Thursday, October 21, 1999
Locals bear brunt of OSU's struggles
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COLUMBUS — It has been a frustrating and disappointing season for everyone at Ohio State as the football team has struggled to a 4-3 start. But in particular, the Cincinnati-area Buckeyes find themselves far from where they had hoped they would be.
One of the team's captains, senior fullback Matt Keller of Moeller, has been reduced to a spectator much of the season, a victim of a sprained ankle that has kept him out of four games and most of two others. He may not play this weekend at Minnesota but is hoping to play his final two home games at Ohio Stadium.
The Buckeyes may have a bigger fullback in Jamar Martin, but they miss Keller's pass-catching ability out of the backfield.
“This has been the most frustrating season of my life,” Keller said. “Being a team captain and a leader and not being able to be on the field is killing me. It would be really easy for me to rush back right now, but it's going to be good for me and the team to come back when I'm 100 percent.”
OSU's other captain, senior cornerback Ahmed Plummer of Wyoming, has picked off three passes but can't get away from the notion that the Buckeyes' secondary just isn't as talented this year.
Plummer began the year as a preseason All-American, but holding on to that honor isn't likely. Coach John Cooper says OSU doesn't have players like former All-American cornerback Antoine Winfield; the talent level has dipped.
Plummer has started 32 consecutive games, and Ohio State had lost only four of the 25 before this season. It has lost almost that many this year. Still, Plummer tries not to get down on the Buckeyes and said he won't admit that this team doesn't have what last year's 11-1 squad did.
“You really can't do that,” Plummer said. “It's easy for people to be that way, some of the people who played on some of the more successful teams. But we're still in the middle of the season. You can't begin to assess the year yet. After the season, you might look back on it, but when you're in the midst of all these battles, you just have to
play every game as hard as you can.”
The Buckeyes' middle linebacker, sophomore Jason Ott of Elder, has made a few plays but mostly has been blocked out as he replaces All-American Andy Katzenmoyer. Ott has been scalded on Columbus radio talk shows and has been replaced for long periods by the now-injured Freddie Pagac and recently by outside linebacker Joe Cooper. Reporters have even asked John Cooper whether he'll move Na'il Diggs into the middle from the outside; the coach said he won't.
The one-time punter, freshman B.J. Sander of Roger Bacon, started the season with a bruised foot, then lost his job after two bad punts and was booed by the Ohio Stadium crowd.
“I didn't know what to expect. The most people I had at a game in high school was 3,000. There were 90,000 more (in Columbus),” Sander said. “I was real nervous. I had quite a few butterflies, and I messed up a couple things in my routine.”
Cincinnati's other Buckeyes — freshman defensive back Kelton Lindsay of Lebanon and redshirt freshman guard Scott Kuhnhein of Highlands — haven't seen much action, though Lindsay has played a bit on special teams. Lindsay, one of the state's best high school running backs last season, said he'd be happier playing offense but knows his best shot for action is in the defensive backfield.
The men with the perspective, the two senior captains, have little on the season right now. Their focus is on a Buckeyes turnaround.
“This is my senior year. There aren't going to be too many times I can go out and play for Ohio State,” Keller said. “I only have two home games left, and that's something I think about.”
“It's a critical juncture,” Plummer said. “We've got to get back on the winning track. You have to go out there and play every down like it's your last down.”
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