Big Ten football roundup: Ohio State

The Big Ten leads the nation in offseason drama. Between rhabdo at Iowa and the tatts, pants and e-mail heard 'round the college football world at Ohio State, the conference has been a white-knuckle ride.

The drama continues to play out at Ohio State, where coach Jim Tressel already has been levied a $250,000 fine and suspended for the first five games of 2011 for failing to notify Ohio State officials of emails he received as early as April 2010 which said his players were selling autographs, uniforms, championship rings and other memorabilia for money and tattoos from the owner of a local tattoo parlor. 

The next move in this case is the NCAA ruling. Ohio State athletics director Gene Smith told the Associated Press this week that he has no idea when the NCAA will rule.

Ohio State also will be without quarterback Terrelle Pryor, wide receiver DeVier Posey, offensive tackle Mike Adams, running back Dan Herron and defensive end Solomon Thomas, who are all suspended for the first five games of '11.

Given all that tumult, you'd think the Buckeyes would be hiding in their basements. Uh no, this team, despite itself, might be the favorite for its record seventh straight conference title.

It still has Pryor, who remains maybe the most unique weapon in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes also have veteran weapson in Posey and Herron. The defense has a chance to be Tressel-era good -- strong against the run and speedy on the backend.

Pryor has been out of spring practice after foot surgery. Tressell said he expects him full go by May 1.

"What he's done to take the next step in his development is spent a lot more time in the film room," Tressel said. "He's done a little bit of coaching of these young guys that are going to need to carry the weight until he gets back. I just think his knowledge of the game, his awareness of what's important will help him take that next step."

Recently, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper deemed Pryor an NFL tight end. Tressell referenced conversations he had with NFL personnel folk about Pryor at Ohio State's pro day.

"What is the next step we need to make?" Tressell said he asked. "Almost every one to a man said he made a quantum leap last year in just the way he managed the game, the way they could tell he understood the game."

When the Big Ten lines up next fall, it will have a championship game and welcome Nebraska. This piques the interest of the Buckeyes.

Red on Red is scheduled for Oct. 8 at Lincoln.

"I think that will be a great experience, something that going into college I had no idea I would ever get to experience," Buckeyes center Mike Brewster said. "I'd say that's one of the main things I'm really looking forward to."

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

• Division: Leaders
• 2010 record: 12-1, 7-1 Big Ten 
• Returning offensive starters (8): QB Terrelle Pryor, FB Zach Boren, TB Dan Herron, WR Devier Posey, TE Reid Fragel, OT Mike Adams, C Mike Brewster, OT J.B. Shugarts
• Returning defensive starters (4): DE Nathan Williams, DT John Simon, LB Andrew Sweat, SS Orhian Johnson
• 2010 review: The Buckeyes were ranked no. 1 when they went into Madison the night of Oct. 16. They were poised for a run to a shot at a national title and redemption for a pair of flops in the title game since winning it all in 2002. But UW coach Bret Bielema led his team with a sprint out of the Camp Randall Stadium tunnel and the sprint never really stopped. The Badgers took flight with the 31-18 victory and didn't come down until the thud against TCU in the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes had to deal with the tatts and pants scandal at the front end of the Sugar Bowl. The five suspended players were allowed to play and the Buckeyes won a BCS bowl.
• 2011 schedule: S3 Akron; S10 Toledo; S17 at Miami (Fla.); S24 Colorado; O1 Michigan State; O8 at Nebraska; O15 at Illinois; O29 Wisconsin; N5 Indiana; N12 at Purdue; N19 OPEN; N26 at Michigan
• Noteworthy: The Buckeyes will be without five key players and their head coach for the first five games of 2011, at least the first five for Tressel. That might open the door a tad for Michigan State, which hasn't beaten OSU since 2000, but other than that, especially with Miami in the first year of Al Golden, forget it. Chalk 'em off.
• Quotable: “We're in the investigation. Who knows when it will be resolved? And it's just hanging." -- Ohio State athletics director Gene Smith on the NCAA's look into head coach Jim Tressel's conduct in the wake of the tatts and pants scandal at OSU