By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - With Ohio State needing quick strikes to stage a fourth-quarter rally Saturday, coach Jim Tressel pulled his big-play specialist to re-insert a conservative quarterback with a separated shoulder.

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It's a decision that might haunt Tressel until the next Michigan game.

Craig Krenzel left with four minutes left in the third quarter after suffering what he said was a separated left (non-throwing) shoulder.

Down 28-14, backup Scott McMullen led a 93-yard scoring drive on the following possession to bring OSU within a touchdown. But after going three-and-out on the following series, McMullen was pulled for Krenzel, who was cleared to return.

"I didn't pretend to know who's more effective," Tressel said. "I think (Krenzel) is a warrior, he's a guy who can get done what we need to do. ... There may have been a little loyalty there."

The move backfired. Now trailing 35-21 with 7:50 left, Krenzel threw three incompletions, overthrowing receivers on two of those passes.

When OSU got the ball back with 5:41 left, Krenzel completed a 7-yard pass, passed incomplete and was sacked. Since it didn't get the ball back until just 2:28 remained with no time outs, OSU was done.

McMullen gained renown as a free-wheeling passer - teammates call him "The Gunslinger" - who might have been more suited to a must-pass situation. In similar straits, he led OSU on a late-game drive to beat Penn State.

Yet Tressel went with the more methodical Krenzel, who didn't appear as sharp upon returning.

"Of course I'd liked to have been in there and led the team to victory," McMullen said. "But I'll do whatever I'm asked."

McMullen finished 8-of-13 for 108 yards and threw an interception with 1:44 left in the game. Krenzel was 20-of-33 for 221 yards and two touchdowns, though he was just 1-of-5 after his injury.

"I felt I was able to play," Krenzel said of his return. "I wanted to be out on the field ... and help my team have a chance to win."

Both QBs lamented OSU's lone series with a chance to tie. OSU's Chris Gamble had intercepted a pass to give his team possession at its 37, down seven points with 13:17 remaining. But McMullen threw incomplete, Lydell Ross ran for 1 yard, and McMullen was sacked.

"They were fired up. They had to make a stop," McMullen said of the Wolverines. "They turned up the pressure."

Said Krenzel: "That was a turning point in the game, and the offense comes on the field and goes three-and-out. That was a drive we needed to take it down the field and score."

Krenzel managed his seventh 200-yard passing game this season.