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Football
Two-Minute Drill: Fickell’s First Press Luncheon
By Brandon Castel

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State Head Coach Luke Fickell met with the media Tuesday for his first press luncheon.

Here is a rundown of what was said leading into the first game of the 2011 season.

• Fickell was unsure of his wardrobe for Saturday’s game, but it doesn’t sound like he has any plans to wear a sweater vest. He said his wife, Amy, will be the one picking out his outfit.

Buckeyes Going with Game Captains

• Ohio State has opted not to name set captains for the 2011 season, opting instead to use a game-by-game format.

• Senior offensive linemen Michael Brewster and J.B. Shugarts, along with junior defensive lineman John Simon, will serve as the captains for the opener against Akron.

• Fickell said the team will eventually have set captains, but not until the end of the year, likely before the team banquet.

• Fickell said that it’s about the whole group of seniors and they didn't want a popularity contest to decide who the leaders would be.

• He said that leadership should develop over the course of the season and at the end guys will know who the best leaders were.

• Brewster, a top candidate to serve as captain this year, said it would have been cool to be a captain for the entire season, but it’s about what is best for the team.

Bauserman to Start

• Taking a line from Jim Tressel, Fickell all but named senior Joe Bauserman as the team’s starting quarterback for Saturday.

• He said if the game was today, Bauserman would take the first snap.

• Fickell said it was leadership that has given Bauserman enough separation from Braxton Miller to make him the starter Saturday.

• Fickell also said that they will use both quarterbacks as they continue to create competition.

• He did say that Braxton Miller has impressed everyone on the staff this fall, and that’s why he will be out there on the field Saturday.

Berry Questionable for Saturday

• Tailback Jaamal Berry was left off Ohio State’s two-deep for the season-opener.

• Fickell said Tuesday that Berry has not practiced this week because of the hamstring issue and is questionable for Saturday’s game.

• If Berry can’t play, WR Chris Fields would take his spot on kick return while Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith pick up his carries behind Jordan Hall.

Linsley to Miss Two Games

• As expected, Fickell confirmed that backup guard Corey Linsley would not be active for Saturday’s opener.

• Linsley was the team’s first-team right guard in the spring, but spent the fall backing up Marcus Hall.

• Fickell also confirmed that Linsley likely will not be available for week two of the season, which lends credence to the rumor that he was suspended for the first two games.

Sabino Will Give it a Go

• Despite breaking his left hand doing the team’s jersey scrimmage, LB Etienne Sabino will be available to play this Saturday against Akron.

• Sabino missed practice last week but he is back at practice this week. He will wear a soft cast Saturday and will at least play Sam LB in the base defense.

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