Opens the Big Ten Season at Indiana – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 24, 2001
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BUCKEYES TRAVEL TO BLOOMINGTON FOR BIG TEN OPENER
Ohio State opens its Big Ten season this week at Indiana. The game will be televised by ESPN Plus and will kickoff at 12:10 p.m. EDT in Memorial Stadium (52,354). Both teams are coming off disappointing losses this past Saturday. The Buckeyes, who are 1-1 on the year, dropped a 13-6 decision to UCLA in the Rose Bowl, while the Hoosiers, who are winless in two starts, fell to visiting Utah by a 28-26 count. The Buckeyes finished fourth in the Big Ten race last year with a 5-3 record. The Hoosiers were 2-6 in league play and finished ninth in the final 2000 conference standings.
BUCKEYES BEGIN 89 TH YEAR OF BIG TEN PLAY
The game this week with Indiana marks the beginning of Ohio State’s 89 th year in the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes joined the Big Ten in 1912, but did not begin league play in football until the following year when they posted a 1-2 record. From that start, Ohio State has gone on to record an all-time league mark of 395-152-24 in 88 seasons. That figures out to a winning percentage of .713 for the Buckeyes, who have either won or shared 28 league titles, including a conference best 15 outright championships.
BUCKEYES ENJOY SUCCESS IN RECENT BIG TEN OPENERS
The Buckeyes are 8-2 in their last 10 Big Ten openers, including a 2-1 mark when opening conference play on the road. Ohio State’s lone road loss in that stretch was a 20-16 setback at Wisconsin in 1992. The Buckeyes opened conference play last year with a 45-6 win over visiting Penn State. Their only other loss in that 10-game stretch was a 42-17 setback at the hands of Wisconsin in 1999. This will be the first time since 1964 that Ohio State has opened the Big Ten season against Indiana. Ohio State won that game 17-9. The Buckeyes and Hoosiers have opened the season against one another on several occasions, including the 1954 campaign in which OSU recorded a 28-0 victory en route to a 10-0 record and the National Championship.
WBNS RADIO FEEDS STATEWIDE NETWORK
WBNS Radio (1460 AM and 97.1 FM) is the flagship station for the 79-station Ohio State radio network. Paul Keels calls the play-by-play with former Buckeyes Jim Lachey and Jim Karsatos providing the color commentary and sideline expertise, respectively. Network programming begins one hour before kickoff. Following the game, WBNS Radio also carries Coach Jim Tressel’s press conference.
ESPN PLUS HAS THE CALL
The game this week will be televised by ESPN Plus and will be seen throughout the Midwest as well as in various other regions in the East and Southeast. WBNS-TV (channel 10) will carry the game in Columbus. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and Randy Wright (color) will call the action from high atop Memorial Stadium, while veteran Jim Barbar will be on the sidelines.
TEAM WILL WORK OUT IN BLOOMINGTON
The Buckeyes are scheduled to depart Port Columbus Airport via private charter Friday (about 2:15 p.m. EDT) and will fly directly to Bloomington, Ind. The team will hold a brief walk through in Memorial Stadium upon arrival. The Buckeyes will stay at the Fourwinds Resort and will return home immediately following the game.
BUCKEYES HAVE UPPER HAND IN SERIES
This will be the first meeting between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers in three years. In their last meeting, OSU prevailed 38-7 in Bloomington. That 1998 victory gave the Buckeyes eight-consecutive wins over the Hoosiers and extended OSU’s lead in the series to 59-12-5, including a 20-2-1 advantage in Bloomington. The Hoosiers last win over Ohio State was a convincing 41-7 victory in 1988 in Bloomington. Since that loss, the Buckeyes are 9-0-1 against the Hoosiers, the tie (27-all) coming in 1990 in Bloomington. Ohio State has won the last four games played in Bloomington.
BUCKEYE FANS HIT THE ROAD AGAIN
The Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office has sold about 10,000 tickets for the game this week in Bloomington.
