Fox Looks to Improve on Stellar Freshman Campaign – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/13/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 13, 2002
Dustin Fox propelled himself into the starting lineup for the Ohio State football team as a contributor in the defensive secondary a year ago. He opened the 2001 season on the sidelines and saw some playing time as the year progressed until he broke into a starting role against Northwestern (Oct. 6). The Canton, Ohio, native concluded his freshman year starting in the Outback Bowl and being voted as the Buckeyes’ most outstanding first-year defensive player.
“I had a good first year,” Fox said. “I came in and progressively earned more playing time. I worked hard and it paid off when I got to start toward the end of the season. The whole year allowed me to build confidence heading into this year and I am excited to show my improvement from last year.”
The leader in minutes played for freshmen, Fox capitalized on his playing time to make several outstanding plays. The first was a forced fumble against Indiana. The second was an interception on the last play of the Michigan game, the first pick of his career, to seal a 26-20 OSU victory.
“Last year will definitely help me this year because I have some game experience and great memories,” Fox said. “It has built my confidence level and that should help my game improve. I also will be more comfortable on the field in my covers and that should help the defense.” With one year under his belt, Fox is more prepared for the 13-game schedule that awaits the Buckeyes this year. He also realizes the room for improvement before and during the 2002 season after making the switch from safety to corner back.
“I want to improve all aspects of my game and build on what I accomplished last year,” Fox said. “Playing cornerback is a lot different than playing safety. I want to improve my man-to-man coverage and mostly my fundamentals. That will allow me to just go out there and play and be a contributor.
With another talented corps of defensive backs entering camp this year, Fox has found himself in the role of mentor. After all, who better for a rookie player to talk to about making an impact than a veteran player one year removed from rookie-status?
“I think I can offer some guidance to the younger guys,” Fox said. “If they have questions about anything, no matter what it is, they can ask. I have been there in their shoes and know what they are going through. I did it all last year.”
