Unsung Pittman OSU's most consistent threat
By Larry Phillips
News Journal
Great football teams find ways, plays or in this case players to win on days like just like this. Ohio State has found Antonio Pittman all season -- it's the fans and media that need an introduction.
Maybe they finally got one Saturday.
With quarterback Troy Smith struggling mightily and mercurial Ted Ginn stuck in the muck, OSU coach Jim Tressel wisely parked his suddenly risky passing game, saddled the dependable, powerful Pittman and rode out of trouble in a tighter-than-it-looked 28-6 victory over Penn State at Ohio Stadium.
The Nittany Lions certainly know Pittman. It was his 110 yards and a touchdown that doomed an ailing Joe Paterno's valiant squad in Saturday's Big Ten opener.
"Antonio Pittman, really for the second week in a row, gave us that little burst when we needed it," Tressel said.
Quiet, unassuming, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound junior simply doesn't have the verbosity of Smith or the electricity of Ginn. Rainy, wet, miserable conditions muted both of Ohio State's flashy Heisman candidates. Instead, the sullen backdrop became a stage for Pittman.
The Akron Buchtel product ignited OSU's slumbering offense in the second half to register his third 100-yard rushing performance in four weeks. Constantly pitching forward, routinely breaking tackles, Pittman's brutally efficient ground thrusts moved the chains and maintained momentum when nothing but the Ohio State defense seemed to be working.
While Smith and Ginn have already posed as Sports Illustrated cover figures this season, the case could be made for Pittman as the team's most consistent offensive performer. He has yet to play a bad game, and yet to receive national acclaim.
Like great art, consistency is rarely recognized or appreciated in its own time. Fact is, Pittman is the first dominant back to replace Maurice Clarett at what has usually been Ohio State's glamour position. A year ago Pittman registered a whopping 1,331 yards, the second-best total for a sophomore in school history -- behind only Archie Griffin's 1,577 in 1973 -- and made exactly no national impact.
That is a glaring mistake of omission.
Pittman averages 6.4 yards a carry, and already has 450 yards and four TDs in four games.
It's a reach to say Pittman will cut in on Smith's seemingly-preordained dance to the Heisman ceremony. It's not to say Pittman's performance is pivotal to paramount for the Buckeyes to remain No. 1.
"Antonio Pittman has never been under our radar," Tressel said.
He shouldn't be under anyone's at this point.
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Pittman would be best served to come back next year since the running back will be featured more next year with the graduation of Smith and the possibility of Ginn leaving early (I'm not sold on him leaving early though).