A LOOK AT THE BUCKEYES
After opening the season with a 28-14 victory over visiting Akron Sept. 8, the Buckeyes were on the road for the first time last week, losing at UCLA. The Buckeyes trailed 7-6 at the end of the first quarter, a missed extra point accounting for the deficit. UCLA added field goals in the second and third quarters for the only other scoring by either team.
Ohio State thus heads to Indiana and the start of Big Ten play with a 1-1 record. The Buckeyes are averaging 345.5 yards per game and giving up an average of 285.5. In the rushing department, Ohio State is averaging 178.5 yards per game, led by tailback Jonathan Wells, who has 166 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first two games. In the passing department, quarterback Steve Bellisari has thrown for 291 yards and two touchdowns for the Buckeyes, who are averaging 167 yards per game through the air.
The Ohio State defense, meanwhile, has allowed its first two opponents an average of 87.5 yards rushing and 198 yards passing. Linebackers Matt Wilhelm and Joe Cooper lead the defense with 15 and 14 tackles, respectively, while safeties Donnie Nickey and Mike Doss each have 10 stops. The Buckeyes have 22 tackles-for-loss, including five sacks.
DEFENSE EXCELS AGAINST BRUINS
In the game Saturday at UCLA, the Ohio State defense forced seven fumbles, recovering four of those, and held the UCLA offense to 323 total yards, including just 105 yards in the second half. After converting four third-down plays on their first drive, which led to their only touchdown of the day, the Bruins converted just two of 11 the rest of the afternoon.
Linebacker Matt Wilhelm led Ohio State with 10 total tackles, including eight solos and two tackles-for-loss. He also forced a fumble. Strong safety Mike Doss had seven tackles, recovered a fumble and blocked a UCLA punt that Ohio State recovered for a touchdown. And defensive end Tim Cheatwood was credited with five tackles, including a tackle-for-loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. It was a superb defensive effort by the Buckeyes against a veteran and talented offensive team.
UCLA tailback and Heisman Trophy hopeful DeShaun Foster, who had been averaging 149 yards a game, could manage just 66 on 29 carries against the Buckeyes.
GROOM HAS HIS BEST DAY
Punter Andy Groom had his best day as a Buckeye against UCLA, averaging 46.8 yards per punt on six kicks, including a career-best 61-yard boot. A junior from Columbus, Groom walked on in the fall of 1998 and was converted to scholarship just last week.
TRESSEL ON UCLA
“I was proud of our effort. Our players played hard on every play. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to in a couple of areas, but I certainly cannot fault the effort. We need to go back to work this week and try to get better in a lot of areas.”
OHIO STATE COACH JIM TRESSEL
With a 1-1 mark in the early stages of his first year as head coach at Ohio State, Jim Tressel now sports a lifetime record of 136-58-2. Prior to coming to Ohio State, the 48-year-old Tressel spent 15 highly successful years at Youngstown State, where he led the Penguins to four Division 1-AA Na-tional Championships, five trips to the title game (including an unprecedented four in a row) and 10 appearances in the playoffs. Tressel was a four-time choice as the Division 1-AA National Coach of the Year at Youngstown, winning that honor in 1991, ’93, ’94 and ’97. He also was a six-time pick as Ohio Coach of the Year.
Born in Mentor, Ohio, Tressel grew up in Berea, Ohio, where his father, the late Lee Tressel, was the head coach at Baldwin Wallace College and a legendary figure in Ohio college-coaching circles. The elder Tressel led B-W to the 1978 Division III National Championship and was National Coach of the Year that season.
Tressel played for his father at Baldwin Wallace, winning all-conference honors at quarterback as a senior. He graduated cum laude in 1975 with a degree in education and embarked upon his coaching career in 1975 as a graduate assistant at Akron, where he spent four seasons (the last three in a full-time capacity) and earned his master’s degree in education. Tressel’s coaching career then took him to Miami (Ohio) and Syracuse before coming to Ohio State in 1983 as a member of Earle Bruce’s staff. He spent three years as an Ohio State assistant, serving as quarterbacks and receivers coach the first year and taking on the added responsibility of the running backs his last two years. While Tressel was at Ohio State, the Buckeyes posted a combined record of 27-9, played in the Fiesta, Rose and Citrus Bowls and captured the 1984 Big Ten title. Some of his more notable pupils during that time included Cris Carter, Mike Tomczak and Keith Byars.
