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The All-Tressel Era Defensive Team Poll - Front Seven

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The All-Tressel era Poll - Defensive Front Seven

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Several years ago I posted a series of polls voting for 'all-era' teams for Earle, Coop & Coach Tressel. Since the polls were made while Tressel was still coach there were a number of players who were not listed.

Now that his tenure has come to a close I figure it's time to repost the poll including those players from the last four years of his tenure.

All starters listed in the official Ohio State record book are listed. I've also added any awards they received during their playing time and where they were drafted by the NFL.

This first poll will cover the front seven of the defensive (DL & LB). Over the next couple of days I will post polls covering the DB & special teams as well as the offensive players.

Links to the original All-Tressel era polls as well as those for the Earle Bruce & John Cooper eras can be found at:
Master Thread - All (Insert Coach's Name Here) Consensus Team Polls.

For those poll vote for the following:
Two Defensive Ends
Two Defensive Tackles
Two Outside Linebackers
One Middle Linebacker

That means you should cast a total of 7 votes.

Some players are listed at multiple positions due to being starters at different spots during their careers.

Players are listed alphabetically by last time.

Players who only spent one year under Coach Tressel are NOT included (so no LeChuck, Tyson Walter, Derek Ross, Jonathon Wells, Darnell Sanders, Jamar Martin, Courtland Bullard or Steve Bellisari). That same criteria will be in placed for the previous eras as well (So no Jeff Uhlenhake or Vince Workman for Coop :wink: ).

So without further adieu, the nominees:

Defensive End:
Simon Fraser: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman
Team Captain

Vernon Gholston: 2 year starter, 2 year letterman - 1st round draft pick (6)
Big 10 Defensive Lineman of the Year
All Big 10
#13 & #14 Tackles For Loss, Season (15.5 & 15)
#1 & #13, Sacks, Season (14 & 8.5)
#5 Sacks, Career (22.5)

Thaddeus Gibson: 2 year starter, 3 year letterman - 4th round draft pick (116)
#23 Tackles for Loss, Season (13)

Cameron Heyward: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 1st round draft pick (31)
All Big 10
Team Captain
#11 TFL, Career (37.5)
#12 Sacks, Career (15.5)

Mike Kudla: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman
All Big 10
#8 Sacks, Season (9.5)
#14 Sacks, Career (14.5)

David Patterson: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman

Jay Richardson: 1 year starter, 3 year letterman, 5th round draft pick (138)

Darrion Scott: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (88)
All Big 10
#13 Sacks, Season (8.5)
#14 Sacks, Career (14.5)

John Simon: 2 year starter (also started 1 year at DT), 4 year letterman - 4th round draft pick (129)
2x All Big 10
2x Team Captain
#11 & #19 Tackles for Loss, Season (16, 14.5)
#8 TFL, Career (42)
#10 & #19 Sacks, Season (10 & 7)
#7 Sacks, Career (20.5)

Will Smith: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 1st round draft pick (18)
All American
All Big 10
Big 10 DPY
Team Captain
#3 Tackles for Loss, Season (20)
#5 TFL, Career (45.5)
#6 Sacks, Season (10.5)
#6 Sacks, Career (22)

Nathan Williams: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman
#21 Sacks, Career (12)

Lawrence Wilson: 1 year starter, 4 year letterman


Defensive Tackle:
Nader Abdallah: 2 year starter, 2 year letterman

Tim Anderson: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (74)
All Big 10
Team Captain

Todd Denlinger: 1 year starter, 4 year letterman

Marcus Green: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman

Dexter Larimore: 1 year starter, 4 year letterman

David Patterson: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman
Team Captain

Kenny Peterson: 1 year starter, 3 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (79)
#15 Sacks, Career (12)
#21 Sacks, Career (12)

Quinn Pitcock: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (98)
All American
Lombardi Semifinalist
All Big 10
Team Captain
#15 Sacks, Season (8)
#17 Sacks, Career (14)

Darrion Scott: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (88)
All Big 10
#12 Sacks, Season (8.5)
#14 Sacks, Career (14.5)

John Simon: 2 year starter (Also started 1 years at DE), 4 year letterman - 4th round draft pick (129)

Doug Worthington: 3 year starter, 3 year letterman - 7th round draft pick (242)
Team Captain


Outside Linebacker:
Bobby Carpenter: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman - 1st round draft pick (18)
#15 Sacks, Season (8)
#14 Sacks, Career (14.5)

Marcus Freeman: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 5th round draft pick (154)
#19 Total Tackles, Career (268)

Willie "Cie" Grant: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (86)

Larry Grant: 1 year starter, 2 year letterman - 7th round draft pick (214)

A.J. Hawk: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 1st round draft pick (5)
2x All American
Lombardi Trophy
Team MVP
3x All Big 10
Big 10 DPY
Team Captain
#13 Total Tackles, Season (141)
#5 Total Tackles, Career (394)
#7 Solo Tackles, Career (196)
#10 & #23 Tackles For Loss, Season (16.5 & 13)
#8 TFL, Career (41)
#8 Sacks, Season (9.5)
#13 Sacks, Career (15)

