FB: Ohio State Picked First In The Big Ten; Watch Tressel’s Press Conference – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State Buckeyes were picked as the preseason favorites for the 2009 football season by media members attending the conference’s football media day. Penn State was tabbed to finish second, and Michigan State was third. In addition, the media panel named Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Michigan State linebacker Greg Jones Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
“It’s not so much that it’s an honor for me, but I look at it as a compliment to the Buckeyes,” said Pryor of the announcement. “We take pride in playing in the Big Ten and the conference championships we’ve won. This just shows that others know we intend to be very competitive again this year.”
Jim Tressel, who last season became just the fourth coach in Big Ten history to win five or more titles in his first eight years with a conference institution. Ohio State returns 12 starters from a year ago, including Pryor, the Big Ten’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Ohio State enters the 2009 season in search of its fifth consecutive Big Ten title. OSU finished last season with a 10-3 overall mark and tied with Penn State for the conference title with a 7-1 mark during Big Ten play. The Buckeyes are once again led by head coach
Last year’s co-champion, Penn State was selected to finish second this year after ending last season with a 7-1 mark in conference and an 11-2 overall record. Last year’s Big Ten title marked the team’s third overall. Michigan State was tabbed to finish third in 2009 following a 2008 campaign in which the Spartans finished 9-4 overall with a 6-2 mark in conference play.
Pryor is set to lead the Buckeyes following a season in which he was named the conference’s Freshman of the Year. The quarterback led the Big Ten with a pass efficiency rating of 151.3 in conference games, making him the first freshman to top the conference in the category since the stat was introduced in 1980.
The 114th season of Big Ten football kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 3, as Indiana hosts Eastern Kentucky. The conference’s other 10 teams open action on Saturday, Sept. 5.
For updated information, go to www.OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
###OhioStateBuckeyes.com###
