Buckeyes will focus on task at hand
Distractions didn't bother Ohio State last year in its run to the national title.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Half of the victories in Ohio State's memorable run to the national championship last year were a play away from being a loss. As a result, the Buckeyes became accustomed to ducking trouble.
That experience has come in handy as the Buckeyes prepare to defend their title.
"We've had to become good at not being distracted," third-year coach Jim Tressel said.
With a university committee looking into alleged academic irregularities and the NCAA investigating Maurice Clarett, the Buckeyes are certainly No. 1 in the nation in distractions.
Some say that's no cause for alarm.
Team has tunnel vision
"Our team does a great job of just not paying attention," quarterback Craig Krenzel said. "I know one of the reasons we went undefeated last year and were 14-0 was the fact that we had the ability to focus on the task at hand. We had that tunnel vision."
Seven Ohio State games were decided by a touchdown or less -- and the Buckeyes won them all.
Every starter is back on offense, the kicker was almost perfect a year ago and the defense is stocked up front, on the corners and with loads of young talent.
"I know we're going back to the national championship because we've got a lot of good athletes coming back," said two-way starter Chris Gamble, who was No. 2 on the team in receiving and No. 1 with four interceptions.
The normally pragmatic Krenzel, a cerebral type who's majoring in molecular genetics, can't hide his excitement.
"We have a boatload of talent," said Krenzel, who ran for two TDs and was the offensive MVP in the Buckeyes' 31-24 double-overtime victory over Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
Krenzel is the leader
The arsenal starts with Krenzel, who's 14-0 as a starter over the last two regular seasons including 2-0 against rival Michigan.
While Clarett is sidelined, juniors Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall provide adequate relief but aren't game-changers.
The line returns intact and is noticeably leaner and better conditioned than a year ago. Wide receiver Michael Jenkins is a big-play guy who piled up 61 catches for 1,076 yards.
Kicker Mike Nugent was a first-team All-American while converting his first 23 attempts and 25-of-28 overall.
The biggest questions pop up at safety, where Michael Doss and Donnie Nickey graduated, and at linebacker, where leading-tackler Matt Wilhelm and Cie Grant are gone. Mike D'Andrea, A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter have been waiting in the wings behind Wilhelm and Grant, while Will Allen and Nate Salley will fill the slots at the back end of the defense.
One other area of concern is leadership. All the departed were vocal ballhawks who set an example off the field and continually came up with big plays on it. It remains to be seen if the Buckeyes have the same backbone as they did a year ago when they kept pulling games out of the fire.
"Yeah, we're defending national champions but what exactly does that mean?" offensive lineman Adrien Clarke said. "We have a lot to prove to a lot of people, especially ourselves."
Challenges are greater
"The challenges are greater with the size of the bull's-eye," said Tressel.
The Buckeyes swear last year's close calls were not a sign of weakness but of inner strength.
"Amazing things can happen at the drop of a hat. As long as we wholeheartedly believe in that, we can do it year after year after year," tight end Ben Hartsock said. "You have to have some things go your way and they went our way last year. Hopefully we're a more talented team this year but -- all talent aside -- if the ball doesn't fall our way every once in a while it's a whole different season."