Childress ready for breakout

Will "Mr. April" bring his "A" game in the autumn?
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Wide receiver Brandon "Bam" Childress acknowledges he has a growing reputation as "Mr. April" -- a star during each year's spring practices who all but disappears when the games really count.
He's out to change that perception.
"The spring game means a lot, but right now I'm just focusing on the season," Childress said after a recent workout for Ohio State's annual intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday. "I'm not really thinking about making plays in the spring game and being satisfied with that."
Final year
Down to his final year of eligibility, the former Associated Press Mr. Football in Ohio wants to prove he's more than just a preseason standout.
"It is my last opportunity," he said. "Every chance I get I'm going out there and try my best and just hope God puts me in a situation where I can make a play."
A year ago Childress had a big 14 days of practice leading up to the spring game, then returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown and caught two scoring passes. Then last fall he totaled just 11 catches for 133 yards.
But Ohio State coach Jim Tressel pictures Childress as more than a springtime phenomenon.
"The last two or three games of the year through the bowl practice and bowl game, and through this entire time in the spring, Bam has shown me that he really is focusing on what he can contribute to this group," Tressel said. "I look for exciting things from him."
Quarterback Troy Smith, who threw a touchdown pass to Childress last Saturday in a spring-game tuneup, said he believes Childress is ready for a memorable autumn.
"He's the man," Smith said with a grin. "When Bam has gotten the ball in big games, he's made plays. It's all about opportunity. They give Bam the opportunity and you'll see what he can do."
Ping-pong
Childress has been held back by his versatility. He starred on both sides of the ball and on kick returns in high school. At Ohio State, he has shifted back and forth between defense and offense and has never been locked into a position for very long.
He believes that his time as a defensive back pays dividends now that he is listed as the top backup to Santonio Holmes at flanker.
"I kind of already know a lot of what's supposed to happen" on pass plays, he said.
Childress also knows he has not yet met the promise he showed as the best high school player in Ohio. But he doesn't look back.
"Everything in your life happens for a reason," he said. "Everything I've been through, it's going to make me a stronger and a better person. It's made me work harder."