Ross is giving OSU's offense a needed lift

By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS -- Don't look now, but Lydell Ross has started to make everyone forget about you-know-who.
The junior tailback ran for 114 yards in the second half of Saturday's win over Michigan State to surpass 100 yards for the third straight week.
"I feel like I'm on a little bit of a roll," Ross said. "I was a little dinged up from a stinger I had this week during practice, but as the game wore on, I felt stronger."
This season, Ross has struggled with injuries and unfair comparisons to Maurice Clarett, but he's finally starting to live up to the promise he showed as a freshman when he ran for 419 yards and six touchdowns.
Ross finished with 125 yards on 24 carries on Saturday, including a nifty 35-yard run in the fourth quarter -- the longest run by a Buckeye this season.
Line blocking better
"I think our guys up front are doing a much better job of blowing people off the ball and being physical," said Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. "I think that's the No. 1 thing in our running game.
"Lydell is healthy, he's running hard and he's seeing the field well."
Quarterback Craig Krenzel added 33 yards on 14 carries as the Buckeyes out-rushed the Spartans 182-5.
Ohio State also held the overall edge in yardage, 395-378.
"It was good to see we were creating a little more balance on the offensive side of things," Tressel said. "We're also throwing the ball pretty well and making plays down field to our receivers, so whenever you can do both, it makes your offense a lot more potent."
Michigan State runs a spread offense with a heavy emphasis on passing, but it's obvious that coach John L. Smith expected to have more success on the ground.
"For us to be the team we want to be, for us to be a championship team, we have to rush the ball," Smith said. "But you're playing against one of the best defenses in the country out there.
"They have some good guys and not everything you try is going to work."
Joe helps out
Buckeye fullback Brandon Joe -- who missed several games early in the season from injury -- had six carries for 28 yards in the victory and has emerged as a solid short-yardage back.
"He would have been involved long ago if he was healthy," Tressel said of Joe. "I think that was an important game for Brandon because we're going to need him down the stretch."
But the biggest key is Ross.
With huge conference games coming up against Purdue and Michigan over the next two weeks, the Buckeyes will need Ross to keep rolling.
"A game like this really does a lot for our confidence," Ross said. "It feels good to get over 100 yards and hopefully I can continue to run over 100 yards during the next two games."