Countdown to Showdown: 5 Days

• By JOE MACALUSO AND JAY MARTIN
• Advocate staff
• Published: Jan 2, 2008

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Backups step up in 2007

Nonstarters provide key contributions for LSU and Ohio State this season

Continued success of a college football team in these days of 12-game regular seasons is measured by more than the 22 offensive and defensive starters.

The term “depth” is more than a word used in passing when it comes to analyzing the offensive effectiveness of LSU and Ohio State. Depth is one reason these two teams are playing for the BCS title.

And, depth doesn’t begin in the current season. It’s nurtured by coaches in the team’s underclassmen.

Neither LSU nor Ohio State would be where they are today if coaching staffs would have ignored last season’s backups.

Both LSU and Ohio State started this season having to replace highly successful starting quarterbacks. Remember LSU’s No. 1 draft choice JaMarcus Russell and Ohio State’s Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith?

So Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux step in and take LSU to an 11-2 record and the SEC championship. And, junior Todd Boeckman takes over for Smith for Big Ten champ Ohio State.

Remember, too, both teams had a pair of first-round wide receiver draft picks — Dwayne Bowe and Buster Davis at LSU and Ohio State’s Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez. Their replacements have given both teams solid passing games.

What about this season?

LSU five-deep running backs corps is a subject that’s been tossed around across the country. Jacob Hester has Keiland Williams, Charles Scott, Richard Murphy and Trindon Holliday behind him. Hester gained 1,017 yards: The four backups have added 1,324 yards and 15 TDs to LSU’s running game

At Ohio State, star running back Chris “Beanie” Wells 1,463 yards and 14 TDs is extra effective. Throw in backup Maurice Wells’ 103 carries, 367 yards and 3 TDs during brief periods when starter Wells was dinged and on the bench, and the Buckeyes hardly missed a beat.

Tight end is another crucial position for both teams.

LSU’s “pass-catching” TD is sophomore Richard Dickson, but seniors Keith Zinger and Mit Cole have receptions and, equally as important, provide those five backs with key blocks on the outside.

Ohio State has the same depth at that spot: Folks in Columbus, Ohio, call sophomore Jake Ballard and junior Rory Nicol “co-starters,” because they’ve shared the position this season. If there’s a back-up to pick here, likely it’s Nicol.

Ballard has 13 catches for 149 yards and 2 TDS. Nicol caught 16 passes for 84 yards and hasn’t scored.

Perrilloux’s story in a backup role is well documented. He stepped in for Flynn twice: A 44-0 win over Middle Tennessee and his MVP performance in the SEC Championship Game’s 21-14 win over Tennessee.

Boeckman’s understudy is 6-foot-6, 244-pound sophomore Robby Schoenhoft. He has played in eight games and hit 17 of 25 passes for 129 yards. He’s also run 10 times for 32 yards and a TD.

In the middle of the line, there’s no bigger story between both teams than LSU’s 6-6, 302-pound junior Ryan Miller.

Miller started one game this year, at right guard against Kentucky, and is listed as the backup at center, and both guard spots.

Miller earned the credit from players and coaches for opening the hole Hester dived through for the game-winning TD against Florida. After right guard Lyle Hitt was injured, Miller came in seven plays into a 15-play, 60-yard drive that chewed eight minutes off the fourth-quarter clock that led to Hester’s TD.

That drive alone proved second team doesn’t mean second rate.

Tomorrow: Defensive backups

Vote for the most memorable moment of 2007

Advocate sportswriters selected 20  memorable moments for LSU’s 2007 season. Beginning today, readers can go to The Advocate’s Web site — http://www.2theadvocate.com/countdown — and vote on their most memorable moment. Voting will end at 6 p.m. January 5. The results will run in the Jan. 7 Advocate Sports’ BCS Game Day Special.

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BCS TRIVIA

TODAY’S QUESTION:

Which two teams combined for the most passing yards in a BCS Bowl Game? Which game? The winner?

TUESDAY’S QUESTION:

Which two teams combined for the fewest single-game total yards in BCS Bowl Game history?

Florida & Ohio State, 452 yards in Jan. 8, 2007 BCS Championship Game. Florida 370 yards, Ohio State 82 yards. Florida 41, Ohio State 14.

