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COLUMBUS — Brandon Saine has the speed to do damage in open spaces, and the Ohio State running back might make defenders fret this season even when he's in a crowd.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound sophomore-to-be from Piqua ripped off a 23-yard touchdown run in an intrasquad scrimmage against the first-string defense Saturday, April 12, dragging defenders on his way to the end zone.

"He's got a gear," coach Jim Tressel said. "And he's powerful. ... Sometimes, it's a little like when Keith Byars was here, there'd be people who thought he wasn't going anywhere, and all of a sudden he was running people over. When Brandon sees a crease or sees the goal line or sees some yards to be had, he's pretty special."

Saine also made a diving first-down reception in the scrimmage. "He continues to get more comfortable with a lot of different things we're asking him to do," Tressel said. "He's going to be an excellent receiver as well as an excellent back."

Redshirt freshman Daniel "Boom" Herron is another tailback taking advantage of increased opportunities with star Chris Wells sitting out contact drills during spring practice because of wrist surgery.

Three DBs disciplined

Reserve defensive backs Eugene Clifford and Jamario O'Neal were held out of the scrimmage, while starting cornerback Donald Washington was relegated to the third string for violating undisclosed team rules.

The three players also were forced to work out on the sidelines while their teammates practiced Friday.

"Sometimes when you don't do what you're supposed to do, you lose your car keys," Tressel said. "That's as simple as I could put it."

Asked if any of the players are in danger of being suspended for games this season, Tressel replied: "We'll see. It's a long time between now and then."

Receiver Ray Small also has missed some spring drills for disciplinary reasons. He played briefly in the scrimmage but left with an ankle injury.

"He's been trying to work his way back into — I don't know what the right word is — good favor, good graces, get his car back, whatever," Tressel said. "This was going to be his first chance to jump back in there football-wise, then he rolled his ankle."

No turnovers — again

An inability to generate turnovers was one of the shortcomings of the Buckeyes' defense last year — OSU finished the year with a minus-3 turnover margin — and the unit failed to come up with any takeaways in the 125-play scrimmage.

"That bothers me a lot," linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "We've put a lot of emphasis on it."

Several passes were batted skyward by defenders, but all fell to the ground.

"The ball gets tipped around, and nobody's there," Laurinaitis said. "If we keep working on it, it will happen."

Hartline open

Quarterback Todd Boeckman and receiver Brian Hartline hooked up repeatedly in the scrimmage, twice for touchdowns.

"He's that safe throw for me," Boeckman said. "I've seen how he works, and we have that connection."

No slight intended?

New Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez drew the ire of some of his colleagues — and was the target of perhaps a verbal dig from Tressel — for signing Trotwood-Madison players Michael Shaw and Roy Roundtree after they had made oral commitments to Penn State and Purdue, respectively,

Asked recently if there's a gentlemen's agreement among league coaches about staying away from committed recruits, Tressel responded, "I guess only between gentlemen."

Although he said Saturday he doesn't have a beef with Rodriguez, Tressel did say that's not the way the Buckeyes recruit.

"The way we always do it, if a kid tells us he's going somewhere else, that's it ... If a guy says he's not interested in coming to Ohio State, we've got to move on," he said.

What should Saine's role be for OSU this season?

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