Fickell Takes Center Stage

Originally Published: August 2011 $2.50 PERIODICAL NEWSPAPER CLASSIFICATION DATED MATERIAL PLEASE RUSH!! C M VVol.ol. 330,0, NNo.o. 2244 ““ForFor TThehe BBuckeyeuckeye FFanan WhoWho NeedsNeeds ToTo KnowKnow More”More” August 2011 Y FFickellickell TTakesakes K CCenterenter SStagetage NNewew EErara BBeginsegins AAtt OOhiohio SStatetate By JEFF SVOBODA Buckeye Sports Bulletin Staff Writer In many ways, it seems as if first-year head coach Luke Fickell’s rise to the head of the Ohio State football program was preordained. The Columbus native rewrote the defensive record book at Ohio State, starting 50 straight games from 1993-96 at nose tackle and making 212 tackles. The toughness he boasted became the stuff of legend among his teammates when he played in Ohio State’s 1997 Rose Bowl victory with a torn pectoral muscle. JOSH WINSLOW “Luke was just as gritty and played just as hard as anyone NEW COACH, FAMILIAR FACE – With the exception of a brief NFL career and a couple of seasons at Akron on the field,” said Stanley Jackson, who was Ohio State’s as an assistant, new Ohio State head football coach Luke Fickell has been around the Buckeyes for much starting quarterback in 1996. “I’m not surprised (he has of the last 19 years since joining the team as a defensive lineman in 1992. become the head coach). I think most guys who played nose Dame was even offered at one point. thought of as one of the best prep grapplers in the history of guard in the trenches that were a little undersized, had a big Instead, Fickell chose to stay at Ohio State and continue the state. heart – whatever they set their minds out to do in life after to work on some of the best defenses in the country – all the “I just remember back to my dad telling me, ‘Whatever football, they’re usually fairly successful.” while impressing those around him. you do someday, do what you love to do,’ ” Fickell said. “I After a brief NFL career that was cut short by injury, “We all knew that someday Coach Fick saw him get up to go to work and just be Fickell returned to the program as a graduate assistant in would be the coach at Ohio State,” senior miserable going to the railroad every day 1999 before taking a job at Akron, Tyler Moeller said. “He’s an Ohio State guy BBSB’sSB’s when I was a kid, just hating it. But he had where he coached the defensive and he brings a lot to the table.” to do it because that’s what he did for our line for two seasons. The only person who might be surprised family. He then returned to Ohio 22011011 to find out that Fickell has become the 23rd “Those kinds of things hit me as I lay State in 2002 as special teams head coach at his alma mater is the teen- there hurt thinking I’m not going to play coach before working his way aged version of the man himself. FFOOTBALLOOTBALL football anymore. I reflected back on who up the staff ladder – first becom- “Actually I had no intentions of ever had a lot of impact on my life and I kept ing linebackers coach in 2004 being a coach,” Fickell said. “It’s funny PPREVIEWREVIEW thinking about the coaches I had. It kind and adding the co-defensive coor- because obviously we hired (new lineback- of just started to hit me (that) the next best dinator position to his title in ers coach) Mike Vrabel, and since I met him he’d always told thing to playing is coaching.” 2005 alongside coordinator Jim me he was going to be a coach. We were college roommates The rest, as they say, is history. Looking back, it seems Heacock. and I’d say, ‘Ah, I’m not going to be a coach.’ I was going to like the easy part for Fickell was getting to where he is now. “I don’t think there’s any ques- be a doctor or optometrist or something.” Now comes the true test – how will he do leading a program tion I knew he had this in him,” But a funny thing happened on the way to working in a in which excellence is the only standard? said Heacock, who was hired doctor’s office – a trip to one. as defensive line coach in 1996, Fickell suffered a torn ACL in 1997 while playing with the Making It His Own Fickell’s final season as an OSU New Orleans Saints, sidelining him for what turned out to be Of course, there’s no manual for Fickell to follow as he player. “You always knew he was his only professional season. While he was going through prepares to lead Ohio State into the 2011 season, which so passionate about coaching and rehab, he was hit by the reality of the situation. starts Sept. 3 in Ohio Stadium vs. Akron. He takes over studied the game and did