Sunday, January 03, 1999
Cooper impressed with local Buckeyes
Says FB Keller could be captain
BY JOHN ERARDI
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEW ORLEANS — Ohio State coach John Cooper said the three most under-rated Buckeyes this year were fullback Matt Keller, cornerback Ahmed Plummer and linebacker Jerry Rudzinski.
“Those three kids might be as valuable as any players we have on our team,” Cooper said.
Rudzinski, a senior from Kettering Alter, played his last game as a Buckeye in OSU's 24-14 Sugar Bowl victory over Texas A&M Friday .
But Keller, a Moeller High grad, and Plummer, a Wyoming High grad, are both juniors and will be back next year.
Plummer and free safety Gary Berry, also a junior, will be the only veterans in the secondary because seniors Antoine Winfield (cornerback) and Damon Moore (strong safety) — both of whom are first-team Associated Press All-Americans — are headed to the NFL.
Both Plummer and Berry had good Sugar Bowls: Berry led the team with 12 tackles (11 unassisted) and Plummer was second with 10, all of them unassisted.
Plummer also led the defensive backs with three pass breakups, and the Texas A&M Aggies picked on him just as other teams have done all year long. But Plummer held up well, even against the run, where he has showed himself this year to be a solid, reliable open-field tackler with some pop.
That was one of his goals going into this season.
Keller had another bruising game. Typically, he didn't get his hands on the ball much (four rushes for 15 yards, a 3.8 average, and one catch for seven yards), but he threw block after block to help spring running backs Michael Wiley and Joe Mont gomery.
“I wouldn't be surprised if Keller is selected (by his teammates) as one of the team captains next year,” said Cooper, who has called the captaincy the greatest honor a player can receive at OSU.
“You don't find many guys who play down after down after down when they're blocking a linebacker or blocking a defensive end, taking a pounding play after play after play and are able to hold up over an entire season. But Matt (didn't) miss a snap this year.”
Complete bowl coverage from Associated Press:
Orange Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
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Fans warm to Larkin
Greene, Baerga to see Red next year?
Hearty fans make it through
Bearcats turn up pressure
C-USA PREVIEW
Time for Xavier to get intense
A-10 PREVIEW
