By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) –

Columbus — The three-year starter at left tackle, Alex Boone, is gone and the starting right tackle might be the third-most-likely guy to win that job this season. So as Ohio State opens preseason practice today, the battles for the starting tackle jobs will be as interesting as anything going over the next three weeks.

Senior Jim Cordle, juniors Bryant Browning and Andy Miller, sophomores Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts and maybe even true freshmen like Jack Mewhort or Marcus Hall will be fighting for playing time.

“I think the reality of the situation is that the coaches have an idea in their minds who the guys are going to be,” Miller said. “But their philosophy is that they’re going to play the best five guys [on the line].”

OSU coach Jim Tressel wants to throw as much gasoline on the fires of competition as he can.

“If I were those young guys, I’d be wanting to say that you’re going to have to deal with me. I think tackle is one of those areas where we need to get a ton of reps,” Tressel said.

The reality is the battle will stiffen compared to spring ball. In April, Miller and Adams split time at left tackle and Cordle and Browning split time at right tackle. Browning, who started every game at right tackle a year ago, might be more likely to fight for the right guard spot this year. Cordle, who has started at center and guard in his career but is intent on locking down the right tackle job this season, could see himself moving around before the season begins.

That could happen because Shugarts sat out the spring as a precaution after having shoulder surgery. Now he’s back at 100 percent and should be ready to put up a real fight at both tackle spots. While he’s assumed to be in the right-side mix, Shugarts said offensive line coach Jim Bollman asked him to work on footwork drills from the left side this summer.

“I feel like I’m in the best shape on my life right now,” said Shugarts, who’s packing between 305 and 310 pounds on his 6-8 frame. “The other offensive linemen, they’re my brothers, but I’m just real excited to get in and start playing with everybody.”

Meanwhile, Cordle, a two-year starter, is showing the appropriate confidence even though he’s never started at tackle before, figuring the only real position up for grabs on the line is at left Generic viagra whithout prescription tackle.

“That’s my mind-set going in, that I’m playing right tackle and that I’m going to be the best right tackle I can be,” Cordle said.

But he also knows that Shugarts, who missed opportunities to play more as backup last season because of his shoulder injury, is a wild card.

“He’s obviously got the talent to step up and play this year,” Cordle said. “He’s a tackle. It wouldn’t make sense to have him inside.”

So Cordle is the moveable man, and he’s taking the stance that his versatility will only help him chase his NFL dreams. Miller, then, may be the forgotten man, the converted tight end figuring that fans may be expecting the high-profile sophomores –center Mike Brewster, Adams and Shugarts — to all start this season.

“I plan on being the guy at the end of the three weeks and that’s where my thoughts are and where my heart’s at,” Miller said. “I feel like some people are saying it’s really Mike’s job to lose, and Mike is a great guy and a great friend and a great teammate, but we’re out there competing and the best guy will come out of it and I plan on that being me.”

Tressel should like that confidence. He just needs whomever the starting tackles are to play with it.

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