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NOTEBOOK

TIGERS SCHEDULE

Today: Practice, bus to New Orleans

Thursday: Morning practice, Superdome; afternoon interview sessions

BUCKEYES SCHEDULE

Today: Arrive in New Orleans

Thursday: Practice, Superdome; interview sessions

Who’s got next?

Got your crystal ball ready?

Believe it or not — considering the source — about the only accurate preseason prediction for the 2007 major college football schedule came from former coach and ESPN studio analyst Lou Holtz, who said by season’s end every team would have a loss.

Through the regular season, except for Hawaii at 12-0 going into the Sugar Bowl, Holtz was right.

What’s ahead for next year, and the next, for LSU and Ohio State?

LSU 2008 Schedule

Aug. 30 North Texas

Sept. 6 Troy

Sept. 13 To be determined

Sept. 20 at Auburn

Sept. 27 Mississippi State

Oct. 11 at Florida

Oct. 18 at South Carolina

Oct. 25 Georgia

Nov. 1 Tulane

Nov. 8 Alabama

Nov. 22 Ole Miss

Nov. 29 at Arkansas (Little Rock, Ark.)

Earlier schedules had the LSU-Alabama game listed for Nov. 15, but that date has been changed.

LSU 2009 Schedule

Sept. 5 Appalachian State

Sept. 12 Vanderbilt

Sept. 19 Houston

Sept. 26 at Mississippi State

Oct. 3 at Georgia

Oct. 10 Florida

Oct. 24 Auburn

Oct. 31 at Tulane (Superdome)

Nov. 7 Southern Mississippi

Nov. 14 at Alabama

Nov. 21 at Ole Miss

Nov. 28 Arkansas

Source: LSU Sports Information

OSU 2008 Schedule

Aug. 30 Youngstown State

Sept. 6 Ohio

Sept. 13 at Southern Cal

Sept. 20 Troy

Sept. 27 Minnesota

Oct. 4 at Wisconsin

Oct. 11 Purdue

Oct. 18 at Michigan State

Oct. 25 Penn State

Nov. 8 at Northwestern

Nov. 15 at Illinois

Nov. 22 Michigan

OSU 2009 Schedule

Sept. 5 Army

Sept. 12 Southern Cal

Sept. 19 Toledo (Cleveland)

Sept. 26 Illinois

Oct. 3 at Indiana

Oct. 10 Wisconsin

Oct. 17 at Purdue

Oct. 24 Minnesota

Oct. 31 New Mexico State

Nov. 7 at Penn State

Nov. 14 Iowa

Nov. 21 at Michigan

Source: The Ohio State University

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BREAKING DOWN THE SHOWDOWN

KICKER

COLT DAVID

5-9, 173, Jr.

Grapevine, Texas

15-yard TD run off fake FG vs. South Carolina among season’s national highlights … impact player in 2005 true freshman season … handled short FGs, good on 4-of-5 and hit 45 of 46 PATs … blocked PAT vs. Ole Miss in 2006 ended streak of 77 straight … good on 8 of 13 FGs in sophomore season, including 45-yarder vs. Florida … first-team Coaches All-SEC in 2007 … LSU’s leading scorer in 2007 with SEC-high 139 points … set numerous LSU records.

CAREER: 3 seasons, 37-50 FGs (long 49), 153-155 PATs.

“We made him a team captain.”

Bradley Dale Peveto, assistant coach

RYAN PRETORIUS

5-9, 175, Jr.

Durban, South Africa

At urging of fellow South African Gary Anderson, former NFL kicker, sent videos to U.S. colleges …. Ohio State offered him as a ‘preferred’ walk-on in 2004 … took 2004 redshirt season, then kicked off twice in 2005 and 19 times in 2006 … tried two 50-yard-plus field goals in sophomore season … made 52-yarder vs. Cincinnati, missed from 51 yards vs. Northern Illinois … won field goal/PAT duties in fall camp … good on 17 of 21 FGs this season, longest 50 vs. Penn State.

CAREER: 3 seasons, 18-23 FGs (long 52), 45-46 PATs, 52 kickoffs

“A capable kicker and an even more colorful character; he is one of a kind on our team.”

Joe Daniels, OSU assistant coach