Buckeye linebackers find strength in numbers

COLUMBUS -- Three years after his trumpted arrival as a Parade magazine All-American and its national defensive player of the year, linebacker Mike D'Andrea is still having a hard time cracking Ohio State's starting lineup.

While frustrating for him, that's not necessarily a bad thing for the Buckeyes.

Here's the positive spin: This isn't about D'Andrea hasn't done in an OSU uniform. It's about what the players in front of him are expected to accomplish this season.

Led by projected first-team All-American A.J. Hawk and middle linebacker Anthony Schlegel, a transfer from the Air Force Academy, Ohio State's linebacking corps has been billed as the best in the Big Ten and possibly the entire nation.

With Hawk and fellow junior Bobby Carpenter flanking Schlegel, this could be a return to the old days, with the linebackers forming the backbone of a defense that in recent years has fed off the performance of its front four.

"The tradition of linebackers here has been so great, for someone to say we might have the best group in the nation, we have to go out and prove it," Hawk said. "We're tight off the field, so it should be fun on the field."

D'Andrea knows the pressure of living up to hype. Hawk, the Big Ten's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, is ready to embrace it.

"It's more motivation to work harder and make sure I learn," Hawk said, "so that I can back (the acclaim) up."

Hawk, Schlegel and backup middle linebacker John Kerr, a transfer from Indiana, have all had 100-tackle seasons in college. Hawk led the Buckeyes last season with 106 and was named defensive MVP in the 35-28 Fiesta Bowl victory over Kansas State.

Schlegel made 116 tackles for Air Force in 2002, including 19 against Notre Dame. That same season, Kerr, a former Cuyahoga County Player of the Year at St. Ignatius, had 114 stops for the Hoosiers.

Kerr will sit out the season opener after violating an undisclosed university policy.

"It came down to where I would feel most comfortable," said Schlegel, a Texas native who spurned overtures from Texas A&M and Texas Christian. "When you're with a bunch of guys who are genuinely good guys and good coaches, that's where you want to be. It doesn't really have anything to do with staying in state or going out of state."

The three starters have already established a strong bond. Hawk and Carpenter flew to Texas to attend Schlegel's wedding last Valentine's Day.

"Anthony brings a lot of life experiences," said Carpenter, in his first season as a fulltime starter. "He's married, he's been in the Air Force. This is his fourth year out of high school. Anytime you can add anyone like that it's got to help."

Carpenter, Hawk and D'Andrea were part of the same highly-touted recruiting class. Hawk arrived with the least fanfare of the three, but quickly showed a Chris Spielman-like mentality and ferocity that has him on all of the preseason watch lists for national honors.

Hawk's emergence and Schlegel's arrival have made D'Andrea something of a forgotten man. But not among the starters. They know D'Andrea, Kerr and freshman prep All-American Marcus Freeman are pushing hard for playing time and that any slip in production could lead to a change in the rotation.

"To use a cliche, competition brings out the best in everybody," Carpenter said. "Anytime you're fighting for tackles and interceptions, it's going to make you better.

"A guy like Mike (D'Andrea), he's an exceptional athlete, but he had to sit behind an All-American in Matt Wilhelm two years ago and a couple of seniors last year. Now he's in competition with Anthony. That's going to bring out the best in both of those guys."