Pittman shines in OSU lead role
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS -- Freshman running back Antonio Pittman walked to the center of the Ohio State media room and was immediately enveloped by a mass of cameras, tape recorders and reporters.
As the camera lights hit his face, he paused, them smiled, then laughed. Indiana's defense may not have cornered him on Saturday, but the Columbus media did.
"It was a good day, thanks to the O-line," said Pittman, already well-versed in the most sacred of offensive clich & eacute;s. "I give it all up to them. They did everything."
Pittman, getting the bulk of the carries for the first time in his career, responded with a career day, running 20 times for 144 yards and a touchdown in OSU's convincing 30-7 Big Ten win over the visiting Hoosiers.
What's more impressive was that Pittman did it in place of senior tailback Lydell Ross, who was suspended indefinitely by Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel for a rules violation.
Successful dodge
When asked about the situation, Pittman showed he's as just good as dodging questions as he is at dodging defenders.
"I don't know anything about it," Pittman said. "I just heard he was suspended, but I didn't know what it was for.
"I knew I needed to step up and carry the load."
Ross' situation -- he allegedly tried to pass a fake currency at Pure Platinum, a Columbus-area strip club last Sunday -- didn't seem to distract the Buckeyes, who showed more emotion against the Hoosiers than during their recent three-game Big Ten losing streak.
"We came out upbeat and ready to play," said linebacker Bobby Carpenter, who expressed frustration over the team's effort after last week's blowout loss to Iowa. "We haven't been playing at that level and with that much intensity and that includes me.
"Right from the beginning of the game, we told each other to affect someone in a positive way and we did that. We were flying around and making plays."
Smith excels
Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith, getting his first start in place of injured starter Justin Zwick, played well enough, completing 12-of-24 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns.
The first came in the opening minutes, when Smith threw an out pattern to freshman wideout Ted Ginn, Jr. An Indiana cornerback jumped the route and tipped the ball in the air, but fell down. Ginn grabbed it and raced 59 yards -- breaking three tackles in the process -- for the score.
"That was electrifying," Tressel said. "That's what players like Ted Ginn and Santonio Holmes do.
"Teddy's going to be, I think, one of those extraordinary players."
On the next series Smith found Holmes for a 5-yard touchdown pass on third and goal to give OSU a 14-0 lead. It was more points than the Buckeyes scored in last week's 31-7 road loss to the Hawkeyes.
More scoring
Pittman added his first college touchdown in the game's closing minutes -- diving into the right corner after a 28-yard run. Kicker Mike Nugent also made three field goals as the Buckeyes scored their most points in regulation this season.
"It felt good to get that first touchdown -- that's why I dove in," Pittman said, smiling. "The guys came up to me before the game and said, 'It's your time; just show them what you can do.'
"That's what I tried to do."
Smith added 58 yards on the ground as Ohio State outrushed Indiana 282-53. It was OSU's best rushing game of the season and marked the first time it outrushed an opponent since the opening win over Cincinnati.
"I don't think we had a lack of a run game, I think it was a lack of going to the run game," Pittman said. "They fed us today."
Hoosiers
Indiana quarterback Matt LoVecchio completed 14-of-25 for 156 yards, an interception and was sacked six times. Courtney Roby caught five passes for 79 yards to pass Thomas Lewis for the school's career yardage record.
"We made too many mistakes today and that cost us the game," LoVecchio, who scored Indiana's lone touchdown on a 1-yard run, said. "We missed our blocking assignments. I missed some critical throws. We did not tackle well and we let them make too many big plays."
The Buckeyes, who started 0-3 in the Big Ten for the first time since 1988, can't afford to get too excited about Saturday's victory.
Indiana (2-5, 0-4) is one of the league's weakest teams and games against Penn State, Michigan State, Purdue and Michigan remain.
"We come into every game now as the underdogs," said junior linebacker Anthony Schlegel, who had 10 tackles and a sack. "We have to come out and establish ourselves every time."
Indiana7000--7
Ohio St.14637--30
First Quarter
OSU--Ginn Jr. 59 pass from T.Smith (Nugent kick), 13:06.
OSU--Holmes 5 pass from T.Smith (Nugent kick), 6:02.
Ind--LoVecchio 1 run (Robertson kick), 1:24.
Second Quarter
OSU--FG Nugent 29, 11:08.
OSU--FG Nugent 52, 7:42.
Third Quarter
OSU--FG Nugent 35, 1:45.
Fourth Quarter
OSU--Pittman 28 run (Nugent kick), 4:52.
A--104,538
IndOSU
First downs1522
Rushes-yards36-5343-282
Passing189161
Comp-Att-Int17-28-112-24-0
Return Yards7254
Punts-Avg.7-45.34-47.5
Fumbles-Lost1-00-0
Penalties-Yards10-558-66
Time of Possession29:2230:38
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Indiana, Taylor 9-53, Green-Ellis 14-21, Gilmore 1-8, Roby 1-7, LoVecchio 9-(minus 16), Powers 2-(minus 20). Ohio St., Pittman 20-144, T.Smith 11-58, M.Hall 7-43, Holmes 1-19, Joe 2-9, D.Johnson 2-9.
PASSING--Indiana, LoVecchio 14-25-1-156, Powers 3-3-0-33. Ohio St., T.Smith 12-24-0-161.
RECEIVING--Indiana, Roby 5-79, Gilmore 4-26, Haney 2-29, Lewis 2-22, Halterman 2-15, Green-Ellis 1-10, Pannozzo 1-8. Ohio St., Holmes 4-42, R.Hall 3-39, Gonzalez 2-21, Ginn Jr. 1-59, M.Hall 1-0, Hamby 1-0.
scalzo@vindy.com