OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK
Hall expected to rejoin Buckeyes at receiver
Friday, September 15, 2006
Ken Gordon and Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Even when they did get to Troy Smith, the Longhorns couldn't keep the OSU quarterback down.
Ohio State?s already deep receiving corps just got deeper.
Coach Jim Tressel yesterday said fifth-year senior Roy Hall is expected to play for the first time this season Saturday against Cincinnati after sitting out two games because of a high ankle sprain.
"Roy really looked good this week, I was really pleased with the way he played today especially," Tressel said. "And with another 48 hours, I?d like to think that Roy can give us some time."
Tressel said Hall would not immediately reclaim his role as No. 3 receiver, though.
"I don?t know that Roy can go that much," he said. "He could be in there in the (four- and five-wide formations). I don?t know that it would be fair to him to have him play 40 plays, but maybe if he could get a dozen or 15 plays, that would be great."
Brian Robiskie has been Ohio State?s third receiver behind Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez. Brian Hartline and Ray Small are next in line.
In another injury note, Tressel said linebacker Mike D?Andrea had knee surgery last week. He is a fifth-year senior whose OSU career was declared over as training camp ended a few weeks ago.
"We?re hoping he can get back for a pro combine-type day (in March), quite honestly," Tressel said.
Death in the family
Quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels, already fighting kidney cancer, suffered another blow when his mother, Carmella, died Wednesday morning in Pittsburgh.
Daniels went to Pittsburgh immediately after Ohio State got back from Texas last weekend and returned to the team yesterday, Tressel said.
"He?s doing fine and he hasn?t missed anything for physical reasons," Tressel said, "but when you lose your mom, sometimes that?s even more difficult. I?m sure it?s going to be a very difficult weekend, because the services are Sunday (and) Monday."
No clarification needed
In the coaches? weekly evaluation report on officials that is sent to the Big Ten office, Tressel said Ohio State sought a clarification of the roughingthe-passer penalty on Jay Richardson that kept alive Texas? only touchdown drive in OSU?s 24-7 win. But Tressel said "really, there is no clarification" needed.
Referee Bill LeMonnier, a Big Ten official, made a judgment call because "he thought he was protecting the quarterback," Tressel said. "I didn?t think so at the time; I don?t think any differently now. But I?d rather have guys err on the side of safe than I would the opposite happen and all of a sudden there?s an injury."
Besides, Tressel said, "We had some bad calls, too, from our sideline by the coaches, so I can?t blame him."
Quite a streak
Quarterback Troy Smith has not thrown an interception since the first quarter of the Northwestern game on Nov. 12, 2005, a streak of 121 passes and more than four games.
He has thrown just one in his past seven games, spanning 185 attempts.
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