Colleges

Losses to NFL don't slow this defense

The defense was supposed to be the weak link this season.

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published January 7, 2007

GLENDALE, Ariz. - The defense was supposed to be the weak link this season.

How could it not be?

The Buckeyes had to replace nine starters, six of whom were NFL draft picks, including linebackers A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter and safety Donte Whitner in the first round.

And yet the revamped defense is statistically better.

OSU has the nation's No. 1 scoring defense 10.4 points per game to 15.2 last year and is No. 11 in total defense (273 yards, down from an average of 281.3 last year).

"We lost a lot of people," sophomore cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. "So, we all were pretty much starting off fresh. I think this year we are all so young that we are still very coachable. We pay attention to everything the coaches say and try to do everything they want us to do. ... Last year we had a lot of veterans. They already know everything. They did everything they wanted to do."

"Last year considering everybody talked about so many top draft picks and NFL guys, you still need 11 guys working together," echoed senior tackle Quinn Pitcock. "I think they sometimes got in trouble trying to make a big play to impress people for the NFL. We've got guys (now) who are just trying to make the starting lineup. The team effort, us working together, is really what has (helped us) become a better team."

FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS: This trip to the Phoenix area is the fourth in five years for OSU, so the upperclassmen are familiar with places to go for food. For Troy Smith, that means one thing: In-N-Out Burger.

"Probably the height of my day every day is getting the chance to go (there)," Smith said. "I love those cheeseburgers."

But what makes this chain's burgers so good?

"For the folks back in Ohio, they need to understand that first and foremost, it's a fresh burger," he said. "The lettuce and tomatoes are extremely fresh. And they toast the buns. That's huge. That's key ... the sandwich is incredible after a long night."

The chain, however, is limited to Arizona, California and Nevada.

DID YOU KNOW?: OSU is 4-0 in showdowns between the top two ranked teams, including 24-7 at No. 2 Texas on Sept. 9 and 42-39 against No. 2 Michigan on Nov. 18. The others came when No. 1 OSU beat No. 2 Southern California in the 1969 Rose Bowl and when No. 2 OSU upset No. 1 Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.

Brian Landman can be reached at landman@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3347.

[Last modified January 7, 2007, 05:38:34]