OHIO STATE Washington coach weary of stadium's atmosphere

Keith Gilbertson leads the 17th-ranked Huskies into Ohio Stadium tonight.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Washington coach Keith Gilbertson isn't so concerned about one person not on the field for Ohio State as the 105,000 who will be watching from the stands.
"It's one of the great places in college football," Gilbertson said of Ohio Stadium where the Huskies will play the Buckeyes tonight.
It just might not be one of the great places to be a visiting coach -- particularly a visiting coach making your debut.
Off-season controversy
Gilbertson will be on the sidelines for his first game as coach of the No. 17 Huskies after taking over for Rick Neuheisel, fired after a gambling controversy in the spring.
Just as there will be those who judge Gilbertson based on the departed Neuheisel, Ohio State followers will be comparing the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes with what they might have been with stellar tailback Maurice Clarett.
Clarett, who set Ohio State freshman records a year ago with 1,237 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns, is suspended for exaggerating theft claims on a police report. He was held out of the team's first 23 preseason workouts, then was suspended but allowed back to practice this week. He spent the time portraying Washington tailback Rich Alexis as scout-team cannon fodder for the Buckeyes' first-team defense.
Juniors Maurice Hall and Lydell Ross will attempt to fill the gap left by Clarett's open-ended suspension. They took turns stepping into the spotlight a year ago as Clarett battled knee and shoulder injuries.
"I'd like to think they could bring their maturity and the full package to whatever we like to do, run and pass," coach Jim Tressel said.
Hall's clutch runs
The Buckeyes were 3-0 without Clarett a year ago. Hall is remembered as the back who scored the winning touchdown in Ohio State's 23-16 overtime win over Illinois. He came right back the next week to run for the decisive score in a come-from-behind 14-9 win over rival Michigan in the regular season finale.
Running backs coach Tim Spencer confirmed that Hall would start.
"They'll pound it off tackle and then they pound it some more," Gilbertson said. "And then just about the time you think they're ready to throw one, they're going to pound one in there again on you."
Maybe so, but quarterback Craig Krenzel and wide-out Michael Jenkins give the Buckeyes one of the best pass-catch combinations in the country.
Krenzel has developed from a player who's sole function was to avoid mistakes into a player who led the Buckeyes in rushing and scored two touchdowns in the 31-24 double-overtime victory over Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Buckeyes return all 11 starters on offense -- they're missing both safeties and their two top linebackers on the other side -- but Krenzel said Ohio State cannot rest on what it did a year ago.
"We know we're going to have to play better than any game a year ago to beat them," Krenzel said.
Ohio State won seven games by a touchdown or less in 2002.
Huskie QB
If Gilbertson believes the Buckeyes are reliant on the running game, then the Huskies live and die on Cody Pickett's ability to throw early and often.
He became the first Pac-10 quarterback to top 4,000 passing yards in a season last year.
That's not too shabby coming from the same conference that produced John Elway, Jim Plunkett, Drew Bledsoe, Mark Brunell, Jake Plummer, Troy Aikman and Dan Fouts.
Wide-out Reggie Williams piled up 94 catches a year ago for 1,454 yards and 11 TDs. He will spend most of the day trying to get open deep.
"Washington has great team speed," Tressel said. "And they have outstanding athletes."