DaytonDailyNews.com

COLUMBUS — Being pitted in one-on-one drills with defensive tackle David Patterson wouldn't rate as Ohio State center Doug Datish's least favorite thing to do, but he'd probably rank it somewhere between sitting through a 24-hour chick-flick marathon and wrestling an anaconda.

"He's shifty. He's quick. He plays with great technique. And he's got crazy pass-rush moves," Datish said. "He's a pain in the butt. His motor doesn't stop."

But Patterson's internal engine isn't the only thing that never shuts down. When the 6-foot-3, 285-pound senior from northeast Ohio gets around his teammates, his gums tend to flap incessantly, too.

Patterson is likeable, outgoing and productive, which is why he was voted captain along with fellow lineman Quinn Pitcock, quarterback Troy Smith and Datish.

"David Patterson is a vocal guy," Pitcock said. "Everybody likes to hear him talk. I think he's a natural-born leader. He strives to be in that position and has fun with it. You can tell he wants to be a coach."

Patterson, who had four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss last season, knows the Buckeyes have a multitude of untested players and need their veterans to speak up.

"I just really try to convey my personality to the guys," said Patterson, who wants to be a high school history teacher and coach after giving the NFL a try. "Some guys say they can't believe how different I am off the field and on the field. Off the field, I just laugh and joke with the guys. But as soon as I get on the field, I'm all about business."

The Buckeyes have 18 seniors on the roster, yet all but Patterson are fifth-year players. He arrived as part of a 15-member recruiting class, but eight were dropped from the team for various transgressions.

Three ended up redshirting as freshmen, and another three departed on good terms — linebacker Anthony Schlegel, an Air Force transfer, going to the NFL after exhausting his eligibility, and defensive backs Ashton Youboty and Donte Whitner leaving early for the pros.

"Sometimes it's tough," Patterson said. "Me and Ashton were really close friends. He was my roommate for a year or two, and he's gone. Sometimes you want to go play Madden (video games) with someone. ... But I still have a lot of friends here. Pretty much anyone on the team can go hang out together."

And if Patterson is around, it usually becomes a talk-fest.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.