DaytonDailyNews.com

What's brewing today with the Ohio State Buckeyes:

Buckeyes buzz

The winds have passed, the waters have diminished somewhat. Life is returning to normal in New Orleans, and that was something to be thankful for, defensive lineman Nader Abdallah said.

Abdallah, a native of New Orleans, was at Ohio State three years ago when Hurricane Katrina virtually washed parts of the city off the map. His family lost its quaint little restaurant-grocery. Friends and relatives lost their homes and had to relocate. Life changed, yet went on.

As Hurricane Gustav bore down on the Gulf Coast earlier this week, Abdallah held his breath.

"That was disturbing, because I saw that three years ago," he said. "I was very frightened for my family and friends. I have a lot of friends down there. Some moved to Memphis, to Houston, to Atlanta, to Mississippi. They're just waiting it out, hoping for the best, but I'm glad it wasn't nowhere near as bad as the last time. I think they're going to start moving back by the end of the week, just to make sure that the levies hold up."

Coleman improving

Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said after Wednesday night's practice that starting strong safety and Northmont High School graduate Kurt Coleman was practicing after injuring an ankle last week. Heacock said, "We'll have to wait and see" if Coleman can play against Ohio on Saturday.

Brother vs. brother

Julian Posey is a sophomore backup cornerback for the Ohio Bobcats. DeVier Posey is a freshman wide receiver for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The brothers from Cincinnati will likely cross paths Saturday when their teams meet at Ohio Stadium.

Asked if he felt he had something to prove to his brother, DeVier smiled.

"I understand what you're saying, but it's also not really there. It's a game," he said. "I know he's going to be out there trying to do his big-brother thing. I'm not looking at that. I have a game plan that I need to execute on my side of the ball."