Bauserman to start for Ohio St.

Bauserman to start for Ohio St.

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Luke Fickell made the first big call of his head coaching career at Ohio State.

Fickell said on Tuesday that fifth-year senior Joe Bauserman would most likely be the starting quarterback when the 18th-ranked Buckeyes open their season on Saturday at home against Akron.

Bauserman and freshman Braxton Miller had battled for the starting job in recent weeks in camp. They were listed with an “or” separating them on Ohio State’s two-deep roster this week.

“Joe would probably take the first snap,” Fickell said at his first weekly news conference. “Just talking with those guys, talking with the offensive staff, we know we’re going to need them both. The whole idea is we want to make sure that we can put them out there in front of 106,000 and see how guys respond.”

He said Bauserman got the edge because he’s seen more game action — although he has seldom played with a game on the line because he was behind departed three-year starter Terrelle Pryor.

“It’s leadership,” he said when asked what separated Bauserman, a former minor-league pitcher for three years in the Pirates farm system. “It’s also what this team, where we were at the time. He’s done a really good job through camp. I’ve been impressed with the things we’ve asked him to do and what he’s done.

“It doesn’t mean I haven’t been impressed with Braxton as well,” he said. “That’s why we’ve been impressed with him enough to list him in the ‘or’ category. But, again, the whole idea is we want to continue to create competition and to make sure that those guys understand that by saying ‘or’ that we need both.”

Offensive tackle J.B. Shugarts said the 25-year-old Bauserman was more knowledgeable about the playbook.

“Joe’s an older guy, he’s been around. He knows the system a little bit,” he said. “Joe’s a little more of a pocket passer, but he’s a lot more athletic than people give him credit for when he gets out of the pocket. We all know Braxton can make some plays on his feet if he has to scramble or step up.”

Center Mike Brewster will be counted on to make things as easy as possible for whomever is taking the snaps.

“I can’t do too much for them, but the thing I can do is make sure that they’re protected, make sure that I have the line all on the same page, make sure that I am picking up the blitzes with different calls and putting them in a position to be successful,” he said.

Fickell said the quarterbacks, like everyone else, would be graded against the Zips.

“Everything’s a test, we tell them,” he said.