By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) –
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Cris Carter can barely explain it, so maybe the 52-7 victory by St. Thomas Aquinas of Florida over Upper Arlington on Saturday did it for him.

A year ago, Carter’s son, Duron, was the star receiver for Aquinas when it finished undefeated and ranked as the No. 1 high school football team in the country. Now, Carter is pushing to be Ohio State’s No. 4 receiver as a true freshman, and he was in the stands Saturday as his old teammates opened their new season with an buying drugs online without prescription easy win in the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series.

Cris Carter, the former Ohio State and NFL legend, was there, too, coaching from the sidelines as an Aquinas staff member.

Asked his opinion on his son’s quick rise up the Ohio State depth chart, Carter, an NFL analyst on ESPN, had trouble expressing what he takes for granted.

“What people didn’t understand was the type of program he was coming from,” Carter said. “So you see the program he’s coming from and he’s more prepared than people realize.”

Carter has seen other Aquinas receivers go to Miami, Auburn, Connecticut and Purdue in the last three years, and once again the Raiders are stacked with major college talent, including OSU target Lamarcus Joyner. It’s the program — not the bloodlines — that have given Duron an edge, his father insists.

“This is new for y’all, but this isn’t new for Duron,” Carter said. “I’m just his dad. [The media] keeps making me out … I’m just his dad, and that’s the way he looks at me.

“But we’ve got good players. This is beyond Duron Carter. This program develops young men. They go against speed every day. They go against bump and run [coverage] every day. We try to master the basics and we try to be dominant players without the football. So that’s what he knew coming here.”

His son’s college choice also had little to do with his father’s legacy, though once Duron expressed an interest in Columbus, he had an OSU resource in his house.

“He came up for the spring game, and his eyes were opened to Ohio State,” Carter said. “He never even thought about going to Ohio State, and I never even had a conversation about Ohio State. And then Coach Tressel said, ‘Let me have him. Let me develop him. I believe I can do something with that kid.’

“He could have gone to Florida or LSU, but he fell in love with Coach Tressel and the program.”

Browning adjusts: Name the two Ohio State players who started all 13 games last season and are back this year?

Safety Anderson Russell and offensive lineman Bryant Browning.

But Browning is on the move, shifting from right tackle to right guard, when playing on the interior of the line seemed like it might be the Glenville grad’s strength all along.

“It’s not really a big deal,” Browning said. “I’ve been switching from tackle to guard to tackle to guard. It’s still blocking guys. And the game experience always helps you.”

Browning has dropped a little weight and lowered his body fat. And Jim Tressel has liked what he’s seen so far in camp. While the left side of the line has been dealing with competition and injuries, center Mike Brewster, Browning and right tackle Jim Cordle have been locked in every practice.

“I think the two guys that have probably been the steadiest and been able to show a little bit of leadership, not only with their play but out there in the huddle, are Mike Brewster and Bryant Browning,” Tressel said.

READ MORE GREAT OHIO STATE ARTICLES IN THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER BY CLICKING HERE.


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This entry was posted on Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 1:37 am.
Categories: BUCKEYE COUNTRY, FOOTBALL.

One Comment, Comment or Ping

  1. Freshman Duron Carter benefits from strong prep program more than an NFL dad: OSU Insider http://bit.ly/kfNBb