2007 D-Line Discussion

[BB73]

ozone.dline

Defensive Tackle Position will be Different in 2007
By John Porentas

Graduation was not kind to the position of defensive tackle.

The Buckeyes top three defensive tackles all graduated last year. Gone are Quinn Pitcock, David Patterson and Joel Penton. The trio gobbled up most the minutes in 2006, and that means that whoever defensive line coach Jim Heacock puts on the field on 2007 will be just a little on the green side, but according to Heacock, they will also be talented.

"I'm excited about the group that's in there," Heacock said yesterday.

"There's four or five guys in there that are really getting after it and excited about getting an opportunity to play now and their attitude is great. They have great personalities, are fun to work with, had great off-seasons. I think we'll have four we'll be able to roll through there early in the season and see how they can do," Heacock said.

What's striking about that statement is that Heacock doesn't think he has two or three players who can step in and play, but four or five. That's pretty heady stuff for a team that lost their top three at the defensive position, but that's what Heacock thinks. He also thinks they can be pretty good, and has told them as much.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Todd Denlinge[/FONT]r

"Coach Heacock told us this could be one of the greatest lines he's ever coached. We have excitement, athleticism, all the talent. It's just a matter of putting it to use," said Todd Denlinger, one of the players who Heacock is counting on for interior line play this season.

Denlinger is a redshirt sophomore who played in all 11 games last season. Both David Patterson and Quinn Pitcock sat out at times with injuries in 2006 and it was Denlinger who was called upon to pick up the slack when those guys couldn't go. That experience will make him the most experienced of Heacock's candidates inside in 2007.

Along with Denlinger on the inside are redshirt freshman Dexter Larimore and converted defensive end Doug Worthington, a redshirt sophomore. That's three, but Heacock is also planning on using Robert Rose on the inside as well as at defensive end this season in a similar fashion that he used other players in the past.

Cont'd ...

 

[wadc45]

The Columbus Dispatch : Ohio State football: Work on mat can be edge on line

Buckeyes past, present excelled as wrestlers, too

Wednesday, August 15, 2007 3:41 AM

By Ken Gordon
The Columbus Dispatch

Size doesn't impress Luke Fickell.

Each year, Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator evaluates dozens, maybe hundreds of high school football players while recruiting.

They're all big, all fast, all strong.

But tell Fickell a kid is a standout wrestler, and he'll get a gleam in his eye. Now he's interested.

Continued...

 

[matcar]

I think we're all excited about the speed and athleticism this group has, but when I think about playing Wiscy with a smaller line, that makes me a bit nervous. In most cases, a smaller, more nimble group probably works out well. I'm not sure if the match-ups w/ Wiscy and perhaps TSUN are quite as favorable. Time will tell.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

I think we're all excited about the speed and athleticism this group has, but when I think about playing Wiscy with a smaller line, that makes me a bit nervous. In most cases, a smaller, more nimble group probably works out well. I'm not sure if the match-ups w/ Wiscy and perhaps TSUN are quite as favorable. Time will tell.

I'd be more worried if (hopefully a healthy) Terry, Grant and Animal are back there to support on the run

 

[UpNorthBuckeye]

I think the d-line will be good and tough this year. In fact, I think the whole defense will be good and tough.

I am wondering if it means that we are going to have a 2002-like year. Close games, 60 minutes of football, nail-biting anxiety.

Hey, if that means being undefeated again, so be it!

And besides, I think we have speed and athleticism of our own, with Worthington, Rose, Gholston....