Ross Homan: 3 year starter, 5 year letterman - 6th round draft pick (200)
All Big 10
Team Captain

John Kerr: 1 year starter, 2 year letterman

Robert Reynolds: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman - 5th round draft pick (165)

Austin Spitler: 1 year starter, 4 year letterman - 7th round draft pick (252)
Team Captain

Andrew Sweat: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman
Team Captain


Middle Linebacker:
James Laurinaitis: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 2nd round draft pick (35)
3x All American
Bronco Nagurski
Butkus Award
Lott Trophy
Lowe's Senior Class Award
Bronco Nagurski Finalist
2x Butkus Finalist
2x Lombardi Semifinalist
2x Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year
3x All Big 10
2x Team Captain
#9 Total Tackles, Career (375)
#20 Sacks, Career (13)

Fred Pagac Jr: 1 year starter, 4 year letterman

Brian Rolle: 2 Year Starter, 3 year letterman - 6th round draft pick (193)
All Big 10
Team Captain

Anthony Schlegel: 2 year starter, 2 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (76)

Matt Wilhelm: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 4th round draft pick (112)
All American
All Big 10
#6 Tackles For Loss, Season (19.5)
#6 TFL, Career (43.5)
 
That's tough for me.

DE: I ended up going Simon & Heyward. Was thinking about Gholston - its extremely hard to leave out the single season sack leader. Career ended up playing a factor for me. Took Big Cam over Vern. Equally as hard leaving out Will Smith - but I'm giving the slight edge to Johnny Simon on that one.

DT: Anderson & Pitcock. Anderson just had a freakin' motor. Pitcock was obviously very productive providing great interior push and steady against the run.

OLB: Hawk & Carpenter. Not overly difficult.

MLB: Animal & Wilhelm Again, not too difficult.
 
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Will Smith is absolutely #1 at DE and it's not really close. I went with Heyward as my #2 but can't argue against Simon.

Tim Anderson is the top nose tackle but the #3 technique gets a lot harder. I went with Pitcock but could see an argument for Scott, Peterson or Simon.

Hawk is the biggest no brainer on here. I went with Carpenter #2 after briefly considering Homan.

I gave Laurinaitis the edge over Wilhelm in the middle. I think Wilhelm was more disruptive but I've grown to appreciate how ridiculously sound and consistent Laurinaitis was- he was pretty close to the perfect MLB in the system OSU runs.
 
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DE: Cam Heyward & Will Smith
DT: John Simon & Darrion Scott
OLB: AJ Hawk & Bobby Carpenter
MLB: James Laurinaitis

If Heyward were at DT, I'd sub in Gholston at DE and take out Scott. Imagining all of those guys in their prime at OSU on the field at the same time playing together... good gracious.
 
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DE: Will Smith (by a large margin), John Simon (legendary player but Heyward and Gholston are really close)

DT: Kenny Peterson, Quinn Pitcock

OLB: AJ Hawk (easiest decision ever), Marcus Freeman (really hard, Cie Grant and Carpenter could easily go here)

MLB: Lil Animal
 
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Dryden;2336973; said:
Cam, Will, Pitcock, Scott, Carp, Hawk, James.

Real hard leaving Wilhelm off ...
Click to expand...

I voted for Wilhelm. Simply, without his hit on Dorsey in the 2nd OT, I don't know if Ohio State wins that National Championship. There were more talented players in the middle, there have been more consistent, but he had the most impact on a singular season and it's enough for me to vote for him.

but in the end, Animal, BRolle and Wilhelm are all 1A, 1B and 1C with me.
 
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DE: Will Smith (by a large margin), John Simon (legendary player but Heyward and Gholston are really close)
Click to expand...
With quality ends on the roster, Simon wouldn't be playing out of position on the outside. Nor would he keep Cam on the bench.
I voted for Wilhelm. Simply, without his hit on Dorsey in the 2nd OT, I don't know if Ohio State wins that National Championship. There were more talented players in the middle, there have been more consistent, but he had the most impact on a singular season and it's enough for me to vote for him.

but in the end, Animal, BRolle and Wilhelm are all 1A, 1B and 1C with me.
Click to expand...
Hard to argue with that, though Laurinaitis would have been an absolute monster with a quality front four keeping him clean.
 
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jwinslow;2336991; said:
With quality ends on the roster, Simon wouldn't be playing out of position on the outside. Nor would he keep Cam on the bench.
Click to expand...

Thought about putting Simon inside instead of Pitcock and starting Cam outside instead. Simon is just a guy to me that would be on the starting 4 of any group. Legendary leader and results to boot.
 
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come to think of it I'm changing one of my DT votes from Pitcock to Cam Heyward.

Formal positions be damned, Will Smith, Vern Gohlston, Cam Heyward and John Simon were the 4 best DL to play under Tressel.
 
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