Holmes ready to step into starring role

COLUMBUS -- He once was referred to as "San Antonio" by a tongue-tripping Ohio Stadium press box announcer, but by the end of last season no one was mistaking Santonio Holmes for a city.

He's much bigger than that.

Pressed into action because of a season-ending injury to starter Drew Carter, Holmes was Ohio State's most lethal receiver down the stretch last year. Over the final 5 1/2 games he caught 29 passes for 497 yards and seven touchdowns.

Playing alongside NFL draftee and record-setting wideout Michael Jenkins, it was Holmes who displayed game-breaking ability. He had a career-high eight catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns against Michigan. As an encore he added two more TD grabs against Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl.

"When Drew got hurt, coach (Jim Tressel) called me to step up and that's exactly what I tried to do ... make plays for the team," the redshirt sophomore flanker from Belle Glades, Fla. said.

"I think I was ready at the beginning of (last) season. My consistency in practice was the key to keeping me off the field. I started to get more confidence once I knew my role on the team."

Despite his limited experience, Holmes will also take on leadership responsibility this season with the Buckeyes breaking in a new starting quarterback, three newbies on the offensive line and first-time first-teamers at split end and tight end.

The receiving corps, minus Holmes, has caught a combined 23 passes with no touchdowns.

"Coach wants me to be a leader, and I'm ready to take on that roll," Holmes aid. "But it all starts with our offensive line and our quarterbacks (Justin Zwick and Troy Smith).

"I'm not worried because I came in with Troy and Justin and know their styles. They both have a lot of confidence and encourage each other to step up."

When Carter went down with a torn ACL at Indiana, Holmes stepped in and stepped up -- catching six passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns in basically two quarters of play.

It was on that same field two years earlier that OSU tailback Lydell Ross burst onto the scene as a freshman, rushing for 124 yards to become the youngest back (17) in Big Ten history to top 100 yards in a game.

But Ross predicts an even brighter future for Holmes.

"He's an exceptional player," Ross said. "He's got the skills and tools to be the best in the nation. It's so clear to see why. He's so quick. He runs perfect routes. He has good hands ... and he's from Florida.

Holmes and Ross are two of the four Floridians on the OSU roster, joined by true freshman wide reciver Albert Dukes and senior linebacker Thomas Matthews.

Dukes has the same slight build as Holmes, was a high school teammate of Holmes and actually put up far better numbers than Holmes as a high school senior.

They could end up complementing each other again, the way they did three years ago as members of their school's state champion 4 x 400 meter relay team.

Sophomore split end Roy Hall, a physical receiver with the imposing build of former OSU All-American David Boston, is being counted on most to complement Holmes. But seniors Bam Childress and John Hollins, along with redshirt freshmen Devin Jordan and Tony Gonzalez, will also need to divert some of the defensive attention away from Holmes.

"Teams are probably thinking I'm the big-play receiver; that we don't have any other threats ... so if they take me out of the picture they'll pretty much stop our offense," Holmes said. "But we've got other guys who have been making plays all spring and summer. They're ready to step up and make plays, so it's pretty exciting for me."