Football
Tressel Rewards Quartet of Buckeyes with Scholarships
By John Porentas

Four walkons on the OSU roster were awarded scholarships by OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel this week. Offensive lineman Tyler Whaley, fullback Trevor Robinson, wide receiver Derek Harden and fullback Ryan Franzinger were all awarded scholarships this week.

Derek Harden

Harden is a senior wide receiver from Logan, Ohio. For Harden, the scholarship benefit is a definite financial relief.

"I'm actually married and we have a three month old boy. It's a financial burden lifted off our back. That will help us out a lot," Harden said.

Harden made the travel team last season as a member of the special teams. His specialty is kick coverage, both on kickoffs and punts.

"My big goal is to get on the field as much as possible on special teams," he said.

"My one big goal is to cause a fumble on a kickoff or return or return one for a touchdown."

Like Harden, Robinson has also earned a niche on the Buckeye squad as a special teams player. His role is actually a specialized one.

Trevor Robinson

"I'm a member of the kickoff team and people know me as a wedge buster. I don't mind putting my head in there and hitting somebody," said Robinson.

Robinson's role on the kick coverage team is to give himself up in a collision in the hopes of freeing up another defender or defenders to make the tackle. If that sound like a bit of a gruesome task to you, you're not alone. Robinson admits that when he first took on the job, it wasn't exactly fun.

"At first I didn't like it but that's one of the reasons I got a scholarship I feel, because I worked hard and took on that role that the team needed," he said. He also said that it is the kind of job that sort of grows on you.

"Its not as bad as it looks. Once you do it a few times you get used to it. I enjoy it now, I really do," he said.

Earning a scholarship was a milestone achievement for Robinson who recently switched from linebacker to fullback. He now has his sights set on another goal.

"My main goal over the last three years was to earn a scholarship. My next move is to hopefully play," he said.

"I hope to one day earn a starting position at fullback," he said.

Tyler Whaley

Offensive lineman Tyler Whaley was also awarded a scholarship this week. Unlike Harden and Robinson, Whaley's role on the team goes beyond special teams. He is currently listed in the two-deep as a backup at center. Whaley, whose nickname on the team is "Tank" is not exactly your prototype offensive lineman. He is listed on the OSU roster at 6-1, 270, but according to Whaley, that's not quite accurate.

I'm 5-11, short of six feet," Whaley said. "I weigh about 276.

In an era when offensive linemen are 6-3 to 6-7, Whaley is a definite anomaly. He is a successful offensive lineman that doesn't tower over anybody. He just knocks people down.

"I definitely take advantage of being short," he said.

"I think my leverage is a big thing. I'm short and I can get under a lot of people. I play lower even when I'm not trying to play low," he said matter of factly.

It also doesn't hurt to be strong as a brahma bull in a 5-11 body.

"I'm pretty strong, probably one of the stronger people on the team," he said.

"We do the 225 rep max bench press and the most I've done that is 30 times. I've squatted about 650 and on bench around 465. I would really like to break 500 on bench and squat 700. Those are my goals in the weight room," he said.

He also has goals on the playing field.

"My next goal is to get out there on the field and play when it matters, not just in mop up duty. I loved getting game experience last year in mop up duty, this year I have the goal of getting out there against some different competition," he said.

All of the new scholarship recipients were grateful for the financial aid, but for all of them there was more to it than that. They all now can participate in training table. Until now, when the team sat down to eat together, they had to go elsewhere to eat alone. It sounds like a small thing, but it was a big thing to the new scholarship players.

"The team was eating and I was going to McDonalds," said Whaley.

"Now I can eat with the team. That means a lot to me. I traveled last year and was able to do that, but it means that much extra to me to be able to go to training table and sit with the team and eat with them."

"You feel a lot more part of the team," agreed Robinson.

"Training table is kind of validation for your career, for what you put in here," said Harden. "You're rewarded for your hard work."

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