http://http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050418/SPORTS/504180327/1006
CB spot up for grabs in hard-hitting OSU secondary
Mansfield native to be in the mix as freshman for Buckeyes
By Jon Spencer
News Journal
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COLUMBUS -- Admittedly biased,
Cleveland Glenville football coach Ted Ginn Sr. knows whom he would like to see fill the starting cornerback vacancy at Ohio State.
Surprise, it's not his son, Ted Jr., even though the Heisman Trophy hopeful would be the overwhelming choice of Buckeye fans.
"I would probably say Jamario (O'Neal) ... he has the opportunity," Ginn Sr. said of the Glenville All-Am- erican and former Mansfield Senior standout. "Right now, Ted is so invol- ved with special teams and offense. Maybe down the line they can use him at cornerback in the red zone."
Ginn Jr. was recruited by the Buckeyes as a cornerback, but the 2003 USA TODAY High School Defensive Player of the Year was used on offense and special teams during his breakout freshman season.
After eight touchdowns on 55 touches, he's became such a dangerous weapon it's hard for new defensive backs coach Paul Haynes to lobby for his use on that side of the ball.
"He's a talented kid; he can do a lot of different things," Haynes said. "He could definitely help us. But with me being new, I can't go in there and bang the table and ask for No. 7 (Ginn)."
So the door is op- en for O'Neal when he reports for preseason camp this summer. Like Ginn Jr., the 6-1, 180-pound Mansfield native was a Parade All-American and played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl last January.
After playing his first two years of high school ball at Mansfield Senior -- he verbally committed to OSU as a sophomore -- O'Neal finished up at Glenville. He had 65 tackles, three interceptions and three sacks this season for the Tarblooders' state semifinal team.
"They say I'm going to have a chance to compete for a starting job and that makes me excited," O'Neal said of discussions with the Ohio State coaching staff. "I know nothing's going to be given to me. I'm going to have to work for it."
The cornerback spot opposite junior Ashton Youboty and the defensive end job vacated by NFL-bound Simon Fraser are the only openings on defense.
At one point, Ohio State considered shifting another Glenville alum, Donte Whitner, from safety to corner, but that idea has been scrapped. Getting a hard look in spring drills are redshirt freshman Shaun Lane, sophomore special teams standout Sirjo Welch and junior Mike Rob- erts, a Canadian import.
The winner of the cornerback competition will replace steady four-year starter Dustin Fox and join a starting secondary defined as much by its collisions as coverage skills.
"I remember two years ago, when (starting safety) Nate (Salley) hit a guy from Washington on the sideline," linebacker A.J. Hawk said. "He almost knocked himself out. Nate was lying on the ground and we had to pick him up. The other guy was hurt worse than him.
"You watch Nate, Donte, Tyler (Everett) all those guys, they come up and hit people. Even guys like Ashton and Sirjo, they hit you at corner. We've had a big tradition of that here. The defensive backs have always been physical guys, and I think now it's no exception."
Head coach Jim Tressel agrees.
"If I had to pick one thing where there was excellent evolution last year, I really thought it was the way our defensive backs hit people and came to the ball," Tressel said. "Sure, there were some passes completed, but there were some people stuck pretty good after they completed them. I think this group has a chance to continue that."
[email protected] (419) 521-7239 Originally published April 18, 2005