DDN
Ginn, Smith say Texas is fine without star
OSU's own stars say the suspension of Texas' top cornerback won't make Saturday's game any easier.
By
Doug Harris
Staff Writer
Thursday, September 07, 2006
COLUMBUS ? Facing a Texas defense without its best cornerback might open some passing lanes for Ohio State's Troy Smith and Ted Ginn Jr., but neither player expects to gain much of an edge from Tarell Brown's absence.
Ginn said he had been preparing to tangle Saturday with another corner, Aaron Ross, since the two dueled when the teams met last year, when Ginn caught just two passes for 9 yards.
Smith acknowledged that Brown ? who had 70 tackles last season and eight pass break-ups ? is "clearly one of their best players." But the Buckeyes quarterback doesn't believe the Longhorns will have to look far for a replacement.
"Texas is just like any other powerhouse in the nation. Once they lose a player or a guy goes down with an injury or is drafted to the NFL, they reload," Smith said.
Brown, a three-year starter, and reserve safety Tyrell Gatewood were arrested along with former Longhorn Aaron Harris early Monday on weapons and drug charges.
Brown was found with a loaded handgun on his lap, according to Travis County (Texas) deputies. While Harris was placed in one of the officers' cruisers, Brown and Gatewood were subdued with Tasers, the lawyer representing the two suspended players told the Austin American-Statesman.
"They were both unnecessarily Tasered," attorney Jamie Balagia said. "If a (video) tape is there, let them release it to the media.
"The only time you use a Taser is to prevent you from using a gun. Basically, they said, 'We Tasered them because we didn't want to shoot them to death.' "
Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton said deputies did use Taser stun guns when arresting two University of Texas football players and a former player earlier this week following a traffic stop. Hamilton said he has reviewed the evidence and reports about the arrests and "I am comfortable that the actions tak
en were appropriate."
DDN
Die-hard fans root where they're planted
Longhorn fans in Ohio, Buckeyes in Texas show their loyalties, and take some grief for it.
By Lucas Sullivan
Staff Writer
Thursday, September 07, 2006
During last year's Ohio State-Texas game, Longhorns fan Gary Grafel walked into Ohio Stadium and sat down in the student section wearing a burnt-orange Bevo shirt.
It's the kind of gumption that comes from someone who hales from a state who's unofficial motto is "Don't mess with Texas."
Grafel, 54, is a die-hard Longhorns fan right here in the Miami Valley. He lives in Beavercreek and is not hard to spot, either.
"I have a big Texas flag that has Bevo on it that I hang from my garage," Grafel said. "I've actually left it hanging overnight a few times, and it's still been there when I woke up. On my license plate I have 'Lnghorn' because they would only let me have seven letters."
Those seven letters have drawn some four-letter words from Ohio State fans since Texas beat the Buckeyes 25-22 last season en route to a national championship.
When he can't attend games, Grafel, who graduated from Texas with degrees in law and engineering, heads to the Cincinnati/Dayton Texas alumni headquarters ? a bar in downtown Cincinnati. That's where he will be Saturday when the No. 1 Buckeyes face the No. 2 Longhorns.
Grafel went to last year's game via a ticket that his daughter, a student at Ohio State at the time, purchased on campus. He sat, somewhat subdued, in the middle of OSU fans ? a place where few opposing fans dare to venture.
"I was a little apprehensive to do it," he said. "I was excited to go to a big game in the Horseshoe. I am getting goose bumps right now just talking about it."
Buckeye in Texas
Bob Guilda also gets excited about being in the Horseshoe.
Guilda, 47, is president of the Ohio State alumni club in Austin and has had to deal with ribbing from Longhorns fans since Limas Sweed caught Texas' game-winning touchdown.
"I have this little filly in my office that has been giving me a ration of (grief) and people are predicting (Ohio State) is going to lose 23-20," said Guilda, a Barberton, Ohio, native. "I think we'll win by two or three touchdowns. I think we have a good defense and Texas has this young quarterback."
Guilda has been inundated with ticket requests from the 650 to 700 alumni living in Austin.
It's estimated that up to 40,000 Buckeyes fans will be in Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium even though OSU was only granted 4,000 tickets.
Guilda said many people in Austin are calling it the biggest football game in Texas' history and tickets prices, ranging from $430 to $2,000, reflect that.
Regardless, Guilda said that Texas fans, good or bad, are going to be surprised when Ohio State fans roll into town.
