ABJ
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</td><td class="v1">Posted on Wed, Oct. 19, 2005</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"> <tbody><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="250"><tbody><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td class="adlabel" align="left">
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Football notebook
Hawk's stellar play receives recognition
Ohio State linebacker finalist for Lombardi Award
[SIZE=-1]By Marla Ridenour[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Beacon Journal sports writer[/SIZE]
<!-- begin body-content --> COLUMBUS - Ohio State senior linebacker A.J. Hawk was named one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award given to the top lineman in Division I football.
The Big Ten had four players on the list, including Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny, Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas and Minnesota center Greg Eslinger. The award will be presented Dec. 7 in Houston.
``He's amazing,'' OSU coach Jim Tressel said of Hawk, an All-American in 2004. ``All he does is work. He loves it, loves practice, loves the weight room, loves to hit people. He loves being with his teammates. Last year everyone was asking him, `Are you going out early in the draft?' He was, `You kidding me? Leave this?' ''
Tressel said he believes that Hawk and senior center Nick Mangold are having All-American seasons.
Barton iffy
Sophomore right tackle Kirk Barton (knee) is questionable for the game Saturday at Indiana, which means freshman Alex Boone of Lakewood St. Edward could make his second start. Boone took over for Barton after the first series at Penn State and went the entire game last week against Michigan State.
``Alex Boone could be very good,'' Tressel said. ``He got baptized at Penn State. I thought he hung in there pretty well. He got 42 snaps on Saturday. He didn't rate a winning performance. But for a true freshman, playing a tough position against 300-pound defensive ends, I thought he played very solid.''
Junior left tackle Doug Datish said Boone has ``huge potential.''
``He's 6-foot-9, which affords him a huge advantage over guys like myself who are 6-5, he's got those long arms,'' Datish said. ``He's way ahead of where most freshmen are. He has enough skills to protect and run block against guys who are four years older than him. The things to come for him are unbelievable.''
Buckeyes
Tressel said sophomore offensive lineman Steve Rehring, hospitalized this season with pneumonia, will redshirt.... The Oct. 29 game at Minnesota will start at noon and be televised on WEWS (Ch. 5).... Linebacker Bobby Carpenter, who tied an OSU record with four sacks against Michigan State and added a season-high 11 tackles, was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, and cornerback Ashton Youboty was the co-special teams player. Youboty returned a blocked field-goal attempt for a 72-yard touchdown, blocked another field goal try and had six tackles and a sack. OSU had not returned a blocked kick for a touchdown since before 1950. The school's record search is still ongoing.
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</td><td class="v1">Posted on Wed, Oct. 19, 2005</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"> <tbody><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="250"><tbody><tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td class="adlabel" align="left">
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Football notebook
Hawk's stellar play receives recognition
Ohio State linebacker finalist for Lombardi Award
[SIZE=-1]By Marla Ridenour[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Beacon Journal sports writer[/SIZE]
<!-- begin body-content --> COLUMBUS - Ohio State senior linebacker A.J. Hawk was named one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award given to the top lineman in Division I football.
The Big Ten had four players on the list, including Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny, Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas and Minnesota center Greg Eslinger. The award will be presented Dec. 7 in Houston.
``He's amazing,'' OSU coach Jim Tressel said of Hawk, an All-American in 2004. ``All he does is work. He loves it, loves practice, loves the weight room, loves to hit people. He loves being with his teammates. Last year everyone was asking him, `Are you going out early in the draft?' He was, `You kidding me? Leave this?' ''
Tressel said he believes that Hawk and senior center Nick Mangold are having All-American seasons.
Barton iffy
Sophomore right tackle Kirk Barton (knee) is questionable for the game Saturday at Indiana, which means freshman Alex Boone of Lakewood St. Edward could make his second start. Boone took over for Barton after the first series at Penn State and went the entire game last week against Michigan State.
``Alex Boone could be very good,'' Tressel said. ``He got baptized at Penn State. I thought he hung in there pretty well. He got 42 snaps on Saturday. He didn't rate a winning performance. But for a true freshman, playing a tough position against 300-pound defensive ends, I thought he played very solid.''
Junior left tackle Doug Datish said Boone has ``huge potential.''
``He's 6-foot-9, which affords him a huge advantage over guys like myself who are 6-5, he's got those long arms,'' Datish said. ``He's way ahead of where most freshmen are. He has enough skills to protect and run block against guys who are four years older than him. The things to come for him are unbelievable.''
Buckeyes
Tressel said sophomore offensive lineman Steve Rehring, hospitalized this season with pneumonia, will redshirt.... The Oct. 29 game at Minnesota will start at noon and be televised on WEWS (Ch. 5).... Linebacker Bobby Carpenter, who tied an OSU record with four sacks against Michigan State and added a season-high 11 tackles, was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, and cornerback Ashton Youboty was the co-special teams player. Youboty returned a blocked field-goal attempt for a 72-yard touchdown, blocked another field goal try and had six tackles and a sack. OSU had not returned a blocked kick for a touchdown since before 1950. The school's record search is still ongoing.
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