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Sports TwitterBuckeyes will keep a close eye on Ringer
Chaminade-Julienne grad is averaging 10.5 yards per carry against his Big Ten opponents this season.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
What to look for as Ohio State suits up for the first time this season as the nation's No. 1 college football team ...
• Former OSU President Karen Holbrook was demonized for taking alcohol from Buckeye fans' tailgating in 2003, and she probably won't be very popular if Michigan State's Javon Ringer goes on a rampage today.
Extras
Ringer wanted to be a Buckeye, and OSU coach Jim Tressel assured Holbrook the Chaminade-Julienne High School graduate would thrive despite being an academic risk. But the prez wouldn't budge.
"I have a good relationship with Coach Tressel and I wanted to go there ... but everything worked out for the best," Ringer said.
Yeah, for him and the Spartans.
• When Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio was at Cincinnati in 2004, he admitted to some mixed emotions while facing his former colleagues and players at Ohio State.
A few Buckeyes even heard their ex-defensive coordinator compliment them for hard hits near the UC sideline.
But Dantonio is far enough removed from OSU now to be able to take great delight in derailing the team's national title hopes.
• Back to Ringer. Average per carry: 7.1 yards. Average per carry in Big Ten play: 10.5. Yikes.
"You can put him anywhere on the field, and he's going to go 100 miles an hour and play with confidence," Dantonio said. "He's one of the better football players I've seen in my 20 years in coaching."
