Football
Thursday Tressel Talk: Can the Line Stop What's Coming?
By Brandon CastelFacing one of the top defensive front seven's in the Big Ten, if not the country, Ohio State's offensive line turned in what was arguably their best performance of the season Saturday at Penn State.
Just three weeks removed from their most abysmal performance of the season at Purdue – a game in which quarterback Terrelle Pryor was sacked five times – the Buckeye offensive line allowed zero sacks against the nation's second most sack-happy defense as Ohio State ran for 228 yards on the Big Ten's stingiest run defense.
Now the question is, can they do it again?
After getting the best of Jared Odrick and the Nittany Lion's last week, the Buckeyes will have to strap it up tight for another fierce battle in the trenches as they lock horns with a staunch Iowa defensive front in the Horseshoe.
"They do two things extremely well. One is they put pressure on you with their front, which affects the quarterback; which is what they try to do. And two, they always keep the ball in front of them," OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel said at his weekly Thursday press conference.
"They're going to drop, their eyes are going to be on the football. They play a little bit of man, but not much. They'll come after you. When the ball's in front of them and there's pressure, maybe the pass is only off by a little bit and it catches someone's hand and then it's up in the air."
That's exactly how the Hawkeyes overcame a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit against Indiana two weeks ago when they took their first lead of the game at 28-24 on an 86-yard interception return for a touchdown by safety Tyler Sash in the fourth quarter.
"The big one that turned around the Indiana game was a pressure," Tressel said.
"They were down there on the four and they blitzed like crazy and the ball got batted. Their d-line does a great job. I bet you they've batted 25 balls down. That one they batted and it hit a guy and hit another guy and they were screaming to the ball and No.9 catches it and goes 86 yards and they turn the game around."
It's the kind of play that could swing momentum just enough Saturday to allow the Hawkeyes to overcome a feeble offense that will be playing without quarterback Ricky Stanzi.
Strength in Numbers
If the Buckeyes are going to have a chance to neutralize Iowa's active front four, they will need all the help they can get on the offensive line. Right tackle J.B. Shugarts went down with what appeared to be a serious leg injury in Happy Valley, but Tressel said Thursday he expects to have him and classmate Mike Adams available Saturday.
"They both practiced. Adams all the time, Shugarts maybe half or two-thirds of the time. It's a shorter day today so I expect them to get all the reps today."
Adams, who was suspended for the first two games of the season, has been out since the Purdue game with a knee injury. He started four games at left tackle before having minor surgery and will likely split time with Andrew Miller and possibly even Jim Cordle at left tackle against the Hawkeyes.
"I don't know if he's ready to play 60 plays," Tressel said of Adams.
"He'll play, but two or more guys will play at either tackle spot."
Assuming Shugarts is able to go, the Buckeyes would likely use a rotation of Miller and Adams on the left side and Shugarts and freshman Marcus Hall on the right side, with the possibility of Cordle getting reps at both tackle spots.
"This week he's worked at both," offensive coordinator/ line coach Jim Bollman said.
"It sure is wonderful to have a guy like that who can literally play any position."
Bollman likes what he has seen out of Hall as a freshman this season, but if Shugarts isn't able to start, the Buckeyes will probably go with Miller on the left side and Cordle on the right side like they did late in the game against Penn State, which just happens to be their opening day lineup .
"We've got more guys ready to go (than we have in a while). They're available, as to what percentage they are, I'm not sure," Tressel said.
Extra Points
-Sophomore Keith Wells has been playing the role of defensive end Adrian Clayborn in practice. Clayborn is tied for second in the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks this season. Tressel also said they plan to redshirt Wells after he played sparingly as a true freshman last season.
-Tressel didn't know which tailback would start the game against Iowa, but said that Brandon Saine and Boom Herron will both play. Jordan Hall will be ready to go if needed and Jermil Martin is the "lefty in the bullpen."
-Tressel said Jermale Hines is "banged up in general" but he will be ready to go and not limited Saturday.
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