Article published January 16, 2008
Buckeyes maintain status quo
All but Gholston decide to remain
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
COLUMBUS - Ohio State fans can finally exhale. They held their breath while a half dozen star players considered leaving the program early for the NFL, and unlike the previous years, this time most of them opted to wear the scarlet and gray for one more season.
Taking inventory as yesterday's deadline to declare for the NFL draft passed, the Buckeyes have lost one player - junior defensive end Vernon Gholson - via an early exit.
Seniors Kirk Barton, Dionte Johnson and Larry Grant were using their final season of eligibility in 2007, so the net result is Ohio State will have 18 of its 22 starters back, plus its kicker and punter. If you include the backups, the glut of talent gets deeper, with 39 of the 44 players from the two-deep chart returning.
"There's a lot of talent in this junior class," Ohio State running back Maurice Wells said recently as the Buckeyes prepared to meet LSU in the national title game. "And if we get 'em all back - if we get most of 'em back - there's no reason to think we can't win another Big Ten championship, and then be right back here again next year, playing for it all."
Wells, who considered transferring at this point a year ago, then decided to stick it out and play back-up to sophomore Beanie Wells this season, is part of that rich junior class.
That group also includes highly decorated middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, who was projected as a high first round draft pick, but opted to leave an estimated $15 million on the table and return for a final season with the Buckeyes. Laurinaitis said that after a lot of soul-searching, he chose to stick it out with the group of players that came to Ohio State with him, and keep building a legacy."Going through those things with my teammates next year is what I look forward to the most," Laurinaitis said. "I knew the right decision for me was to follow my heart and figure out what's important to me right now. That's the decision to remain at Ohio State, have a great senior season, and graduate."
Offensive tackle Alex Boone, wide receiver Brian Robiskie, defensive back Malcolm Jenkins and linebacker Marcus Freeman all arrived at the same decision as Laurinaitis, and passed on the early exit for the NFL. All but Freeman are third-year players.
In the days following the end of the season, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel had given the NFL a list of 13 Buckeyes for evaluation, including anyone who could possibly be considered early for the draft. Although only a half dozen were believed to be seriously considering the move, Tressel said at the time his intention was to let them all know where they stood.
"I kind of encouraged it, because rather than someone wondering, I like guys to kind of know," Tressel said. "We've opened our doors so wide open to the evaluation process, that it's healthy for them to know."
Jenkins, who most draft services had pegged as a likely first-round pick, said the large group of players who came to Ohio State as freshmen for the 2005 season has a special bond that played a role in their decision. Gholston was not part of that group since he came to Ohio State a year earlier, then sat out the 2005 season after breaking his hand in the first game.
"My whole class is still here," Jenkins said. "We came in together and always planned on leaving at the same time. I'm just having fun right now and there are some things you can't put a price on. I'm not sure I want to turn football into a career just yet."
Retaining every player but Gholston who had been considered a candidate for an early exit was a major coup for Ohio State and Tressel, according to Steve Helwagen, managing editor of Bucknuts, an internet and publication entity dedicated to all things Ohio State.
"It is extremely surprising that they got two of the three biggest names to return, since Laurinaitis and Jenkins were both projected first round picks," Helwagen said. "For Laurinaitis to turn his back on all that money and come back for another year - amazing. It just speaks to their desire to win a national championship, because there's not much he or Jenkins can do to improve their draft stock."
When you add junior defensive end Lawrence Wilson to the mix, Ohio State's position of strength is enhanced further. Wilson was injured in the 2007 season-opener and missed the remainder of the year, but he was a starter at the time of his injury and considered one of the best players on the defense.
The Buckeyes, who have won three straight Big Ten championships, and the last two outright, open the 2008 season at home against Youngstown State and then Ohio University before flying to Los Angeles to meet USC.
Contact Matt Markey at: mmarkey@theblade.com or 419-724-6510.
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