Football
Luncheon Day Notebook: Stanzi Out, Heyward Coming Back?
By Brandon Castel"When we started this, Kilmer said 48 minutes for the next 48 years of our lives. I say (forget) that. Let's go out there and play the next 24 minutes for the next 24 minutes. And we'll leave it all out on the field.
"We have the rest of our lives to be mediocre, but we have the chance to play like gods for the next half of football. But we can't be afraid to lose. There's no room for fear in this game. And if we go out there and half-ass it because we're scared, then we're left with nothing but an excuse. We'll always wonder. But if we go out there and give it all we got, that's heroic."
Those were the famous words – or not so famous to those unfamiliar with the movie Varsity Blues – of actor James Van Der Beek, who played West Canaan quarterback Jonathon 'Mox' Moxon, in his halftime speech during the big game.
Iowa's backup quarterback James Vandenberg will get a similar opportunity to be mediocre the rest of his life, but he will have a chance to play the role of hero in Saturday's big game, as the Hawkeyes travel to Columbus with a Big Ten Championship and trip to the Rose Bowl on the line against Ohio State.
Vandendberg was thrust into action this past week against Northwestern when starter Ricky Stanzi went down with what appears to be a regular-season-ending ankle injury in the Hawkeyes 17-10 loss, their first of the season.
"Quarterback-wise, obviously the word we have is that Stanzi is out," OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel said at his weekly Tuesday media luncheon.
"We're going to prepare for what Iowa does because they're not going to change who they are if indeed they do change quarterbacks, they're still going to be who they are. That's what, in our estimation, has made Iowa such a solid program is that they know what they believe in, they know what they teach, their young people do a good job of learning what they teach, so I don't know that they'll change dramatically if indeed they have a difference at quarterback."
Although Stanzi had thrown 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions this season, he did have the Hawkeyes undefeated and ranked seventh in the country before his fumble in the end zone and subsequent injury prevented Iowa from staging their usual late-game comeback against the Wildcats.
Iowa Head Coach Kirk Farentz said Tuesday that Stanzi would miss the game against OSU, and likely the following one against Minnesota, following surgery. Having a redshirt freshman under center in Ohio Stadium for what equates to an unofficial Big Ten title game is not what Farentz had envisioned, but it won't change the way the Buckeye defense approaches the game.
"We go into every game with the primary objective of our defense is to make sure we affect the quarterback, affect him with his decision-making, whether that be with disguise or looks or whatever it happens to be, affect him with his ability to throw the ball," Tressel said, "which you can do that with your rush, your coverage, so forth, and affect him from a physical standpoint.
"You want to get to the quarterback and you want to get after him and so we won't all of a sudden say, 'hey, this week let's get after the quarterback more,' because we do it – that's what we do."Heyward Sticking Around?
The Buckeyes certainly implemented that game plan this past week in Happy Valley, as they hounded PSU quarterback Daryll Clark with consistent pressure. Junior Cam Heyward sacked Clark on the very first play of the game, setting the tone for the night, as Heyward went on to capture Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for his 11-tackle, 2-sack performance.
It was the kind of dominant performance that causes people around the country to take notice, and one that led many to question whether or not Heyward would be playing on Sundays next season. The son of former NFL running back Craig "Ironhead" Heyward was asked about making an early jump Tuesday.
"I've already thought that I'm coming back for next year," he said."I want to help this team as much as I can because they've given so much to me. You can't even think about it during the season. You've got so much football to look forward to."
Coach Tressel's philosophy for underclassmen has always pushed a player towards going if he is considered a first round talent and staying if he's not, but Heyward doesn't think the NFL paperwork will change much for him.
"No. There's a lot of guys on this team I love and I want to send them out right. I can't even think about that right now because I have to send them out right first."
It would only be natural if Heyward gave it more thought after the season is completed.
Updating Injuries
No team in the Big Ten has been hit harder by injuries this season than Iowa, who will line up Saturday with a backup quarterback and third string tailback, but the Buckeyes have had their fair share of injury issues this season.
Starting right tackle J.B. Shugarts went down with what appeared to be a left leg injury in the win over Penn State, but it appears the Buckeyes may have finally caught a break as Tressel expects to have the sophomore back at some point this week.
"The report I got this morning on the medical report was that they thought he was coming along good that the best plan might be not to overdo today and perhaps get lots of work beginning tomorrow."
With Shugarts limited, the Buckeyes will go with a rotation of Andrew Miller, Jim Cordle and Marcus Hall at the two tackle spots today in practice, with Miller playing the left side, Hall the right side and Cordle getting work at both spots.
The Buckeyes could also get an extra boost on the offensive line this week with the anticipated return of left tackle Mike Adams, who has missed the last three games with an injured knee.
"Adams comes back this week probably with limited volume, probably maybe a third of today's practice, and then see how he handles it," Tressel said.
"It would be a heck of a bonus for us if all of a sudden he got back to the point where he could help us on Saturday."
On the other side of the line, the Buckeyes are hoping for a boost from nose tackle Dexter Larimore, who was also out with a knee injury. The 300-pound junior returned to action against Penn State after missing five games, but only played in a handful of plays.
"Dexter Larimore got in a play or two Saturday and should be a lot further along this weekend," Tressel said.
Tressel also expects quarterback Terrelle Pryor and tailback Boom Herron to be ready to go this week against Iowa.
"They said he could have gone back in," Tressel said of Herron.
"I haven't seen Terrelle do anything because we haven't practiced yet since Saturday. In talking to him yesterday, it seemed like he was doing great."
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