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COLUMBUS — Ohio State defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, who is tied for second in the Big Ten with seven sacks, may miss his second straight game because of a concussion.

Coach Jim Tressel said the Piqua native is questionable this week, as is starting left tackle Alex Boone.

Asked for an injury report on Boone at his weekly press conference Tuesday, Tressel responded: "Am I allowed to say? I don't think so. He won't practice today."

Receiver Anthony Gonzalez (mild concussion) and third-string tailback Maurice Wells (shoulder stinger) are expected to be cleared for the Illinois game Saturday.

"For this point in the year, going into game 10, I feel good about our health," Tressel said.

Smith running more

Quarterback Troy Smith notched his first rushing touchdown of the year last week after getting 11 in 2005. He also had his second-highest output on the ground this season with 43 yards on six attempts.

But when asked if Smith had overcome his season-long reluctance to run, Tressel said: "I don't know if he was hesitant to run. He just had some guys open. We always told him, 'Get it to those guys that are faster than you. And if one of those guys isn't open, and the right decision is to step up and go, let's go.' "

Tressel, though, conceded he's been calling fewer designed runs for Smith, attributing that to the team's depth at tailback. After rushing for 611 yards on 136 carries last year, Smith has picked up only 169 yards on 42 tries this season.

Champs remembered

Tressel waved off a question about whether this year's squad could beat his 2002 national title team — big surprise, eh? — but he did admit some personal convictions were reinforced by that championship run.

"The biggest lesson I relearned — because I'd been at it so long, sometimes you relearn things — is never underestimate the intentions of a group of people," he said. "Mike Doss and Donny Nickey and that group had some intentions that were not going to be denied."

The current Buckeyes have 16 fifth-year seniors who were true freshmen that season.

"Hopefully, they learned a little bit," Tressel said.

OSU trails Michigan

The Buckeyes moved into second place in the Big Ten in rushing defense after allowing only 1.4 yards per carry over the last three games.

They're giving up 3.1 yards per attempt overall, well behind Michigan's pace-setting 1.2 mark.

The Wolverines lead the nation in rushing defense, allowing 28.4 yards per game. The Buckeyes were No. 1 nationally last year, surrendering 73.4 yards.

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