Todd Denlinger
Returns on the DLine
With Ohio
State now cruising on
offense with the addition of Terrelle Pryor at quarterback and the return of
Chris Wells at the tailback position, much of the Buckeye Nation disapproval
has turned to the defense. This week could see an improvement at the defensive
tackle position with starting tackle Todd Denlinger returning from injury.
By Steve Patterson
A Couple of Plays
Denlinger
returned to action against Wisconsin
but only for a few plays according to Head Coach Jim Tressel. “He only got in a
couple or three plays this game, but they were the best couple or three plays
he's had in a month, because I think he finally -- the problem with those
ankles is, boy, you feel better, then you hit a plateau and you just don't get
any better, until you hit a certain point.”
Ankle Injuries
Ankle
injuries are tough to overcome but Coach Tressel feels very optimistic about
his availability for the rest of the season. “I think he hit that point where
he's on the upward, because he made a couple really good looking plays, the few
that he got in there, so knock on wood, I think he's turned the corner.”
DLine Has Had
Difficult Situations
He also
feels that the media and fans have been too critical of the defensive line as
they have had a lot of different formations to deal with and some very good
offensive lineman to battle. “They've had to do a lot of different things, play
a lot of positions. They've gone to spread things and we've moved guys inside,
outside, so forth and so on. I thought they faced a couple of real good
offensive lines in Southern Cal and Wisconsin.
I don't know how many of those Wisconsin guys
are seniors, but three or four guys that were pretty impressive to me as I
watched the film from a technique and physical standpoint and those kind of
things.”
But Needs Improvement
At the same
time, the defensive line can improve and they know that they can improve. “So I
think they've been solid. I don't know that they've been out of this world and
I think they know that, that we've got to get better, we've got to play lower,
we've got to play faster, but it's still a team defense and I think it's not
like we've had D linemen out of a gap or missed assignments or those kinds of
things, but winning comes down to defeating the guy trying to block you and
being in your gap and defeating the guy trying to block you and I'm sure we
have to get better at that, but it's not been -- I wouldn't grade it down by
any means.” Coach Tressel said at his weekly press conference