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RB Antonio Pittman (Official Thread)

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 [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Pittman's workload could increase in wake of Wells fumbles[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BY JIM NAVEAU - Nov. 6, 2006[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COLUMBUS ? It might not have been the biggest concern to come out of Ohio State?s narrow 17-10 win over Illinois, but freshman tailback Chris Wells? problem with fumbles is certainly on the list.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The 6-foot-1, 225-pound freshman lost a fumble for the fourth time this season and for the third time in the last four games during Saturday?s game against the Illini.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Wells was hailed as the big back OSU hasn?t had since Maurice Clarett in 2002 when he was recruited. But unless his problems hanging onto the football are cleared up, his role might be contracting at the time it was expected to be expanding.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]After Wells? latest fumble, Antonio Pittman ended up with a career-high 32 carries against Illinois.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Following Wells? fumbles earlier in the season, OSU coach Jim Tressel quickly got him back on the field. But Saturday?s bobble in the second quarter earned him a long stay on the sidelines.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Still, Tressel says Wells isn?t being written out of the offensive game plan for Northwestern this Saturday or Michigan.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?I don?t know exactly what happened, we?ll have to evaluate it,? he said. ?We?re going to need Beanie (Wells? nickname) if we?re going to become the best team we?re capable of being.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]On Saturday?s fumble, Wells was not even hit by a defender. The ball just popped out of his hands as he was running.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Pittman sympathized with his backup.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?He?s a freshman. He has a long way to go. My first day here I had a hard time hanging onto the ball. He has to learn to put it behind him and quit dwelling on it,? he said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?He?s down on himself a little. As a running back, you don?t want to fumble, especially in his circumstances because he?s already fumbled a couple of times.?[/FONT]
 
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Congrats to Pitt!

Another 1,000 puts Pittman in grand group
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
11/12/2006

EVANSTON, Ill. -- If Antonio Pittman isn't considered one of Ohio State's all-time greatest tailbacks, he might be soon.

With his 80 yards in yesterday's 54-10 win over Northwestern, Pittman became just the fifth running back in school history with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, joining Archie Griffin, Tim Spencer, Keith Byars and Eddie George.

Assuming he follows through on his desire to return next year, he could join Griffin as the only other player to do it three times.

''That was one of my goals for this season,'' Pittman said. ''I owe it all to my offensive line.''

Pittman went over 1,000 yards in the second quarter. He now has 1,032 this year after rushing for over 1,300 last year in 12 games. He likely would've gone over 100 yesterday, but was pulled in the fourth quarter to allow Chris Wells a few more carries in order to restore some confidence.

''With all the weapons we have on this offense ... there are a lot of guys that deserve the ball and only one football,'' Pittman said. ''Sometimes you have to wait your turn.''
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http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17456333&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46370&rfi=6

Pittman makes history with another 1,000-yard season
By Jon Spencer
News Journal

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Flipping his ballcap backward for the cameras, Ohio State tailback Antonio Pittman was in a great mood after Saturday's 54-10 basting of Northwestern.

He couldn't say the same for family and friends, who are gearing up like everyone else for next Saturday's showdown with Michigan.

"Everybody said 'We don't need tickets for this (Northwestern) game -- just get me a ticket for Michigan,'" Pittman said. "I only have four, so there's going to be a lot of unhappy people."

If that's his worst problem this week, Pittman can deal with it. After a tough game at Illinois, he was back to form, rushing for 80 yards and his 12th touchdown of the season on 19 carries.
It puts the junior from Akron at 1,032 yards for the season, making him the first Buckeye with back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons since Eddie George (1994-95) and only the fifth in school history. The others are Archie Griffin, Keith Byars and Tim Spencer.

"That's huge,' said Pittman. "My offensive line has worked hard all year. To get 1,000 yards with all the weapon we have -- I owe it all to them."

The only down moment for Pittman on Saturday came when he fumbled at the goal line in the second quarter. On second effort he tried to lunge into the end zone.

"I tried to stretch it out," he said. "I thought I was in, but the ball went the other way."

