Coach: Gholston better than his numbers
BY ERIK BOLAND |
[email protected]
April 28, 2008
As Ohio State coach Jim Tressel watched the draft Saturday afternoon and the accompanying video of Vernon Gholston, he was a little bothered.
"You know, in all the highlights on Saturday, I never saw any of those plays where he carried Jake Long into the quarterback's lap," Tressel said in a telephone interview Monday from Columbus.
Tressel wasn't besmirching Long, Michigan's All-American left tackle selected No. 1 overall by the Dolphins, and he was happy his standout defensive end, who will play outside linebacker in the Jets' 3-4 defense, was taken by the Jets. Tressel has had several players do well with the Jets over the years, including Mike Nugent and Nick Mangold.
But Tressel was perplexed at some of the criticisms directed at Gholston before, during and after the draft, his primary objection being the charge that Gholston took plays -- and sometimes entire games -- off.
The one highlight played consistently was of Gholston beating Long for a sack -- the only one Long gave up all season -- but Tressel's point was that wasn't the only play Gholston bettered Long. There just wasn't a sack to show for it.
It was part of the larger point Tressel wanted to make: the reason Gholston's sack and tackle numbers fluctuated was his role in Ohio State's 4-3 defense wasn't always the same. For example, Ohio State occasionally had the speedy Gholston drop into coverage.
"When you're a D-end who is sometimes a drop guy, there are going to be times where you're not going forward," said Tressel, who later in the interview said he didn't see any difficulties ahead for Gholston in the Jets' 3-4 defense. "There are times where you'll be in the scuffle and sometimes when you're out in your zone"
:osu:
wasn't exactly impressive replacing him.
