Tressel OK with his team being a target while chasing a sixth straight conference title.
Ohio State notes from conference interviews today
* Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said fullback Jermil Martin has not been working out with the team and will not be part of preseason camp. But Tressel expects everyone else on board, including incoming freshman running Roderick Smith, who may be delayed while his NCAA paperwork in finalized, but who is completing the academic requirements for admission, according to Tressel.
* In position battles, Tressel said junior Mike Adams will probably work with the first time at left tackle on the first day of practice Friday. But he said someone else could easily be with the first team the next day. Senior Andrew Miller is the most obvious other candidate in that battle, though Tressel also mentioned sophomore Marcus Hall and freshman Andrew Norwell.
At safety, Tressel said Tyler Moeller, coming back from a head injury, will start camp as the starter at the star position, which is the extra defensive back in Ohio State's nickel defense. Senior Jermale Hines, who has played the star in the past, would remain at his safety spot in that formation.
* Delany said there is a consensus in the league about going to a nine-game conference season, and he hopes to adopt the increase in either two or four years. However, as Ohio State officials have done in the past, Jim Tressel explained how a nine-game home schedule could cost the school a nonconference home game, which means costing Ohio State several million dollars. But Ohio State could be coming around on this. Seems like it could be a go for 2015.
* On an experienced offensive line, Tressel said he needs to see better communication, and he mentioned how senior left guard Justin Boren is sometimes focused so much on making his block, he doesn't talk about what needs to go on around him.
* Ohio State was tabbed as the conference favorite by the media, and Tressel didn't hide from it.
"I think we're a capable team. I think we should be a team that's being targeted," Tressel said.