There were three tailbacks from Akron on the field Saturday, but Pittman and Chris Wells ganged up on old friend Tyrell Sutton. The sophomore out of Hoban did about as well as could be expected for someone whose team fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter, averaging nearly 5 yards on 12 carries and catching 7 passes for 75 yards and a TD.

But Sutton, a blocking fullback for Pittman on their little league team, was no match for the Buckeyes' duo. Wells put his fumble problems behind him, at least temporarily, rushing for a season-high 99 yards and a TD on 11 carries. He lost his footing or a 33-yard gain might have been a home run.

"He played all right," Pittman said of Wells. "He and Mo Wells (32 yards, 7 carries) got after it. They kept it going."

It was a welcome sight after the Buckeyes were held to 29 second-half yards in last week's 17-10 scare by Illinois. A swarming Illini defense held OSU to 22 rushing yards on 20 carries over the final two quarters.

"We were clicking on all cylinders,"Pittman said. "We needed to bounce back. You can't have two weeks in a row like that and be in good shape going into Michigan."
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http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com...=ee5Bxi7skcRs4Rx0yjwtGxjXBQS4WSRIEHsI9qQcUmo=
 
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OSU Picture Archive

EVANSTON, IL - NOVEMBER 11: Antonio Pittman #25 of the Ohio State Buckeyes takes a handoff from quarterback Troy Smith #10 during the game against the Northwestern Wildcats on November 11, 2006 at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Antonio Pittman;Troy Smith

061011_pitt_run-vi.jpg
 
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ABJ

Pittman without a doubt

OSU running back could have gone to Michigan, but Buckeyes too quick

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

COLUMBUS - When Ohio State's Antonio Pittman scored the game-winning touchdown last year at Michigan, Bo Schembechler might have covered his eyes.
It could have been too much for the former Wolverines coach-turned-recruiter to take. Even before Pittman became a standout tailback at Buchtel High School, he told everyone he wanted to go to Michigan.
UM made him an offer after his junior season, yet there was Pittman wrapping up OSU's fourth victory in five years over Schembechler's maize-and-blue.
Pittman's father, Marcus McKinnie, knows Schembechler because they both went to Barberton High School. Schembechler probably recruited McKinnie, who played free safety at Purdue from 1978-81. When Pittman decided to make his college commitment after his junior season at Buchtel, his choice hadn't changed.
``We sat down and Tony said, `The first one who gives me an offer, I'm going to jump on it,' '' Buchtel coach Claude Brown recalled. ``Minnesota was also right behind Ohio State. He wanted to get it done.
``When I first met Tony as a kid playing peewee he said, `I'm going to play at Michigan.' You go, `OK, anything you say.' Then all of a sudden he was doing the things he wanted to do.''
But Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman was a step ahead of Schembechler. Pittman needed only a night to discuss the offer with his parents before he said yes to Ohio State.
``A week and a half after my junior year was over this offer came and my recruiting process was done,'' Pittman said. ``About a week after I committed, Bo Schembechler was in contact. It was, `I know your father real well, I'm a good guy, you can ask him about me' and that was the end of it. It was over. I made my decision, and I stuck with it.''
Pittman is not second-guessing his decision now. Last weekend, the junior became the fifth running back in Ohio State history and the first since Eddie George in 1994-95 to put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
In Saturday's battle of unbeatens pitting No. 1 Ohio State against No. 2 Michigan in Ohio Stadium, Pittman will be one of the focal points. The Wolverines boast the nation's top rushing defense, giving up 29.9 yards per game. Ohio State's rushing offense, which features Pittman, quarterback Troy Smith and freshman Chris ``Beanie'' Wells, is tied for 20th in the country with a 179.5 average.
Last year, OSU managed 118 yards on 35 carries against the Wolverines, 85 by Pittman. Michigan senior defensive end LaMarr Woodley can cause havoc in the backfield. He has 51 ? career tackles for losses and 23 sacks, including 15 ? and 11, respectively, this season.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel believes the Buckeyes must run the ball effectively to win but knows how formidable the Wolverines' rush defense is.
``You don't have to look at their film; look at their numbers,'' Tressel said.
Asked Michigan's secret, Pittman said, ``They've got a good front four, with some good linebackers behind those guys. If the guys up front can hold the offensive linemen up so no one can touch the linebackers, they're free a lot of times to make those tackles.''
Pittman has faith in his line.
``I feel we've got one of the best lines in the nation,'' he said. ``Those guys work hard for me, and I know they're going to give it all they've got this week.''
Senior right guard T.J. Downing of GlenOak believes OSU can have success on the ground.
``I think we can run on anybody in the country. It's just a matter of how far we're going to run,'' Downing said. ``AP's the best tailback in the country, so if we open some holes for him, we should be able to run all day. It's up to us up front.''
Senior center Doug Datish said his respect for Pittman has grown as he has gotten to know him and watched him handle the challenge from Wells.
``He's a tremendous workhorse for us, never complains, never says anything,'' Datish said. ``I think it's a credit to him that his carries are down a little bit this year and he is still the fifth guy in Ohio State history to get 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. We're blessed to have so many guys here who make plays, and maybe he is the forgotten guy. But he's certainly not the forgotten guy for us on the team.''
Pittman said the two biggest touchdowns of his career were against Michigan (a 3-yarder with 24 seconds left in a 25-21 victory) and the clincher in last year's Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame (a 60-yarder with 1:46 to go in a 34-20 triumph).
``Those are the ones I won't stop thinking about and nobody else will,'' Pittman said. ``Those are big games. To get the respect and credit each player feels he deserves, you have to come through in these type games.''
Junior receiver Anthony Gonzalez called Pittman ``the toughest 200-pound running back I've ever seen.'' His teammates don't doubt Pittman will come through again if needed.
``Hopefully, it doesn't come down to scoring the winning touchdown,'' Pittman said. ``Hopefully, I'll score a couple touchdowns.''
 
