Friday, October 01, 1999
OSU opens play in strong Big Ten
Buckeyes must toughen to win
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
There's good news and bad news for Ohio State this week: The Big Ten season starts Saturday.
That's the good news and the bad news.
It's good, because the Buckeyes, who lost their season opener and have struggled in winning two of their three games since, get a fresh start and still have a chance at a Big Ten title until someone proves otherwise.
But it's bad, because the caliber of competition is about to get significantly higher. If you don't look good beating Ohio and Cincinnati, how are you going to handle Penn State and Michigan?
The 12th-ranked Buckeyes (3-1) must hope they will rise to the challenge, beginning at 3:30p.m. Saturday against Wisconsin at Ohio Stadium.
“Big Ten play is a totally different ballgame,” senior offensive tackle Tyson Walter said. “That UCLA game was big (in the second week), but in the Big Ten, every game is huge, every game is a rivalry in its own right. It makes everyone play that much harder. There's a lot in terms of ego and bragging rights.”
The Big Ten this year is deep and strong and could produce a national championship game participant — probably Penn State or Michigan, who meet Nov.13 in State College, Pa. But it's not a two-team league; the Big Ten is stacked with tough tests. Big Ten teams went 28-7 in nonconference games this season, their best mark since 1960.
Penn State is ranked No.2, has a suffocating defense and has perhaps the nation's best linebacker (LaVar Arrington), one of the league's top receivers (Chafie Fields) and a pair of quarterbacks (Kevin Thompson and Rashard Casey) who both have played well in crucial situations. Ohio State plays at State College Oct.16.
No.4 Michigan may have the league's best quarterback duo — senior starter Tom Brady (who pulled out the late win over Notre Dame) and sophomore Drew Henson (who played the final three quarters in the win over Syracuse). Ohio State visits Ann Arbor Nov.20.
No.11 Purdue has the league's best quarterback, Heisman Trophy candidate Drew Brees, and at 4-0 is off to its best start since 1967. No.14 Michigan State has shown a dangerous all-around offense with quarterback Bill Burke, tailback Lloyd Clemons and receivers Gari Scott, Plax Burress and Chris Baker, all among conference leaders in receiving. Ohio State plays host to Purdue next weekend and visits East Lansing Nov.6.
Wisconsin, despite dropping consecutive games to Cincinnati and Michigan, has the conference's best running back in Ron Dayne (153 yards per game). Ohio State fits into the superlatives with arguably the league's best receiving tandem, game- breaker Ken-Yon Rambo and steady Reggie Germany. Rambo is second in the league in receiving yards per game with 101.8.
“If you're not motivated going into the Big Ten season, I don't know what's going to motivate you,” Rambo said.
Big Ten play brings its own bruising style with which the Buckeyes are familiar. That could help Ohio State fix some of its holes. Physical dominance has not been a trademark of the 1999 Buckeyes — in fact, they've looked soft at times — but they'll have to play that way to win. It could be the major sticking point for OSU this season.
“It's more physical,” Walter said. “You've got all kinds of athletes, but we'll still have to be able to pound the ball.”
If the Buckeyes are to challenge for the conference title, they must:
• Defend better against the run and get more pressure on the quarterback. The Buckeyes' pass defense has been as soft as mushy jello, but the run defense has been worse.
• Cover the pass better. The Bucks' zone got burned big time in the loss to Miami and in last week's win over Cincinnati.
• Run the ball better. OSU needs better blocking from its offensive line, period.
“It's the little things — execution, not having mental breakdowns,” Walter said. “We've had plays where we were one block, half a foot away from being in position to spring (running back Michael Wiley).”
• Get more consistency from Steve Bellisari. The sophomore quarterback has looked sharp at times, but he also has been erratic on shorter throws.
Of course, it's not as if the Buckeyes don't have some bright spots. But some won't be enough to win the Big Ten.
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