Tressel left Ohio State following the 1985 season to become head coach at Youngstown State.
He remained there until returning to Ohio State this past January as the 22 nd head football coach in Ohio State history. This will be Tressel’s first Big Ten game and first meeting with Indiana.
SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS
Indiana opened the season with a 35-14 loss at North Carolina State. After their Sept. 15 game with Kentucky was postponed until Dec. 1, the Hoosiers opened their home season this past Saturday against Utah. In that game, Indiana led 20-14 at the end of three quarters, but surrendered a pair of fourth-quarter TD passes to their visitors and fell behind 28-20. Indiana scored with 3:35 to play to draw within two, but the Hoosiers could not convert a two-point attempt that would have tied the game. Antwaan Randle El, who started the season at wide receiver, was back at quarterback against Utah, accounting for 226 yards in total offense. He is the IU leader in that category with 270 yards in two games. He also leads the team in scoring with two touchdowns and is the second leading rusher with 106 yards on 25 carries. Running back Levron Williams leads the Hoosiers in rushing with 119 yards on 20 carries and has scored one touchdown. In the receiving department, flanker Glenn Johnson has seven catches, one more than Williams. Indiana is averaging 331 yards a game in total offense – 167.5 rushing and 163.5 passing. Defensively, the Hoosiers are giving up an average of 404 yards per game, including 260.5 yards through the air. Linebacker Justin Smith has a team high 13 tackles, cornerback Michael Hanley has 12 and linebacker Devin Schafer 10. Defensive end Derek Barnett has three tackles-for-loss and DE Steve Williams has the Hoosiers lone sack. In the turnover department, the Indiana offense has been intercepted once and lost two fumbles, while the defense has recovered one fumble.
CAMERON FACING OSU FOR THE THIRD TIME
Indiana coach Cam Cameron is in his fifth year with the Hoosiers. His career record of 13-33 includes an 0-2 mark this year and an 0-2 ledger against Ohio State, those losses coming in 1997 (31-0 in Columbus) and 1998 (38-7 in Bloomington).
TRESSEL ON THE HOOSIERS
“I know this. They have one of the best athletes in the country in Antwaan Randle El. We will have to get ready for a two-pronged attack, depending on whether they use him at quarterback or somewhere else. And it is the Big Ten opener, so Cam will have them ready to play.”
BUCKEYES IN THE BIG TEN
The Buckeyes rank second in total defense in the Big Ten, allowing an average of 285.5 yards per game. They also are second in rushing defense (87.5 ypg.) and third in scoring defense (13.5 ppg.). OSU is fifth in rushing offense (178.5 ppg.). Individually, Andy Groom ranks second in punting with an average of 47.6 yards per kick.
GETTING THE JOB DONE UP FRONT
The loss of senior defensive ends Rodney Bailey and Brent Johnson, along with the somewhat unexpected departure of tackle Ryan Pickett for the NFL last year, left the Buckeyes with only one returning starter – tackle Mike Collins – on the defensive line. But the OSU defensive front – with Collins and Tim Anderson at tackles and Will Smith and Darrion Scott at ends – has played exceptionally well through the first two games. Additionally, senior Tim Cheatwood, junior Kenny Peterson and freshman Simon Fraser give defensive line coach Jim Heacock seven talented players to rotate. Through the first two games, that group has 11 of the Buckeyes’ 22 tackles-for-loss. They also have three of the team’s five sacks.
BELLISARI EIGHTH IN TOTAL OFFENSE
With 308 yards so far this year, senior quarterback Steve Bellisari now has 4,778 yards in career total offense at Ohio State. That total ranks him eighth on the all-time OSU list. Bellisari also has thrown for 4,250 yards during his career and stands seventh in Ohio State annals.