it the “I remember just laying there in New Orleans and think- after the Buckeyes’ greatest sustained run of success in right way. I think you always kind ing, ‘I don’t know if this football thing is going to make it,’ ” three decades – and yet inherits a program that needs to be of knew that he was going to be he said. “It was kind of taken away before I wanted it to be patched back together in many ways. out front somewhere and just taken away.” After 10 excellent seasons that included one national cham- Call (614) 486-2202 Today To Subscribe To Today needed the opportunity.” From there, life lessons took over. Fickell immediately pionship and seven Big Ten rings, predecessor Jim Tressel was In recent years, Fickell’s stock thought about his father, Pat, who spent nearly two decades shown the door May 30 after a scandal that threatened to bring has continued to rise. He had loading cars at Conrail. down the program. Tressel did not report possible NCAA viola- overtures from Mid-American “It wasn’t a bring-your-son-to-work type of job,” Fickell tions to his superiors or the NCAA, a breach of his contract and Conference schools to take over said, looking back on the career that hardened his father. the rulebook of the collegiate sports oversight body. Your Mailing Label Goes Here Your their programs, and a high-pro- That toughness was passed on to Luke, who won three state file job as an assistant at Notre championships as a wrestler at Columbus DeSales and is still Continued On Page 12 Originally Published: August 2011 OOPINIONPINION Truth More Important Than Rumor In OSU Case Nearly every year since becoming BSB tion in scholarship numbers. Nevertheless, stories, rely upon questionable information editor, I have used this space in our annual the poison-penned critics and those of their provided by less-than-reliable sources and Football Preview issue for predictions and ilk live in their own reality, one where they even massage the truth to keep the train mov- Vol. 30, No. 24 prophecies regarding the upcoming Ohio are king and they make the rules. In their ing in the direction you want it to move. August 2011 State season. However, because of what has kingdoms, nothing less than bringing the Less than a week before Ohio State happened to the program over the past few Ohio State football program to its knees is was to meet with the NCAA’s Committee www.BuckeyeSports.com months and because this fall is so radi- good enough. on Infractions, ESPN curiously provided a cally different from any other I have experi- regurgitation of old news on its “Outside the Buckeye Sports Bulletin (USPS 705-690, Lines” program. Then, less than 72 hours ISSN 0883-6833.) is published 24 times a enced during my many years covering the year (weekly September through November, Buckeyes, I feel the need to get something EEDITOR’SDITOR’S before OSU was to meet with the NCAA, biweekly mid-March through May and off my chest before we go any further. the network fired one final salvo when col- January through early March and monthly Ohio State finally got its day in NCAA NOTEBOOKNOTEBOOK lege football writer Pat Forde reported that June through August and December) by: court Aug. 12 when athletic director Gene MMarkark RReaea according to multiple sources, the NCAA Columbus Sports Publications Smith, deposed head coach Jim Tressel had notified Ohio State by letter that it was 1350 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 30 and a team of university legal eagles trav- still investigating other issues involving the P.O. Box 12453 This isn’t anything new, of course. Others football program and the result could be a Columbus, Ohio 43212 eled to Indianapolis to meet with the NCAA (614) 486-2202 Committee on Infractions. have tried to bring down the program. second notice of allegations and a second trip Since you are reading this, I will assume Thankfully, it happens only about once every through the NCAA justice system. Periodical class postage paid at you know why the Buckeyes faced the NCAA 50 years. Forde alluded to allegations against Pryor Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address chang- inquisition, but on the off chance you have One of the first attempts came in 1901. as well as a Columbus Dispatch report that es to: Buckeye Sports Bulletin, P.O. Box been on safari this summer, taken a trip to During a 6-5 home victory over Western scrutinized dozens of automobile sales to 12453, Columbus, Ohio 43212.

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