Toledo Blade
Ginn watchers miss Gonzalez
Different styles produce OSU TDs
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
COLUMBUS - Anthony Gonzalez does not possess the same flash as teammate Ted Ginn Jr. The two Ohio State wide receivers use different routes and contrasting styles to often end up at the same place - the end zone.
Ginn is more dapper, in his Karl Kani ensemble with the four-button magenta blazer, and phat diamond stud ear-ring. He is more natty, hip. Gonzalez is more off the rack at JC Penney with his light blue oxford dress shirt, conservative striped tie, and Windsor knot. But line the two up on the same side of the football field, and the opposition is faced with a stylistic dilemma. Focus on the blazingly fast Ginn, and Gonzalez will pick you apart. Try to wrap up Gonzalez, and Ginn will burn you deep.
Texas dabbled with both scenarios Saturday night when it faced the No. 1 Buckeyes in Austin, and got scorched on both ends. Gonzalez had a career-best eight receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown, while Ginn caught five for 97 yards, including a 46-yard zip on the second play of the game, and another for a score. As Texas coach Mack Brown learned, Gonzalez might not have that drop-dead blazing speed that Ginn's reputation is built around, but Gonzalez's hands are as sure as they come, and his top end might be just a tick behind Ginn's motor. "We had such a focus on stopping Ted Ginn that Gonzalez made so many plays," Brown said. "He has sure hands and he got open, and he made great plays. He didn't miss anything." Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith said teams that overlook Gonzalez because they are pre-occupied with Ginn pay a steep price for that faulty strategy. "We've got a lot of great players, but anybody who tries to focus in on one of them is going to get burned," Smith said. "Ted is one fast football player, and people talk about his speed a lot, but Anthony Gonzalez can hurt you just as much. He runs great routes, he makes very precise moves on the ball, and his speed surprises a lot of teams." Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is not concerned about whose jets burn brighter, he just likes all of his options with Ginn, Gonzalez, Smith and tailback Antonio Pittman lining up together. "We've got a lot of pretty fast guys, and Gonzo, I guess they say he is sneaky fast, but not to those of us who watch him in practice every day," Tressel said. "We know Gonzo can run." Gonzalez, the philosophy major who knocked down a 4.0 GPA last semester and intends to go to law school, whether pro ball is in his future or not, said he still considers himself well down the list of OSU offensive options. "If I'm a defensive coach and I'm thinking about players to stop on Ohio State, I'd put Ted, Troy, Antonio and maybe the other running backs ahead of me," Gonzalez said. "If you think about the other weapons on our team, it would be hard to convince me I belong higher on that list." Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio, whose Bearcats face the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, was the defensive coordinator for the Buckeyes from 200-2003, and is very familiar with Gonzalez. "He's an emerging star," Dantonio said. "I watched them a little last year, and all Anthony Gonzalez was doing was making plays. He's a legitimate threat." Tressel was very matter-of-fact about the night Gonzalez had in Texas. He had seen the 6-foot junior from Cleveland powerhouse St. Ignatius do it before. Gonzalez had two touchdown catches in the 31-6 pounding of Iowa last season, and a dramatic, 26-yard, airborne grab that helped set up the winning score at Michigan. "Gonzo did an excellent job of doing what he does, understanding coverages," Tressel said. "If someone would ask me what's the thing that he knows maybe better than anyone else, it is that he knows when the quarterback is ready to throw it. He understands the timing of it. Gonzo does a great job with his awareness of when he needs to get where he needs to be." And on the issue of just who is faster, and by how much, Tressel will let the opposition decide. "There's some debate that Gonzo versus Teddy in a 10-yard dash, who would win, and I don't know," Tressel said. "But I don't think Gonzo cares if he's thought of as the second fastest or the 50th fastest. He's a smart football player. He's highly competitive. He wants to become the best receiver he could possibly become. He's healthy for everybody he works with, because he shows them the work ethic, he shows them what to be thinking about and how to prepare for things."
