By: MATT MARKEY (ToledoBlade.com) -- COLUMBUS - Ohio State had a mini galaxy of stars on its defense last year, but when five starters departed from that group and landed in NFL training camps, it appeared that a somewhat major rebuild might be in order. But four games into the 2009 season, the Buckeyes don't look much like a reconstructed unit. Ohio State's defense has hung a couple of goose eggs on the scoreboard with recent shutout wins over Illinois and Toledo ... Read More

By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) -- Columbus -- Dexter Larimore's best play of the season went unnoticed, even by the officials. For an Ohio State junior defensive lineman whose parents, since elementary school, have learned of his successes by stumbling across plaques and certificates when cleaning his room, that's about right. "It's kind of embarrassing because people think we're not talking to our kids, but we are," Theresia Larimore said with a laugh. "We're very close. But he's pretty quiet about a lot ... Read More

By: Bill Blanton (BuckeyeCountry.net) -- At the start of the 2009 season, all eyes were on Terrelle Pryor and how his freakish, athletic talent would be the gun Ohio State coach Jim Tressel would use to fire the bullets in a dynamic OSU offense. So far this season, the only thing that has been firing bullets is the Ohio State defense, and they’re shooting “Silver Bullets” everywhere. This “no name” group that is lacking the front line starter that we have seen in seasons past ... Read More

By MATT MARKEY (ToledoBlade.com) -- COLUMBUS – After posting two straight shutouts, the Ohio State defense will be forced to adjust its lineup for Saturday’s game at Indiana due to the suspension of senior safety Kurt Coleman. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday afternoon that senior Anderson Russell will move into Coleman’s strong safety position when the Buckeyes are in their base defense and play next to junior free safety Jermale Hines. Redshirt freshman Orhian Johnson will play the third safety role ... Read More

By: Associated Press via ESPN.com -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A day after he criticized the Big Ten's one-game suspension of safety Kurt Coleman for a late hit, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel didn't want to talk about it. "Well, our directive was to make sure that it's yesterday's news and not comment further," Tressel said on Tuesday when asked whether he thought Coleman was guilty of a late hit. Coleman, a starter and the Buckeyes' second-leading tackler, was flagged with less than a minute left ... Read More

From: SportingNews.com shop drugs -- After putting together a dominant performance and watching the Big Ten's highest-ranked team get upset in the first week of conference play, Ohio State had reason to feel good about its chances to win the league. The Buckeyes, though, aren't looking that far ahead with their next game coming against an Indiana team that nearly pulled off an upset of its own last week. The ninth-ranked Buckeyes look to build on an impressive conference-opening performance Saturday night when they ... Read More

By: Adam Rittenberg (ESPN.com) -- I've received several e-mails asking about the end of Saturday's Ohio State-Illinois game and a possible handshake snub between head coaches Ron Zook and Jim Tressel. Now I haven't seen video of the postgame scene, but there were certainly a few lightning-rod moments in the closing seconds of the Buckeyes' 30-0 win. Leading 23-0, Ohio State faced fourth-and-goal from the Illinois 3-yard line. Though quarterback Terrelle Pryor had attempted only 12 passes all game in rainy conditions, ... Read More

By: Bill Kurelic (ESPN.com) -- Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez won a big recruiting battle over the weekend when he landed a commitment from punter Will Hagerup (Whitefish Bay, Wis.). Hagerup picked the Wolverines over scholarship offers from Ohio State, Wisconsin and Florida. Rodriguez now has 19 commitments for his 2010 recruiting class. However, Hagerup offshore pharmacies represents Rodriguez' first victory over Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel. Of the other 18 Michigan commitments, only one, defensive back/linebacker Marvin Robinson (Eagle ... Read More

By: Kristofer Green (ChicagoNow.com) -- Ohio State senior safety and captain Kurt Coleman was suspended for one game today by the Big Ten Conference office. Coleman will not make the trip with the Buckeyes when they travel to Bloomington to face Indiana on Saturday. The suspension is a result of a helmet-to-helmet hit on Illinois quarterback Eddie McGee in the final minutes of Saturday's 30-0 Ohio State victory over the Illini in Ohio Stadium. The Big Ten, citing a new NCAA rule requiring conferences ... Read More

By: John Decker (Scout.com) -- Hoosier Nation begins its day-by-day preview of Saturday night's match-up with Ohio State. Today, we look at five numbers to note about the contest with the Buckeyes... 121:05 - how long Ohio State has gone without surrendering a point. USC’s Stafon Johnson scored with 1:05 left in the Trojans’ come-from-behind 18-15 win over the Buckeyes three weeks ago, and Ohio State has since posted back-to-back shutouts against Toledo and Illinois. That’s a span of 25 drives during ... Read More