Ohio State Career Total Offense Leaders 1. Art Schlichter 8,850 1,464 atts. 1978-81 2. Bobby Hoying 7,152 1,026 atts. 1992-95 3. Greg Frey 6,098 988 atts. 1987-90 4. Joe Germaine 6,094 852 atts. 1996-98 5. Mike Tomczak 6,015 858 atts. 1981-83 6. Archie Griffin 5,589 924 atts. 1972-75 7. Jim Karsatos 5,261 759 atts. 1983-86 8. Steve Bellisari 4,778 827 atts. 1998-01
Ohio State Career Passing Yards Leaders 1. Art Schlichter 7,547 497-951 1978-81 2. Bobby Hoying 7,232 498-858 1992-95 3. Joe Germaine 6,370 439-741 1996-98 4. Greg Frey 6,316 443-835 1987-90 5. Mike Tomczak 5,569 376-675 1981-84 6. Jim Karsatos 5,089 359-629 1983-86 7. Steve Bellisari 4,250 287-586 1998-01
COOPER NEARS THE CENTURY MARK
Senior linebacker Joe Cooper had three solo tackles at UCLA and now has 99 solo stops during his career, leaving him one shy of the century mark. Cooper had nine solos in the season opener against Akron and equaled his career high with 10 total tackles.
WALTER RETURNS TO ACTION
Senior Tyson Walter, who sat out all of last year with a back injury, has returned to action and has started the first two games, giving the 6-5, 300-pound senior a string of 39-consecutive starts as the Buckeyes head to Indiana this week.
BUCKEYE INJURY REPORT
Sophomore split end Drew Carter, who has missed the first two games with a foot injury, hopes to return to action this week at Indiana. Prior to being hurt in fall camp, Carter was penciled in as a starter. He had six receptions last year.
OSU FRESHMEN MAKING A CONTRIBUTION
Freshman wide receiver Angelo Chattams hauled in his first collegiate reception at UCLA. Chattams, who also played in the opener with Akron, is one of seven true freshmen who have seen action to date for the Buckeyes. The others are running backs Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall, split end Chris Gamble, defensive tackle Simon Fraser, safety Dustin Fox and kicker Mike Nugent. Additionally, offensive tackle Ryan Cook is on the two deep, but has not recorded any playing time in the first two games.
HOMECOMING FOR RYAN COOK
Freshman offensive tackle Ryan Cook is from Martinsville, Ind., which is located about 25 miles north of Bloomington. Cook currently is listed as the Buckeyes’ No. 2 left tackle behind Tyson Walter.
OHIO STATE’S ALL-AMERICA CANDIDATES
The Buckeyes, the most decorated team in the 1990s in terms of major individual awards, always seem to have their share of All-America candidates and this year is no exception. On offense, center LeCharles Bentley is an All-America and Outland Trophy candidate. A veteran of 38 games and 21-consecutive starts, the 6-2, 300-pound senior is the wheelhorse of the Buckeyes’ offensive front. Additionally, left tackle Tyson Walter was headed for stardom last year until being sidelined with an injury. When healthy, Walter is a very good football player. On defense, tackle Mike Collins and safety Mike Doss are on the preseason watch list for the Lombardi and Thorpe awards, respectively. Both are coming off exceptional years and are among the best in the country at their positions. Although fullbacks rarely make All-America teams in this day and age, Jamar Martin is an exceptional football player and team leader. And linebackers Joe Cooper (a third-team All-America by the Associated Press last year) and Matt Wilhelm are both capable of playing their way into contention for the Butkus Award.
BUCKEYE CAPTAINS
Seniors Steve Bellisari, Jamar Martin, Joe Cooper and Mike Collins are the 2001 Ohio State captains. Bellisari and Cooper also were captains last season and are the first repeat captains at OSU since Pepper Johnson in 1984 and ’85.