Ginn watchers miss Gonzalez
Different styles produce OSU TDs
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
COLUMBUS - Anthony Gonzalez does not possess the same flash as teammate Ted Ginn Jr. The two Ohio State wide receivers use different routes and contrasting styles to often end up at the same place - the end zone.
Ginn is more dapper, in his Karl Kani ensemble with the four-button magenta blazer, and phat diamond stud ear-ring. He is more natty, hip. Gonzalez is more off the rack at JC Penney with his light blue oxford dress shirt, conservative striped tie, and Windsor knot. But line the two up on the same side of the football field, and the opposition is faced with a stylistic dilemma. Focus on the blazingly fast Ginn, and Gonzalez will pick you apart. Try to wrap up Gonzalez, and Ginn will burn you deep.
Texas dabbled with both scenarios Saturday night when it faced the No. 1 Buckeyes in Austin, and got scorched on both ends. Gonzalez had a career-best eight receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown, while Ginn caught five for 97 yards, including a 46-yard zip on the second play of the game, and another for a score. As Texas coach Mack Brown learned, Gonzalez might not have that drop-dead blazing speed that Ginn's reputation is built around, but Gonzalez's hands are as sure as they come, and his top end might be just a tick behind Ginn's motor. "We had such a focus on stopping Ted Ginn that Gonzalez made so many plays," Brown said. "He has sure hands and he got open, and he made great plays. He didn't miss anything." Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith said teams that overlook Gonzalez because they are pre-occupied with Ginn pay a steep price for that faulty strategy. "We've got a lot of great players, but anybody who tries to focus in on one of them is going to get burned," Smith said. "Ted is one fast football player, and people talk about his speed a lot, but Anthony Gonzalez can hurt you just as much. He runs great routes, he makes very precise moves on the ball, and his speed surprises a lot of teams." Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is not concerned about whose jets burn brighter, he just likes all of his options with Ginn, Gonzalez, Smith and tailback Antonio Pittman lining up together. "We've got a lot of pretty fast guys, and Gonzo, I guess they say he is sneaky fast, but not to those of us who watch him in practice every day," Tressel said. "We know Gonzo can run." Gonzalez, the philosophy major who knocked down a 4.0 GPA last semester and intends to go to law school, whether pro ball is in his future or not, said he still considers himself well down the list of OSU offensive options. "If I'm a defensive coach and I'm thinking about players to stop on Ohio State, I'd put Ted, Troy, Antonio and maybe the other running backs ahead of me," Gonzalez said. "If you think about the other weapons on our team, it would be hard to convince me I belong higher on that list." Cincinnati coach Mark Dantonio, whose Bearcats face the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, was the defensive coordinator for the Buckeyes from 200-2003, and is very familiar with Gonzalez. "He's an emerging star," Dantonio said. "I watched them a little last year, and all Anthony Gonzalez was doing was making plays. He's a legitimate threat." Tressel was very matter-of-fact about the night Gonzalez had in Texas. He had seen the 6-foot junior from Cleveland powerhouse St. Ignatius do it before. Gonzalez had two touchdown catches in the 31-6 pounding of Iowa last season, and a dramatic, 26-yard, airborne grab that helped set up the winning score at Michigan. "Gonzo did an excellent job of doing what he does, understanding coverages," Tressel said. "If someone would ask me what's the thing that he knows maybe better than anyone else, it is that he knows when the quarterback is ready to throw it. He understands the timing of it. Gonzo does a great job with his awareness of when he needs to get where he needs to be." And on the issue of just who is faster, and by how much, Tressel will let the opposition decide. "There's some debate that Gonzo versus Teddy in a 10-yard dash, who would win, and I don't know," Tressel said. "But I don't think Gonzo cares if he's thought of as the second fastest or the 50th fastest. He's a smart football player. He's highly competitive. He wants to become the best receiver he could possibly become. He's healthy for everybody he works with, because he shows them the work ethic, he shows them what to be thinking about and how to prepare for things."
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