Jim Tressel is set to begin his tenure as head coach of the Buckeyes. With spring practice now history and fall practice under way, Tressel is hoping his team will continue to improve before Akron visits the now finished remodeled Ohio Stadium. He is hoping for continued improvement throughout the season and wants his squad to be playing its best football towards the end of the season.

OSU returns 44 lettermen, including 13 starters from last season's 8-4 team.

The strength of this team should be the defense, although new defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio must replace five starters, including two cornerbacks, no doubt a key position. Six starters return, they are: DL Mike Collins ; safeties Mike Doss (an All-American candidate) and Donnie Nickey; LB's Matt Wilhelm, Joe Cooper, and Courtland Bullard. A whole host of talented players are fighting it out for the five
starting defensive positions that need to be filled.

The defense might have to carry the team for awhile, because the offense, while having talented players themselves, is young at several positions, and has trouble scoring points. Last season, with experienced players, this unit had its share of unproductive games. Hopefully this shaky unit will improve into aproductive and quick-strike offense with its young and gifted players. Seven starters return on this side of the ball, they are: QB Steve Bellisari; O-Linemen Le Charles Bentley, Adrien Clarke, and Tyson Walter; TE
Darnell Sanders; FB Jamar Martin; and TB Jon Wells (started 4 games in 2000). This unit will have its share of problems with depth at each position. No starters return at WR and some have yet to see any action in a college game.

Special teams, especially the kicking game, has struggled in the spring and so far in fall practice. Protection on punts and missed field goals by new placekickers has been the problem. Both of those areas of concern will get a lot of attention. B.J. Sander, the long punter a season ago (Dan Stultz was the short and "pooch" punter), is back, but he
struggles with his timing. He averaged over 40 yards a punt in 2000, but has had some of his kicks blocked, as he doesn't get them off quick enough. Josh Huston (R-Freshman) and Mike Nugent (True Freshman) are competing for the PK spot that was held by 4 year starter Stultz a year ago. He is Ohio State's all-time leader in career FG's made and is the second most prolific scorer in OSU history. The kicking game, as a whole, will get a lot of attention the rest of fall camp.

There are nine starting positions to be filled and there are questions about other positions as well, as the season opener is just less than two full weeks away. One thing is certain, former head coach John Cooper left new head coach Tressel with a very talented team to work with, unlike what Earle Bruce left him when he started his OSU career in 1988.
Thanks Coop!

Prediction for the 2001 season: Another 8-4 year will have to do until the team gets a good feel for Tressel's system. Look out in 2002, Ohio State has the talent to go a long way! By the way the Trivia Zone correctly predicted OSU's record for the 2000
season in our 2000 football preview.