WALTER NOMINATED FOR NFFHF SCHOLARSHIP
Offensive tackle Tyson Walter has been nominated for a 2001 National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholarship. Walter, from Bainbridge, Ohio, graduated from Ohio State in the winter of 2000 with a degree in finance and is currently completing work on degrees in economics, risk management and information services. In addition to being an honors student, he has started 39-consecutive games and is in his fourth year as a starter for the Buckeyes. Over the years, Ohio State has had a Big Ten record 18 NFFHF scholarship winners.
THE COACHING ASSIGNMENTS (WHO’S UP AND WHO’S DOWN)
On offense, quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels and tight ends coach Bill Conley will be in the press box during the game, assisted by offensive graduate assistant Jim Bridge. Offensive coordinator Jim Bollman and running backs coach Tim Spencer will be on the sidelines. On defense, linebackers coach Mark Snyder, defensive backs mentor Mel Tucker and grad assistant Brandon Blaney will be upstairs, while defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio, defensive line coach Jim Heacock and special teams coordinator Ken Conatser will be on the field.
TYREE MOVES OVER
True freshman Andree Tyree has moved from the defensive line to the offensive line and will now wear jersey No. 69 instead of 99.
HICKS OSU’S LATEST HALL OF FAME SELECTION
Former All-American offensive tackle John Hicks is the latest Ohio State player to be selected for the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. Hicks, who won first-team All-America honors in 1972 and ’73, is the 18 th Ohio State player to be selected. He will be recognized at halftime of the Ohio State-Wisconsin game Oct. 13 and will be officially inducted in New York in December. Hicks won the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award as a senior. He also finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1973.
BUCKEYES RETURN HOME NEXT WEEK
After two weeks on the road, Ohio State returns home next week to face defending Big Ten co-champion Northwestern. Game time Saturday in Ohio Stadium (101,568) is 7:45 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN. The late Les Horvath, Ohio State’s first Heisman Trophy winner (1944) will have his No. 22 retired at halftime. He will be represented by his widow, Ruby Horvath.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Buckeyes opened the 2001 campaign Sept. 8 with a 28-14 win over Akron in front of an Ohio Stadium record crowd of 102,602. The game marked the debut of new Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel and the unveiling of refurbished Ohio Stadium.
“I saw a lot of things I liked out there,” Tressel said. “We played hard, we competed, we played with class and we played through our fatigue. We made some mistakes, but I didn’t expect us to be perfect. We need to get to work now and get better. I tend to believe that a team does make the most improvement between the first and second games.”
The Buckeyes rolled up 525 yards in total offense and ran 85 plays (20 more than Akron) on a hot, humid day.
Quarterbacks Steve Bellisari and Scott McMullen threw for 289 yards, spreading the ball around to seven different receivers. Bellisari had a pair of touchdown passes and sophomore split end Michael Jenkins had six receptions for 106 yards in his first career start.
Senior tailback Jonathan Wells ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. The Buckeyes netted 236 yards rushing.
Meanwhile, the Ohio State defense limited the Zips to 248 yards (114 rushing and 134 passing) and one touchdown. Senior linebacker Joe Cooper had a team high 9.5 tackles.
The Buckeyes led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and were ahead 21-0 before Akron got on the board with just over two minutes to play in the first half. The two teams traded long touchdowns in the second half, the Buckeyes scoring on a 61-yard pass in the third quarter, and the Zips on an 87-yard interception return in the fourth.
MEDIA INFORMATION
Coach Tressel’s weekly Media Luncheon is held each Tuesday at the Buckeye Hall of Fame Caf©, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Selected Ohio State players will be available for interviews at the luncheon and on Tuesday following practice (approximately 5:30 p.m.) A reminder, too, that ALL requests for player, assistant coach and head coach interviews must be directed to either Steve Snapp, Pat Chun or Dan Wallenberg in the Ohio State Athletics Communications Office (614/292-3103 or 292-6861). Also, television stations are asked not to interview players coming off the field following the completion of the game. The first opportunity to interview players after a game will be in the interview room after Coach Tressel has spoken with the team.
