Buckeyes rally over ‘situation’

Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS

To some, the Ohio State football team might appear to be wounded, with sharks smelling the proverbial blood and circling in for the kill.

Amidst the aftermath of an NCAA investigation and the suspension of five players at the beginning of next season, senior linebacker Brian Rolle and others say the Buckeyes’ resolve couldn’t be any stronger.

Nary an Sugar Bowl interview session passes in New Orleans this week without the Buckeye players or coaching staff being asked about “the situation,” as players called it, in which OSU’s Terrelle Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas were suspended for the first five games of next season and ordered to pay restitution for memorabilia each of them sold.

But instead of driving a wedge between the players, “the situation” seems to be pulling them together.

The sixth-ranked Buckeyes (11-1) hope to show it on Tuesday when they play eighth-ranked Arkansas (10-2) in the 77th annual Allstate Sugar Bowl.

“Most definitely,” Rolle said. “The spotlight is on the team. Everybody wants to nit-pick every little thing.

“Guys have to close ranks and get back to basics because, you know, everybody is gunning for us now because they feel we’re vulnerable because guys made crazy mistakes, injuries or whatever it is.”

Coach Jim Tressel said on Thursday that all five of the players in question vowed to come back for their senior season. “If you knew these guys,” senior linebacker Ross Homan said, “they don’t want to hurt Ohio State. These guys live and die for Ohio State. All these guys do.

Making that statement [to return next year] tells me they’re not giving up on their team.”

A family atmosphere is what the Buckeyes say is guiding them through the possible distraction of the recent NCAA investigation, next year’s sanctions and the current hoopla.

Rolle said he and his teammates look at each other like brothers, both on and off the field, and that he is going to “bleed and sweat for those guys” because “I know that’s my family.”

And sometimes, even family goes through rough times.

“I think it’s tough on you if you let down some of your brothers or your teammates,” senior cornerback Chimdi Chekwa said. “It becomes really tough on you.

“It hurts you the most. As part of a family, when things like that happen, you just bring the guy closer to you, fight in his corner and help him out.

“It’s my family, he’s my teammate and that’s what’s most important.”

Paramount over the past days since the NCAA ruling came down has been the involvement of Ohio State’s 24-member senior class.

Homan said the veteran group of seniors “took control” of the situation, has helped bring the team closer together and that “everyone is geared up and excited from this game.”

Rather than focusing on the negative like most around the nation are.

“You look around and you start to assess things,” senior defensive tackle Dexter Larimore said. “What kind of people are they? In two years, am I going to talk to them, call them and see how they are doing?

“This group is that kind of guys. Character guys. Not only are they good players on the field, but they’re good friends and good teammates off the field.

“If you needed something like, ‘Oh, my car broke down, can you pick me up?’ These guys are that kind of guy.

“It’s good to be part of a senior class that are good guys on and off the field.”

Like a family.