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Hmm... I guess I didn't hit submit in this thread when I was posting pics earlier...

OSU Picture Archive

Ohio State tail back Antonio Pittman (25) breaks away from the Michigan defense for a touchdown Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006 during the third quarter of a college football game in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

061118_pittman_td-vi.jpg


Ohio State's Antonio Pittman is lifted up by fans who stormed the field after Ohio State defeated Michigan, 42-39, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Portsmouth Daily Times, Brian Kellogg)

061118_postgame14-vi.jpg
 
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SI stirring the 2007 pot...

It's Troy Smith's party, but it was Ohio State's running backs that brought the punch to the Buckeyes' win over Michigan. You just knew Smith was going to dominate the Wolverines, but nobody could have expected OSU would run for 157 more yards against UM's lock-down run defense, which had been allowing just 29.9 yards per game. Antonio Pittman and Chris Wells each surpassed that figure on their TD runs of 56 and 52 yards, respectively. Wells, OSU's heralded freshman, should give Pittman -- who is returning in 2007 for a shot at the Heisman -- serious competition for carries. Despite Pittman's consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (the first for a Buckeyes running back since Eddie George) a former OSU player told me Pittman doesn't run with the same hunger as Wells -- who is ultimately the better back -- and [Pittman] takes too many direct hits instead of eluding tacklers. He expects Pittman's shortcomings to be exposed next season without Smith. Any RB controversy is obviously months away, but for now OSU has one of the country's most explosive one-two punches in the backfield, giving Arkansas' Darren McFadden and Felix Jones a run for their money.
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Who is to say that Beanie is cured of fumbling and Pitt would lose carries?
Pitt= he is what he is.
In Pitt's defense, I don't think he's done getting better.
And, in fact we may be more of a running team next year.
More work for all!
 
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With Bush, Peterson and a few others coming out, I'd stick around another year if I was Pitt...sharing carries or not. He needs to develop a bit more (IMO) and help beat down opposing defenses with his counterpart (Beanie). IF...and that's a big IF, Pittman leaves, that pretty much guarantees we're going to need to get a PURE RB in this class as opposed to a bunch of speed athletes who could become RBs in college. Anyone know if Saine is set in stone to play RB in college?
 
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