Football
Luncheon Day Notebook: Approaching New Mexico State as Critical Game
By Brandon Castel

It's not often Ohio State is favored by 40 points going into a game, and for good reason.

"We haven't got 40 points very often," Head Coach Jim Tressel cracked Tuesday at his weekly media luncheon.

Head Coach Jim Tressel
Photo by Jim Davidson

It was one of those "funny because it's true" jokes that Tressel will often make about himself when he is in good spirits; one that went over much better this week than it would have following the Buckeyes 26-18 loss at Purdue a week ago.

For the record, Ohio State has yet to score 40 points in a game this season, although they have reached 38 points twice, including this past weekend against Minnesota.

Where Vegas might be on to something is with OSU's opponent. After five straight games in the Big Ten (4-1), the Buckeyes step out of conference play to face a New Mexico State team that is 3-5 overall this season and just 1-3 in the Western Athletic Conference. The Aggies are coming off back-to-back losses of 45-7 and 34-3 against Louisiana Tech and Fresno State respectively and currently have the 120th-ranked offense in the country (there are only 120 teams in Division I FBS for those of you counting at home).

Yet, Tressel sees this weekend's game as a critical step for his young team.

"This is an important game, that's one thing. We need to get better. That's just as important," he said Tuesday.

"We had a good win, it wasn't a perfect win, there's a whole lot more we've got to do better and it's got to start this week. So the best chance you have to get better is on Saturdays. Practices are critical. It's at a certain level, but it's not at the level that a game is, playing in front of the fans and the excitement and the energy."

The Buckeyes have not been favored by nearly six touchdowns mid-season since 1999 (Ohio University), but don't expect to see Tressel or his team treat this game like a season-opener or early-season tune-up game with backups like Joe Bauserman being used early and often.

"No, this is game nine. We've got to progress," he said.

"Now, that doesn't mean Joe won't play, I don't mean that. But I'm not sitting here today saying, you know what, I think we'll put this guy in or that guy in. No, we're going out all barrels blazing and do what the situation calls for."

After the Purdue loss, Tressel admitted he did not do enough to educate his team on the severity of the challenge they were up against in a 1-5 Boilermaker team. He doesn't feel they will have that problem this week with the knowledge of what looms ahead in what is sure to be "a November to remember."

"I think the reality we sit in right now is here we are in late October, we have goals that we have in mind, we have progression we would like to make and we know we have a very, very short time to do that," he said.

"You think about our seniors and they've only got a couple more times in Ohio Stadium and four more football games and those four or five years are gone and the same is true for this team in this season. And so our guys, I think, have the right perspective."

Play 'Em or Sit 'Em

While the Buckeyes no longer have a bye this week, playing a 40-point underdog like New Mexico State could be an opportunity to rest some banged up players, but only if the Buckeyes can get out to a significant enough lead.

After leaving last week's game against Minnesota with a concussion, tailback Brandon Saine is questionable heading into today's practice, but Tressel has no plans to rest the team's second-leading rusher if he's available.

"If Brandon Saine is cleared, Brandon's playing," he said emphatically.

"(He) won't be able to have contact today. It's just part of the procedure in his type of injury. He'll be able to have a lot of cardio work and if he progresses there, I'd like to think he'll be cleared."

Tressel would also like to have tailback Boom Herron, who has carried the ball only twice since going down with a high ankle injury against Illinois in week four, but his status appears to be in question with the big trip to Happy Valley looming just two weeks away.

"Boom Herron, we'll have to see this week. I would call him questionable for this week, which I don't know what that means for next week," Tressel said.

If the Buckeyes have to play New Mexico State without Herron and Saine, it would leave freshmen Jordan Hall and Jermil Martin as the primary ball-carriers. It could also jeopardize the redshirt of freshman Jaamal Berry if push ever came to shove.

"So the thoughts of going into the game and it's Jordan and Jermil, I'm a little nervous about that," Tressel admitted.

"That's awfully thin because what that tells me is that Brandon and Boom aren't allowed to play. And so you might be thrust into a difficult situation with a guy like Jamaal."

The Buckeyes would still like to redshirt Berry, who returned to the active list this week after battling a hamstring, but another injury at tailback might take the decision out of their hands.

"The answer's no if Boom and Brandon and Jordan and Jermil are ready. If all of a sudden we're down to one of those four, the answer is yes even if it's game 12."

If they can keep two of the other backs healthy, the Buckeyes feel much better now about Martin being one of them after watching him rush for 75 yards on seven carries against the Gophers.

"That was the end of the game and emotionally our opponent wasn't like they were at the beginning of the game, but that doesn't lessen the fact that he did a good job. We of course feel better about Jermil being in the game now after having seen him carry it seven or eight times."

Other Injury Updates

When the Buckeyes took the field Saturday against Minnesota, they found themselves without the services of left tackle Mike Adams, who was sidelined by a knee injury during practice. As it turns out, the knee required minor surgery and the Buckeyes will be without the 6-foot-8 sophomore as they begin their stretch run in November.

"We lost Mike Adams and probably won't have Mike for, I would say, at least two more games," Tressel said.

With Adams out, senior Jim Cordle stepped in and played well in his first start at left tackle, earning the Jim Parker Offensive Lineman of the Week award for the first time this season.

"Jimmy played tackle, played center. I think he's played every position except for right guard or something he says and he would like to get a couple snaps there so he can get the trifecta, but it was good getting Jimmy back," Tressel said.

Another player who could be on the verge of making his return is nose tackle Dexter Larimore. The Buckeyes had targeted November as his return date and it looks like he could be ready to rejoin the defense against Penn State next week according to Tressel.

"Dexter Larimore, I would say, we'll have to see how he does. He's going to be able to practice some this week."

Lastly, safety Orhian Johnson also suffered a concussion, or at least had concussion-like symptoms against Minnesota and will be in a similar holding pattern to that of Saine until he is cleared by the medical staff.

"Orhian Johnson is in a similar situation as Brandon Saine," Tressel said, "if he's cleared, he's going to play."

 

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