Lots of question marks for OSU

COLUMBUS (AP) — Jim Tressel tries to avoid prematurely judging his Ohio State teams.

With 31 players gone from last year’s squad heading into the start of spring practice, it would be difficult to do anyway.

“I’ve never really walked into a season and said, ‘Well, this is a rebuilding year. We’re not going to do as well,’ or ‘This is a reloading year, we’re going to be better,’ or ‘We’re experienced. Everything’s going to be wonderful,’ ” Tressel said Wednesday. “Because none of those are true. There’s such a fine line in how well you do.”

Most of the more recognizable names are gone from last year’s team that went 10-3 and won a share of its fourth consecutive Big Ten title. Linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, Thorpe Award-winning cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, wide receiver Brian Robiskie and quarterback Todd Boeckman used up their eligibility, just some of the 28 seniors who said good-bye to the program.

In addition, tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells, wide receiver Brian Hartline and cornerback Donald Washington all elected to give up their final year to make themselves available for the NFL draft.

So the Buckeyes must rely on the maturation of sophomore Terrelle Pryor at quarterback, along with the promotion of several players who have been waiting for their big moment in the sun.

“I hope he becomes a lot more comfortable in what he’s seeing and where he needs to deliver the ball and enhances his own confidence in getting the ball to the playmakers,” Tressel said of Pryor. “His priorities [last year] were he was only going to throw it if he was sure. I’d rather err on that side rather than, ‘Aw, I’ll just throw it.’ But to get real good you have to get to the point where you let it go.”

Tressel hasn’t decided on a replacement for Wells, who gained 3,382 yards the last three seasons

“You don’t replace Beanie Wells. There aren’t any guys in the country like him,” he said. “When you lose a Beanie Wells, you have to get a little bit more creative in some other areas. You’re not going to have a turn-around-and-hand-it-off guy 25 times a game like you had with Beanie. But I like our other guys, [Dan] ‘Boom’ [Herron] and Brandon Saine. They can play.”

The Buckeyes are also unsure about who’s going to step up at linebacker to replace Laurinaitis and Freeman

“This will be a big spring for a lot of those guys,” said Tressel. “Etienne Sabino, Brian Rolle, Austin Spitler, Andrew Sweat, Tyler Moeller — all of those guys — because, let’s face it, James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman took a lot of the reps. We’re a long way from knowing for sure how it’s going to unfold.”

It will also be an important spring for Ohio State’s young receiving corps. Robiskie and Hartline combined for 63 catches.

“I do think it’s a big spring for guys like DeVier Posey, Taurian Washington and Lamaar Thomas,” said Tressel. “Your veteran guys, like Dane Sanzenbacher and Ray Small, it’s going to be important for them but probably they won’t make the quantum leaps that I sure hope that Lamaar and DeVier and Taurian and folks like that make.”

The Buckeyes have 15 workouts planned, capped by the intrasquad scrimmage at Ohio Stadium on April 25.