Fall is in the Air

Okay, it is 90+ degrees here in Columbus but in one week, the Bucks report back for fall camp and the football season is just around the corner! Hard to believe.

It has become known that while the running back stable has been thought to be stuffed to the gills, two RBs expected to compete for playing time remain questionable for camp. Jermil Martin, the beefy RB who was among my personal favorites last season is currently academically ineligible. He is in summer school but reports do not sound promising. Earlier this summer it was widely rumored that he wanted to transfer, but his academic issues would also keep him from other NCAA rosters. Martin is a 3rd year sophomore. Incoming freshman Rod Smith is working on finishing a class at his high school, Fort Wayne (IN) Harding. At 6'3", some thought that Smith could have contended immediately for playing time for the Buckeyes this fall. If he misses fall camp, he will be behind the 8-ball.

The Bucks do come to camp loaded in the back field with returners Boom Herron and Brandon Saine and newcomers Jamaal Berry who flashed greatness in preseason last year before contending with injuries resulting in a redshirt year and Carlos Hyde, a highly touted incoming freshman this fall.

Talk around the possible Heisman run of Terrelle Pryor has been relatively quiet ... a wait and see approach from most fans. Was the Rose Bowl Pryor's coming out party or an aberration? While Florida State is actively promoting Christian Ponder for the Heisman, for example, the Buckeye camp seems rather quiet on this front. Pryor will not be at the Big Ten luncheon next week.

Big news in C-bus is the return of Maurice Clarett to OSU ... no, his football eligibility is gone ... he's going to class to attempt to finish his degree. See the story at the following link for more on Jim Tressel's involvement with (and forgiveness of) Mo-C. Tressel apparently had a hand in Mo-C's return to class. Interesting, to say the least. Response from OSU campus has been mixed.

http://www.theozone.net/football/2010/summer/clarett_Tressel.htm

And Buckeyes everywhere mourn the passing of Jack Tatum. One of the Buckeye greats, Tatum's passing was worthy of national coverage by NBC's regular evening news program yesterday (7/27/10). That surprised me a little, but of course, they had to focus in on his "hit" in the NFL. Tressel began his head coaching career paying homage to Tatum by naming a weekly award for Tatum (hit of the week). No word yet from OSU or the Athletic Department on how his career will be celebrated, but expect something at a game this fall. Long-time friend of Jack Tatum, John Hicks, was widely interviewed locally last night indicating that Tatum's passing was a surprise despite Tatum's well-known health problems. At 61, it was far too early.

"We have lost one of our greatest Buckeyes," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said in a statement. "When you think of Ohio State defense, the first name that comes to mind is Jack Tatum. His loss touches every era of Ohio State players and fans."

As much as I think I know about OSU football, I did not know that Tatum was originally recruited as a running back. Assistant coach Lou Holtz almost immediately saw Tatum's talent and asked Coach Woody Hayes to have Tatum moved to safety. Tatum was a 3-year starter who played on the 1968 national championship team. In the Rose Bowl, he ran down OJ Simpson from behind, as then-Assistant Coach Earle Bruce remembers.

He will always be a Buckeye!

Well, hold on to your Woody hats, Buckeye fans! The season is about to get underway.
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A little controversy ... though I see none

A few local sports radio jocks were trying to make something of Tressel's announcement that Terrelle Pryor would not be among the three players he is taking to the Big Ten luncheon the first week in August. He's taking 3 seniors ... I see no controversy.

Going are Cameron Heyward, consensus top 5 pick in next year's draft and hands down captain; Dane Sanzenbacher, likely a solid NFL prospect and likely captain; and Bryant Browning, senior linemen. I feel sorry for Browning because he is a bit of a fish out of water ... I mean who wants to talk to an O-lineman. He will probably field a lot of questions about Terrelle, as will Sanzenbacher. But here's the thing ... the three Tress is bringing are proven to be articulate, reserved, concise in their comments, and team-guys. None of these guys is going to stray from the script. Cameron is actually quite engaging and Dane, well he's darn hot.

So why is Terrelle staying in C-bus? Well, short of Tress or the SID sitting next to Terrelle at every interview with a hand firmly planted on his thigh such that if he even breathes off script he feels a sharp pain, he's still a loose cannon. Take his pre-Rose Bowl interview. Did anyone need to know about his knee injury? And you know that the questions will be filled with pre-season team hype, Heisman hype, and attempts to get him to tell us again that "everyone murders" ...

So Terrelle is continuing to stay tight to the weight room at the Woody Hayes while his three teammates head to Chicago. And there will be no shortage of questions ...

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