"I don't think (Texas') tradition is as stout (as Ohio State's)," Guilda said. "They have an 82,000-seat stadium and up until about five years ago they weren't selling out. I think football is more of a social thing here. People dress up and take dates to the game."
That's a far cry from the atmosphere at Ohio State last year. OSU president Karen A. Holbrook issued a public apology to Texas fans after Longhorns fans complained about how they were treated in Ohio Stadium.
"It's common knowledge that Ohio State and LSU have the two worst fan groups in college football," Grafel said. "I was treated OK at the game (last year) but I witnessed OSU fans (shouting obscenities) at women and children. That's a little ridiculous."
DDN
Heat likely to be a factor in Austin
Temperature at game time Saturday night expected to be in 90s.
By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer
Thursday, September 07, 2006
COLUMBUS — You'd think a month of practicing in the late-summer heat and humidity of central Ohio would be enough to prepare a football team for the sometimes-scorching weather in Austin, Texas.
Maybe not. That's why the Ohio State football players are drinking water like it's about to jump to the price of oil
OSU coach Jim Tressel and his players have said one of the obstacles they'll face on Saturday in the 1-vs.-2 showdown against the University of Texas is the heat in Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
"It definitely takes a toll," Texas defensive end Tim Crowder said. "At first it's not that bad. But after you've been in that heat for four hours, it kind of drains you."
Robert Blaha, a meteorologist with the New Braunfels, Texas, post of the National Weather Service, said the game-time temperature on Saturday should be about 90 degrees. That likely will drop to about 80 by the end of the game with "moderate" humidity.
"You've had unseasonably cool weather there, and you're going to a place where the weather has been steadily warm," Blaha said. "It's kind of like me coming there in the winter. I would freeze."
Coincidentally, the Austin American-Statesman this week published a story in its Life section about working out in the heat. In it, the newspaper says it's important to drink plenty of fluids ... but also important to not over-drink water, which can dilute the sodium content in the blood and cause hyponatremia, or "water intoxication."
Not exactly like discussing blitzes and offensive sets.
"I think you're kidding yourself if you think someone's gonna just rise up and handle things just because they're tough," Tressel said. "The body is the body."
And the Buckeyes hope to keep those bodies hydrated and running smoothly, so they can handle the nation's No. 2-ranked team and defending champ.
"You could say it's a concern because it's uncharted territory," OSU defensive lineman Quinn Pitcock said of the heat. "We've never played there before, so we're trying to do everything we can to prepare for it."
DDN
Sweed catch made Longhorns season
Receiver's TD sank Buckeyes' hopes in '05, and he's back to lead Texas' offense again.
By Doug Harris
Staff Writer
Thursday, September 07, 2006
COLUMBUS — Before Texas receiver Limas Sweed could switch to jersey No. 4, he felt an obligation to seek permission from the player who famously donned it before him.
Roy Williams, a Longhorns wideout who became the Detroit Lions' first-round draft choice in 2004, gave his consent but also issued a warning.
"He said, 'Man, there's going to be a lot of pressure. You have to hold up to it. But if you can do that, go ahead and do it,' " Sweed recalled in a phone interview this week.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound junior has not only withstood the pressure, he's carved out a niche in Longhorn lore himself. He caught a 24-yard TD pass from Vince Young with 2:37 left against Ohio State last year, a play that sent the Longhorns to a 25-22 victory and propelled them to the national title.
"When you do something like that — that keeps your national championship dreams alive — it was a great confidence-builder for me," Sweed said.
OSU cornerback Ashton Youboty thought he had help from safety Nate Salley and let Sweed streak by. The two defenders converged on the ball too late.
"It was a coverage where it's hard to fit that ball in there, and they fit it in," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.
The Longhorns' ability to produce in the clutch left a lasting impression on Tressel.
"Throughout the whole season, people kept talking about who was going to do this and who was going to do that (in the national title race)," he said. "And in my mind, I had a lot of confidence in Texas because I saw what they did. When they needed to make a play, they did. And that tells you a lot about a team."
Sweed led all Texas wideouts with 36 catches last year, five of them for TDs. And he picked up a scoring pass in last week's opener against North Texas, momentarily bobbling a short slant before hanging on and racing 60 yards to the end zone.
But Williams isn't entirely convinced that No. 4 is in good hands, judging from the needling he gave Sweed after the North Texas game.
"He said, 'That was a great catch. But if it was me, I would have caught it the first time,' " Sweed said.
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