Being Good Takes Time, Buckeyes Say

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- What's brewing today with the 2009 Ohio State Buckeyes ...

BUCKEYES BUZZ: To listen to Ohio State's players and coach Jim Tressel, everybody in college football is a workaholic. So what's the big deal about the allegations at Michigan?

You may have seen that some current and former Wolverines complained to the Detroit Free Press that they were being asked to exceed the maximum 20 hours that student-athletes are permitted to spend on football. They said that there was pressure to put in the extra time, and that they were punished if they didn't or if they spoke out about it.

Asked about it on Tuesday, Tressel said, "What makes it difficult is how good these kids want to be. Sometimes you have to chain the doors of the Woody Hayes center, you know, to get them out of there. These kids want to be good. They want to train. They want to get their buddies in there and throw the ball around, those kinds of things."

He said that Ohio State's coaches meet all NCAA and Big Ten requirements, and do not prescribe workouts for players beyond the allotted time.

Tressel said it's foolish to try to rein in young, committed and ambitious athletes.

"It'd be like telling our med students, 'We're going to close the library,"' he said. "You've got to let them train. There is a fine line, but the safeguards we have are we have set schedules and forms that we fill out, just like everyone."

Safety Kurt Coleman said he didn't think athletes were overworked.

"I think Michigan is probably abiding by the rules," he said. "But, you know, to be great you have to put in more than 20 hours. That's just the minimum. In any great program, each player is putting in more than what they're required to. And it's all on their own. That's what takes a program to the next level, when guys are going above and beyond the call of duty."

Defensive lineman Doug Worthington agreed.

"It's hard to be a good football team giving 20 hours, but you know the rules and that's why leaders and captains and seniors have to make sure we keep guys after and we watch more film," he said. "Do it on our time, but make sure we know it's nothing mandatory but if you want to be good it takes more than just 20 hours."

MISSING MIKE: Mike Adams, expected to start on the line, is apparently in Tressel's doghouse. He isn't listed on the two-deep and his absence provoked this interesting exchange with a reporter.

Reporter: Is (Adams) suspended?

Tressel: Well, he won't be with us this week. I can't really talk too much more about ...

Reporter: Will he be with you for the USC game?

Tressel: We'll have to see.

MESSAGE FROM THE A.D.: Tressel said his boss, athletic director Gene Smith, gave him a message to read to reporters at his weekly news conference.

"When your boss gives you something, you write it down," Tressel said. "Here's a tip for you: 'Get there 20 minutes, in your seat, before the game starts. You won't be disappointed.' That was his message."

A fly-over is one of the expected extras at the season opener.

THIRD CAPTAIN: Kurt Coleman was stunned when he found out he was a captain.

"We had, basically, a mock kind of a game. We went through situations and (Tressel) started off by saying, 'OK, so now we have the coin toss. I'm going to tell you who the captains are.' He named off Austin Spitler first, Doug Worthington, and then he said me. I was just kind of taken (aback)."

Coleman said he figured he was a candidate during summer workouts when the underclassmen kidded him by calling him "Captain Kurt."