OHIO STATE Dials named captain

The Boardman High graduate was selected by Coach Jim O'Brien.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien wants his team to be tougher, so he's already hand-picked a captain to whip the Buckeyes into shape.
Breaking with long-standing tradition, O'Brien chose junior center Terence Dials of Boardman as the Buckeyes' captain instead of letting the players vote, and the coach did it seven or eight months sooner than the norm.
Dials talks as if he's a Marine drill sergeant more than a teammate with some added leadership responsibilities.
"Yeah, I'm the biggest guy. Nobody's beat me up on this team," he said Monday when asked if he was tough enough to confront a teammate. "I definitely have the ability to go jump somebody.
"You know, I don't want to have to beat somebody up on this team," Dials said. "That's not what a captain has to do, but more or less lead by example and let them know that they're not the only ones who are going to be working hard on this team."
Dismal season
The Buckeyes ended a dismal 14-16 season by losing in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament three weeks ago. Since then, O'Brien has been making plans to open a boot camp for the players, led by Dials.
"We have to get tougher-- physically and mentally," said O'Brien, whose voice has improved since sustaining damage to his vocal cords during surgery last year. "We're going to challenge them a lot in those areas. That's a big issue with us right now."
O'Brien also discussed his future, repeating that he has not been contacted about the vacant job at St. John's in his native New York City.
"I'm not involved with St. John's University, nor have I ever been," O'Brien said. "Anyone who continues to connect me with St. John's or puts my name on any list connecting me to St. John's is making a grave error. It's not right and it's not accurate."
O'Brien and his staff have instituted 6:30 a.m. workouts for the players, who will likely find themselves shooting the ball less and doing more grueling and physically taxing conditioning drills.
"It's all a message," guard Tony Stockman said. "We could go in the afternoons if they wanted us to. It's just to get our attention and to show us that he means business and we have to come around and start playing the way he wants us to play."