With The Ohio State University facing the University of Miami for the first time since the 2003 BCS National Championship game, the Buckeye nation has been infused with sweet nostalgic daydreams of the Buckeyes’ magical 2002 National Championship team. They were a fearless, tenacious, strong-willed bunch. And while they walked a tight rope over the abyss of defeat weekly, they were easy to love and harder to forget.
The 2002 Buckeye defense didn’t defend, they attacked – with bad intentions. They were monstrous yet fast enough to stay with any offense in the land. The offense was considerably less exciting to watch the majority of the time, but they had a seemingly endless supply of magic that they only used when absolutely necessary – often on fourth and long.
In honor of the 2002 Buckeyes and in order to gain a clearer picture of the potential of the 2010 Buckeyes, let’s put them up against each other, player to player, and see who comes out ahead.
Before we get into our Ohio State dreamworld, we should take a quick look at the ‘Canes too. Remember, in 2002, Miami was expected to win back-to-back titles. How do the 2010 Hurricanes compare to their last National Championship team, the 2001 Hurricanes?
Not very well. Yes, Jacory Harris is a very good quarterback and Leonard Hankerson is a dangerous receiver. And yes, the ‘Canes defensive line is looking a bit more impressive than last year. But the 2001 ‘Canes were unbelievably loaded. Here’s a short list of one of the more awe-inspiring college football rosters in recent history: Clinton Portis, Jeremy Shockey, D. J. Williams, Jonathan Vilma, Sean Taylor (rest in peace), Willis McGahee, Ed Reed, Andre Johnson, and Kellen Winslow II. The 2010 ‘Canes have miles to go before they can match that.
Now let’s see if this year’s Bucks stack up against the 2002 champs.
QUARTERBACK
Craig Krenzel
VERSUS
Terrelle Pryor possesses talents that tower over Craig Krenzel’s natural abilities, but Krenzel, time and time again, displayed a legendary grit and determination on par with Johnny Unitas. In each of the last four games of the 2002-03 season, all of which came down to the wire, Krenzel kept game-winning drives alive by stretching out his time in the pocket and hitting late-breaking receivers or breaking tackles and scrambling for a first down. He made so many impossible plays, the Buckeye nation began to expect the impossible in 2002.
To be fair, Pryor hasn’t been in too many of these situations. He certainly has the ability to create something out of nothing. If he can come close to the nerve and fortitude of Craig Krenzel, watch out.
WINNER – 2002 Buckeyes (for now)
RUNNING BACKS
Maurice Clarett – Lydell Ross
VERSUS
Brandon Saine – Dan Herron
No Buckeye fan will ever forget Maurice Clarett tracking down Miami’s Sean Taylor, after a Krenzel interception in the endzone, and ripping the ball from his hands. Like Krenzel, Maurice had a knack for the dramatic. But neither Maurice nor Lydell Ross have the game-breaking speed of Brandon “Zoom” Saine. And Dan “Boom” Herron might not be able to carry defenders forward like Maurice, Boom can bang between the tackles with the best of them. Boom and Zoom should provide plenty of memories this year.
WINNER – 2010 Buckeyes
RECEIVERS
Chris Gamble – Michael Jenkins – Ben Hartsock
VERSUS
DeVier Posey – Dane Sanzenbacher – Jake Stoneburner
Posey and Sanzenbacher are solid, and Stoneburner is full of potential. But until one of them proves to be a gamer like Michael Jenkins, this category belongs to the 2002 Buckeyes. Jenkins was a pro his junior year of college. Always in the right spot, and always sure-handed. On the other side of the field, Chris Gamble’s speed was a constant threat that demanded attention from opposing defenses. This year’s receivers don’t measure up too well yet, but there is ample room for improvement.
