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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ohio State full of fresh faces

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio – It’s a fresh start for Ohio State, and a lot of the players expected to usher the Buckeyes into a new era are fresh faces.

So far, first-year coach Urban Meyer and the rest of his staff prefer effort and competitiveness over age and experience.

The young guys may run the wrong way, but they do it with abandon. The coaches love that.

“We want to see what guys have that ‘it’ to them or really that desire as a young guy to get out there,” said defensive co-coordinator and last year’s interim head coach, Luke Fickell. “Hey, (even if) they don’t know exactly what they’re doing, those are the guys you really have to concentrate on and give them some opportunities.”

No fewer than 19 of the 22 full-time positions listed on the two-deep chart include a freshman, sophomore or a redshirt first- or second-year player as a starter or backup.