Tuesday, September 07, 1999
Ott keeps focus amid mystique at Ohio State
Elder graduate starts at middle linebacker
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COLUMBUS — Jason Ott is surrounded by the Ohio State mystique. To his left, encased in glass at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, are the Buckeyes' 1968 national championship trophies. On the wall above him looms a larger-than-life action photo of Andy Katzenmoyer, Ohio State's most recent star at Ott's position, middle linebacker.
But to Ott, a sophomore from Elder High School, the mystique doesn't matter, even as he replaces Butkus Award winner and All-American Katzenmoyer in the starting lineup. He's not into Ohio State lore or the tradition of great linebackers that includes Katzenmoyer, Chris Spielman, Randy Gradishar, Tom Cousineau and Marcus Marek. He's just into playing football.
“I may be different, and maybe a lot of people think about that kind of stuff, but I don't,” said Ott, peeking up at the photo of Katzenmoyer and the words “BUTKUS AWARD” emblazened in capital letters below it. “If someone didn't ask me about it, I wouldn't think about it.
“I just think about playing. I think it's something you look back on down the road and say how exciting it was to play here. But right now I'm just thinking about winning and getting the job done, instead of soaking it in.”
Ott has enough to soak in on the field. A third-year sophomore, Ott started his first game Aug. 29 in Ohio State's season-opening 23-12 loss to the Miami Hurricanes — and looked much like a sophomore starting his first game. He and the rest of the defense will have to be markedly improved this week if Ohio State is to beat UCLA in Saturday's 8 p.m. kickoff in Columbus.
Miami's speedy receivers were the difference in the game, but its running backs ate up huge chunks of ground and clock, for which Ott — as the run-stuffing middle linebacker — has a strong responsibility.
Still, it was Ott's first significant action (he played 37 minutes in 10 games last season), and both he and the coaching staff realize it's a learning process.
“He did all right,” coach John Cooper said. “He has to work on everything, like everybody else on the team. He needs to work on keys, recognition, timing, tackling, shedding blocks. He didn't play badly for his first game at middle linebacker.”
Outside linebacker Na'il Diggs said he was “impressed” with the way Ott played.
“He did everything he was supposed to do,” Diggs said.
But at Ohio State, where the expectation is to win every game, pressure can mount as inexperienced players get on-the-job training. Ott says he doesn't worry about that, as long as he gives his best effort. He believes that will in time be good enough to do the job.
Ott isn't used to not dominating; as a senior at Elder in 1996, he was named an All-American, Ohio Gatorade high school player of the year and the Associated Press' Division I defensive player of the year after tallying 177 tackles and 12 sacks.
“There's nothing that can help you more than experience,” Ott said. “In one way it's good that I don't look at all the pressure (of playing middle linebacker), because I don't get all involved in that and think about that. I look at it like, I want to say, "I gave my all,' and I want my coaches to say I played well.”
But Ott wasn't down on himself after reviewing his first game on tape.
“I think I did a good job for my first game,” Ott said. “I look at the UCLA game, and I think I need to be well far beyond, and I know I will be. But I think I did an all right job. I carried out the assignments. Maybe one thing I need to work on is closing to the ballcarrier faster in man coverage. ... And in the first game, your heart's pumping so fast, before you know it, you're just exhausted. I think that played a factor.
“Being my first game, I didn't know what to expect. It's not as a big a deal going out there as you think. I probably made a bigger deal out it than it really was. I think that will help my confidence going into the next game.”
One thing Ott won't need to worry about it being replaced as the starter, at least for now. Fifth-year senior Chris Kirk was declared academically ineligible for the season. True freshman Freddie Pagac — son of defensive coordinator Fred Pagac — isn't ready yet, although with great talent and an intimate knowledge of the system he could end up as the starter in the long-term.
Ott is aware of the Buckeye aura.
“There's big expectations playing middle linebacker at Ohio State,” he said. “I'm confident I'll be able to say I had a good year to build on.”
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