WINNER – 2002 Buckeyes
OFFENSIVE LINE
Ivan Douglas – Adrien Clarke – Alex Stepanovich – Bryce Bishop – Shane Olivea
VERSUS
Mike Adams – Justin Boren – Mike Brewster – Bryant Browning – JB Shugarts
The 2010 Buckeye offensive line just edges out the 2002 unit in talent. Boren and Brewster will likely be chosen early in the 2011 NFL draft. Olivea had a brief but respectable stint with the San Diego Chargers, and Stepanovich put together a slightly longer NFL career, playing solid football for the Arizona Cardinals for three years. It ain’t easy being an offensive lineman in the NFL. The 2010 OSU offensive line should look to the 2002 unit for an exemplary example of playing together as a unit. They held the fort when they had too. Fortunately, many reports indicate that Mike Brewster is a leader in the same mold as Stepanovich, a valuable asset for a center.
WINNER – 2010 Buckeyes
SECONDARY
Chris Gamble – Donnie Nickey – Michael Doss – Dustin Fox
VERSUS
Chimdi Chekwa – Jermale Hines – C. J. Barnett (Orhian Johnson) – Devon Torrence – Tyler Moeller
The 2002 Buckeye secondary dished out bruises and concussions like Halloween candy. Donnie Nickey was a guided missle (he makes his living as a missile for the Tennessee Titans special teams). Mike Doss was an astute field general with a habit of separating receivers from footballs. Chris Gamble was a genuine lockdown corner, and on some Sundays, he still is. The 2010 OSU secondary falls way short of the 2002 unit. Chekwa just might become a lockdown corner, but he struggled in the last half of 2009. Torrence and Barnett looked like rookies in the Marshall game. Hines and Moeller provided the only bright spots in last weeks game. The 2010 OSU secondary needs to step it up when Miami’s Jacory Harris starts slinging the ball around.
WINNER – 2002 Buckeyes
LINEBACKERS
Robert Reynolds – Matt Wilhelm – Cie Grant
VERSUS
Ross Homan – Brian Rolle – Andrew Sweat
The 2002 OSU linebacker corps were behemoths. Linebackers from a different era of college football. Wilhelm, Reynolds, and Grant handed out a lot of face mask tattoos in 2002, but the emergence of spread offenses in college football might have given them problems. Enter Homan, Rolle, and Sweat. Not as big, but lightning quick, smart, and still capable of standing up a fullback on an iso. The 2010 linebacker corps carries on the great tradition of Ohio State linebackers into the new era.
WINNER – 2010 Buckeyes
DEFENSIVE LINE
Will Smith – Kenny Peterson – Tim Anderson – Darrion Scott
VERSUS
Nathan Williams – Dexter Larimore – John Simon – Cameron Heyward
The 2002 Buckeye defensive line was the heart and soul of the team. They looked like they were 35 years old, and they had every offensive line on their schedule hanging on for dear life, especially Miami. The memory of Ken Dorsey sitting on the bench during the Fiesta Bowl glassy eyed and confused still gives this Buckeye a warm fuzzy feeling. That said, the 2010 version is really good. Cameron Heyward would’ve fit like a glove on the 2002 defensive line. Dexter Larimore was batting Marshall offensive lineman around like toy mice. Saturday, Nathan Williams, who showed great quickness and force last year, returns from an injury for the Miami game. This group could be a lot of fun to watch.
WINNER – 2002 Buckeyes
KICKERS
Mike Nugent – Andy Groom / BJ Sanders
VERSUS
Devin Barclay/ Drew Basil – Ben Buchanan
This one is no contest. Mike Nugent won the Lou Groza Award and became the first kicker in Buckeye history to earn the team’s Most Valuable Player award. Andy Groom dropped punt after punt up against opposing team’s goal lines all over the 2002 season. Ohio State’s 2010 special teams are a genuine cause for concern. Barclay and Basil haven’t impressed anyone. Buchanan, however, had a good game against Marshall. Coach Tressel leaned heavy on his kickers in 2002. He won’t have such a warm security blanket in 2010.
WINNER – 2002 Buckeyes