ShareThisBy MATT MARKEY
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Decked out in his football armor, Quinn Pitcock looks like the perfect gladiator. He is a mass of strength, a veritable immovable object forged of granite and steel.
The senior defensive tackle for Ohio State would be just as comfortable dressed in denim and chaps and riding bulls at a rodeo, or wrapped in Carharts and work boots and throwing freight around on a waterfront loading dock.
Now finding a tuxedo to fit this guy, that might be another story.
But the Buckeyes could very well be faced with that quandary, when they try to dress up their 6-3, 300 pound All-American candidate for the postseason awards shows. Pitcock is a semifinalist for both the Lombardi Award (top lineman) and the Lott Trophy (defensive impact player).
"He's a guy who deserves everything he gets, and I feel like he should win all those awards," fellow defensive lineman David Patterson said. "Quinn's an outstanding player, a great leader on this team and one of the hardest workers I've ever been around. He makes my job easier, because the offensive linemen have to be so concerned with how to handle him."
Not many have handled the behemoth from Piqua, and his blend of brawn, leverage and quickness. Pitcock was a two-time, first-team All-Ohio choice in high school, and a state finalist in both the shot put and the discus for three straight years.
He has worked his way up the ladder at Ohio State, and was a solid starter last season after finishing 2004 as a regular on the defensive line. This season, Pitcock leads the Buckeyes with eight sacks, has 10 tackles for loss, and 33 total tackles despite missing the better part of two games due to a minor concussion.
"You look at a guy that big, and some people don't think athlete the first thing, but Quinn Pitcock is a good athlete, besides being one heck of a football player," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.
"It's not always easy to see his impact, since he's right there in the middle of everything, but once you look at the film you really understand what a dominant type of player he is."
Pitcock and Patterson were the only returning starters this season from Ohio State's star-studded defense of 2005. Once the NFL was done cleaning house, the Buckeyes had to rebuild around those two veteran tackles.
That construction project worked, since top-ranked Ohio State goes into Saturday's showdown with No. 2 Michigan as the nation's best defense in terms of points allowed. Through 11 games, the Buckeyes have given up just 7.82 points per game.
"We lost a lot of great players _ a lot of guys who played three or four years here at Ohio State, and you can't replace that kind of experience overnight," Pitcock said. "But what happened is that a bunch of talented guys who had been waiting their turn just took advantage of the opportunity. They've just gotten better and better as the season went along."
Tressel credits Pitcock and the other Ohio State captains with exhibiting a great work ethic, and then bringing the rest of the Buckeyes along.
"When people see Troy Smith working like crazy on his footwork, or they see Quinn Pitcock living in the film room and watching every move that every lineman makes, I think that makes a difference," Tressel said.
Pitcock, originally an engineering major at Ohio State before switching to consumer affairs, takes an analytical approach to playing his position, first breaking down film and then detecting tendencies and weaknesses out on the field.
"During the game, things happen so quick that in a flash it's done," Pitcock said. "You have to go out there with a certain amount of knowledge about what your opponent is going to do, and how they are likely to do it. The more time you spend in preparation, the better equipped you are to deal with whatever happens."
Pitcock said his individual sack and tackle totals are insignificant. It's the numbers put up by the Ohio State defense that count.
"I think we got to this point by following the team approach all of the way," he said. "I know that if the offensive line double-teams me, then David or someone else is going to be in there making the stop or getting a sack. If I get free and get my hands on the quarterback, that's great. But if it's not me, then I know if everyone is doing their job, it will be someone else making the play."
