Forgotten-man Pittman thrives in background

The tailback doesn't mind playing in the shadows if it gives him an edge.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- On the Ohio State athletics Web site, there is a compilation of everything coach Jim Tressel has been asked and has said during his weekly news conferences during the 2006 season.
The hundreds of questions range from the offbeat -- Would you ever run for U.S. senator? -- to mundane inquiries about long snappers, mediocre opponents and travel plans.
What's illuminating is that Tressel was asked far, far more questions about freshman tailback Chris Wells this season than about the starter at that position, All-Big Ten player Antonio Pittman.
Pittman is the forgotten man of top-ranked Ohio State's volatile offense. Staying in the shadows is fine with him -- if it gives him an edge in the game. Opponents frequently overlook him during the game, but they always are aware of what he did afterward.
"You have to take it in stride," the junior said. "I really don't worry about that. I come out here to play every week. I try to have big games and hopefully they [opponents] don't -- you know, scout me or anything like that."
Pittman has rushed for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, a year after going for 1,331 yards and seven scores.
OSU goes with Pittman
It's no coincidence that when Pittman started getting more carries and feeling comfortable in the job midway through the 2005 season, the Buckeyes' offense took off. They come into the Jan. 8 national championship game against Florida riding a 19-game winning streak.
"The fans can only capture so much of the pieces of a team," said Ohio State running backs coach Dick Tressel, the head coach's brother. "They can't be fully knowledgeable. The better the fan is, the more they know how important Antonio Pittman is to our offense. People could say that he's a little overlooked, but the critical people in his world don't overlook him and that's the key piece to the puzzle."
Before the season started, offensive coordinator Jim Bollman was asked if Wells, an acclaimed recruit, would step right in at tailback, or whether it would take him a few games to beat out Pittman.
Bollman almost lost it.
"Now wait a minute. Antonio Pittman is THE No. 1 tailback," Bollman said, his eyes narrowing and his voice rising. "There's not any monkey business about that at all! Now don't think that! And don't print that, say it, or anything else! OK?"
Pittman often gets lost as teams scheme to stop Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and speedy receivers Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez.
Pittman has big play
In the Buckeyes' biggest game this season, Wells upstaged Pittman with a rumbling 52-yard run as Ohio State built a 28-14 halftime lead against No. 2 Michigan. But after the Wolverines pulled to 28-24 midway through the third quarter, it was Pittman who made one of the plays of the game.
He burst through a small hole, shed a potential tackler just past the line of scrimmage and then out-raced everybody to the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown run.
Not long after that, Ohio State fans began circulating via e-mail what was called "the latest Michigan team picture" -- nine or 10 blue-jerseyed defenders in the frame, all futilely chasing the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Pittman.
Much has been made of how much speed Florida faces on a weekly basis in the Southeastern Conference, as if the Big Ten's Ginn, Gonzalez and Pittman are so many plowhorses. But Florida's staff isn't buying into that.
Comparison
Co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison compares Pittman with the best backs the Gators have seen this season -- including Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden.
"I thought McFadden was a very good back. I think this guy is equally as good a back as him," Mattison said. "The thing that Pittman does is he gets the tough yards. And don't lull yourself into sleeping because he's very explosive. All you've got to do is ask Michigan. He broke that one against Michigan and he looked like he was shot out of a cannon."
Wells may take over the starting job next season, since Pittman has filed the forms to make himself available for next spring's NFL draft. Pittman is one of only five Ohio State backs -- the others are Archie Griffin (1973-75), Tim Spencer (1981-82), Keith Byars (1983-84) and Eddie George (1994-95) -- to top 1,000 yards rushing in consecutive seasons.
"Antonio Pittman, we think, is a special one," Jim Tressel said.