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| Sunday, August 12 Updated: August 13, 10:39 PM ET First-year coach Tressel sparks Ohio State By Jeff Potrykus Special to ESPN.com |
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Ohio State Buckeyes 2000 record: 8-4 (5-3). Coach: Jim Tressel (first year). Starters returning: 6 offense, 6 defense. Outlook: Ohio State fans are understandably jittery about how the Buckeyes are going to score points this season. Remember that the Buckeyes' offense failed to finish in the top five of the Big Ten in any major statistical category last season. And that was with receivers Ken-Yon Rambo and Reggie Germany and tailback Derek Combs in the lineup. Depth along the offensive line is questionable; there is no proven tailback and the receivers are new. And of course there are the annual doubts about quarterback Steve Bellisari. As a result, the defense will have to keep games close again this season. Fortunately for Tressel, most of the team's talent resides on that side of the ball. The linebackers and secondary have the potential to be outstanding, though two new cornerbacks must hold their own so the safety tandem of Mike Doss and Donnie Nickey can support against the run. The largest unknown is how well the defensive line will hold up with three new starters. If the line performs adequately enough, the linebackers and defensive backs should be able to wreak havoc. Keep an eye on: Bellisari. The senior who has started 21 games at quarterback, is running out of chances. Ohio State is just 12-9 in those starts and Bellisari's numbers aren't impressive. He has completed less than 50 percent of his passes and although 25 of his completions have been for touchdowns, 22 others have been caught by the opposition. The best-case scenario would be for the Buckeyes' rushing attack to remove some of Bellisari's burden. The worst-case scenario would be if the running game falters and Bellisari has to make plays on his own. Key game: Do we really need to spell this one out? Tressel's first test against hated Michigan comes on Nov. 24 in Ann Arbor, Mich. On the day he was hired Tressel grabbed a microphone during halftime of an Ohio State men's basketball game and confidently predicted the fans would be proud of the football team's performance against the Wolverines. We'll see if Tressel can walk the walk in November. It's a good year if... The Buckeyes beat Michigan. The regular season ends in Ann Arbor and Tressel's honeymoon might end there, too, if the Buckeyes lose. In broader terms, there appear to be too many question marks on offense for this team to win the conference title. Although three of the four Big Ten road games appear winnable (Indiana, Penn State and Minnesota), home games against Northwestern, Wisconsin and Purdue could prove daunting. John Cooper won eight regular-season games in his final season. Matching that in 2001 could be asking too much of Tressel. Jeff Potrykus covers the Big Ten for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. |
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