Quarterback duel harkens back to Jackson-Germaine

COLUMBUS -- Redshirt sophomores Justin Zwick and Troy Smith aren't old enough to remember the last time Ohio State featured a two-headed quarterback in Stan Jackson and Joe Germaine. But Zwick knows he doesn't want a repeat of 1996 or 1997 this season.

"You're going to live with whatever happens," Zwick said about his duel with Smith to be OSU's starting quarterback. "That's why (coach Jim Tressel) is paid the big bucks, to make those kind of decisions."

But ...

"It's going to be tough," Zwick said. "You can't have two quarterbacks. A lot of positions you can have a couple of guys play, coming in and out. But at quarterback, if they go with one guy, it's going to be tough on the other guy. We're going to push each other and help each other as much as we can, just have fun with it and make the team better."

Although Smith was the first quarterback drafted by the seniors in the spring game, it's ultimately Tressel's call, and he's been leaning toward Zwick ever since two-year starter Craig Krenzel took his final snap in the Jan. 2. Fiesta Bowl.

But Smith is conceding nothing, pointing out that his approach is being taken by many of his teammates at a number of positions.

"Competition is what makes the team," Smith said. "This year's team has a lot of young guys, so we have to come out with some sort of identity. With so many guys fighting for a position, I guess we're going to be fighters."

Tressel's hope is that the quarterback drama will have played itself out by the time the Buckeyes open Big Ten play on Oct. 2 at Northwestern.

"In all my years of coaching, I can't remember a situation where I felt I had to play two," Tressel said. "I don't envision a 50-50 thing. In life, I don't think there's 50-50. That doesn't mean two people can't play roles."

Comparisons to the Jackson-Germaine era are inevitable. As was the case then, one quarterback is best on the move (Smith, Jackson) and the other is a classic pocket passer (Zwick, Germaine).

The two-headed approach produced an 11-1 record, Big Ten co-championship and Rose Bowl victory in 1996 and a 10-3, second-place league finish in 1997. But Ohio State's success in that two-year period wasn't so much about an effective two-man rotation as it was Germaine bailing out an ineffective Jackson on numerous occasions.

"They're going to have lessons," Tressel said of his young quarterbacks. "Now we'll find out how they learn from them. They've had lessons all spring now. If you asked them to point to 10 plays they learned from this spring, they could buzz right through those 10 plays."

Zwick, out of Massillon, and Smith, a product of Cleveland Glenville, watched closely the last two years as Krenzel took most of the snaps and posted a 23-2 record, including the 14-0 run to a national championship in 2002.

But backup Scott McMullen also left his mark, winning twice as a starter and once in relief of an injured Krenzel last season.

"I learned a whole lot ... that the backup is just as important as the starter," Smith said. "I'm not saying I'm the backup, but both guys are important to the team."

Zwick, considered the most heralded QB recruit at Ohio State since Art Schlichter, played in four games last season and completed four of eight passes for 24 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. Tight end Louis Irizzary, who was kicked off the team in the spring, dropped what should have been a TD bomb from Zwick against Northwestern.

Smith appeared in 10 games last year, but was used primarily as a "slash" back and kick returner. He didn't attempt a pass.

There's more talk in Columbus these days about Zwick vs. Smith than Bush vs. Kerry. While Zwick tries to tune it out, Smith is more inclined to crank up the volume.

"It doesn't bother me as much as people might think because there was a point where people didn't want to know about me," Smith said. "It's crazy, because two years I was sort of lollygagging around. But now the guys are looking in our eyes. They're looking at us for the play calls and to make the decisions."

Tressel would tell you not to forget about former grayshirt Todd Boeckman. The freshman out of St. Henry has been with the program since the spring of 2003, possessing good size (6-5, 235) and a strong arm.

"According to (defensive coordinator) Mark Snyder, Todd has done a better job with the scout team than Craig did at the same stage," Tressel said. "That gets your attention. He figures in. If I had a crystal ball to know so-and-so was going to miss nine preseason practices like Krenzel did in 2001 and Todd was going to get a million reps, I'd say he would figure heavily.

"The guys who ultimately get there are the ones whose spikes are short. Some guys go up, then have a big spike (setback). Then they head back up. If the spikes are shorter, progress will be quicker. The inevitable spikes Justin and Troy will have, who will have the shorter spikes will be key."