With Shugarts ailing, freshman Norwell occupies key role.
Starting right offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts, here getting helped off the field last year against Penn State, has suffered from a foot problem throughout his OSU career. If it flares up again Saturday in Wisconsin, freshman Andrew Norwell will get the call to replace the junior from Texas.Columbus -- Freshman right tackle Andrew Norwell enters Saturday's game at Wisconsin in a role that hasn't changed yet is more critical to Ohio State than anyone may have known before last week.
Starting junior right tackle J.B. Shugarts has been battling a chronic foot problem his entire career at Ohio State, OSU coaches said this week, and it's not going away. Last week, it led Norwell to play nearly three quarters in relief in the win over Indiana, and though Shugarts practiced on Wednesday and Thursday after sitting out Tuesday and is expected to start, it's plain now that Norwell is the most important backup on the offensive line.
"He's a good football player and we thought he was a good football player when we recruited him," OSU offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Jim Bollman said of Norwell, "and he has done things so far this year that have not surprised us at all."
Last season, Marcus Hall typically replaced Shugarts for a few series a game, and Bollman admitted this week that was a nod to Shugarts' foot issues. Now, Hall is redshirting this season because of academic issues, so Norwell has been next in line. And Shugarts has been fighting through like he always has.
"There have been times it affected him a lot," Bollman said. "He played a lot of football, though, in these two-and-a-half years. He usually sucks it up and does a really good job in the game. Sometimes after the game, though, it's very rough."
Bollman said Shugarts is getting some new treatment this week, and the Buckeyes will try to help him as much as possible, with Norwell getting some playing time as part of that help. While few players are 100 percent at this point in the season, what Shugarts is battling is more difficult than many injuries. As a tackle he needs to slide and be mobile in pass protection and then push off and drive in run blocking.
"There are times he's had to fight through it," Bollman said. "That's all part of the deal. Hopefully you have a little bit of depth there and you can help each other out."
Buckeyes talk to Holmes: Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Thursday that receivers coach Darrell Hazell, who was in the room with Santonio Holmes as he interviewed agents five years ago, talked with Holmes this week about the allegations in a magazine story that Holmes took money from an agent while at Ohio State. Holmes has publicly denied the allegations.
"His statements to Darrell put your mind at ease," Tressel said. "[But] you're always concerned when anything is brought up. . . . You never like to be mentioned in any other way than glowing ones."
Brown moves: Tressel said that redshirt freshman Corey Brown, who has been the Buckeyes' No. 4 cornerback, has also started working at safety to give the Buckeyes more depth there. And Tressel believes Brown's future at Ohio State is as a safety.
"We're thin at both places, so he can be that versatile guy, that utility guy," Tressel said. "He can play corner if we need him and he can play safety if we need him."