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On August 21, media, in theory, got access to all of the players and coaches to solicit comments about their hopes and concerns for the coming season at Ohio State.
Try to get a straight answer and even the new freshmen seem to have been schooled in humility.
“I just want to contribute to the team goals; whatever they want me to do is fine,” is the common mantra.
Eventually, you get tired of asking. You need to be a bit of a body language scholar if you really want to get an insight to their true feelings. Sometimes a flinch, stutter or frown may indicate an area of discomfort.
The biggest question since early spring still is “who will be the new quarterback”. A quick glance around the field and it was evident who the media felt the leading candidates are — senior Joe Bausserman and freshman Braxton Miller. If the number of microphones and TV cameras in their face is any indication, Miller has the lead.
Both candidates seem very cool, mature and humble, although Miller seems seven to eight years younger than Bausserman, but Braxton Miller’s scrambling ability will win over Bausserman’s strong, less accurate arm.
Don’t get me wrong, Bausserman is good but with some real time experience, but Miller could pass him up.
Toledo area residents can be proud there are four players on the team from the area, including Ben St. John (Woodmore).
Jack Mewhort from Toledo St. John’s will start on the line. At 6-foot-6 inches and 303 pounds, he should be able to create a few holes in the opponent’s D-line. Other Toledo area athletes are freshman DerJuan Gambrell from Rogers and Kenny Hayes from Whitmer. If they turn out to be half the player that receiver Dane Sanzenbacher (Central Catholic), who is now playing for the Chicago Bears, was, the area will have made its contribution.
Some preseason polls have OSU at No. 17 and Michigan is not even listed in the top 25. These polls are usually fine but both teams should do better than that. Michigan is coming around and may surprise a few this year. Yep, you are hearing that from a Buckeye fan but believe it. Both teams are better than the Big Ten hating pollsters will admit.
While in “The Shoe” for Media Day, I made it a point to rub my bare hand on one of the tattooed arms of a player and then I rubbed his other arm that did not have a tattoo. Guess what? Albeit an unscientific test, it indicated to me that here is no difference in the coefficient of friction for the skin with a tattoo and skin without a tattoo. So, the ability to hang on to an opponent or a football better because of a tattoo is non-existent, like the old story goes. The Bucks did not have an unfair advantage last year. Blue, they just plain beat you.
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