2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

The 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes compiled a 7–5 record (5–3 in conference games), finished in third place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 284 to 213. Against ranked opponents, the Buckeyes lost to No. 14 UCLA and No. 12 Illinois and defeated No. 14 Northwestern and No. 11 Michigan. They concluded the season with a 31–28 loss to No. 14 South Carolina in the 2002 Outback Bowl.^[1] For the second consecutive season, the Buckeyes were unranked in the final AP and Coaches polls.

2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Outback Bowl, L 28–31 vs. South Carolina
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	7–5 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach	Jim Tressel (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Jim Bollman (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Mark Dantonio (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
MVP	Jonathon Wells
Captains	Steve Bellisari Mike Collins Joe Cooper Jamar Martin
Home stadium	Ohio Stadium (Capacity: 101,568)
Seasons ← 2000 2002 →

2001 Big Ten Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 12 Illinois $		7	–	1					10	–	2
No. 20 Michigan		6	–	2					8	–	4
Ohio State		5	–	3					7	–	5
Iowa		4	–	4					7	–	5
Purdue		4	–	4					6	–	6
Penn State		4	–	4					5	–	6
Indiana		4	–	4					5	–	6
Michigan State		3	–	5					7	–	5
Wisconsin		3	–	5					5	–	7
Minnesota		2	–	6					4	–	7
Northwestern		2	–	6					4	–	7
$ – BCS representative as conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The Buckeyes gained an average of 190.3 rushing yards and 178.7 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 140.5 rushing yards and 194.3 passing yards per game.^[2] The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Steve Bellisari (1,599 passing yards, 53.0% completion percentage), running back Jonathan Wells (1,257 rushing yards, 5.4 yards per carry, 90 points scored), and wide receiver Michael Jenkins (41 receptions for 836 yards).^[2] Center LeCharles Bentley was selected as a consensus first-team All-American.^[3] Three Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 2001 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Bentley; offensive tackle Tyson Walter; and defensive back Mike Doss.^[4]

The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 8	12:00 p.m.	Akron*	No. 24	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH		W 28–14	102,602
September 22	3:30 p.m.	at No. 14 UCLA*	No. 21	Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA	ABC	L 6–13	73,723
September 29	12:00 p.m.	at Indiana		Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN	ESPN Plus	W 27–14	48,577
October 6	7:45 p.m.	No. 14 Northwestern		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ESPN	W 38–20	104,042
October 13	3:30 p.m.	Wisconsin	No. 21	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ABC	L 17–20	103,520
October 20	12:00 p.m.	San Diego State*		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ESPN Plus	W 27–12	102,432
October 27	12:00 p.m.	at Penn State		Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)	ESPN	L 27–29	108,327
November 3	7:45 p.m.	at Minnesota		Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN	ESPN	W 31–28	45,407
November 10	12:00 p.m.	Purdue		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH	ESPN2	W 35–9	104,189
November 17	12:00 p.m.	No. 12 Illinois	No. 25	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH (Illibuck)	ESPN	L 22–34	104,407	[5]
November 24	1:00 p.m.	at No. 11 Michigan		Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)	ABC	W 26–20	111,571
January 1, 2002	11:00 a.m.	vs. No. 14 South Carolina*	No. 22	Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL (Outback Bowl)	ESPN	L 28–31	66,249
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

^[6]

Rankings

See also: 2001 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	23	23	24	21	—	—	21	—	—	—	—	25	—	23	22	22	—
Coaches	21	21	22	21	—	—	25	—	—	—	—	—	—	25	23	23	—
BCS	Not released								—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Not released

Preseason

The 2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football season marked a transition from former head coach John Cooper to new head coach Jim Tressel. Tressel was beginning his first season as head coach at the Division I-A level as the 22nd head coach of the Buckeyes. He came from Youngstown State University where he led the Penguins to four national championships at the Division I-AA level. The Buckeyes finished the 2000 season with an 8–4 record and Coach Cooper was later fired on January 2, 2001.^[7]

Prior to Cooper's firing, the Buckeyes were ranked 23rd in the AP Poll, losing in the 2001 Outback Bowl to the South Carolina Gamecocks by a score of 24–7.^[8]

Game summaries

Akron

See also: 2001 Akron Zips football team

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Akron	0	7	0	7	14
• Ohio St	14	7	7	0	28

• Date: September 8
• Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
• Game attendance: 102,602

Scoring summary

1	7:36	OHST	Jonathan Wells 14 yard run (Josh Huston kick)	Ohio St 7–0
1	3:30	OHST	Jamar Martin 10 yard pass from Steve Bellisari (Josh Huston kick)	Ohio St 14–0
2	9:14	OHST	Jonathan Wells 1 yard run (Josh Huston kick)	Ohio St 21–0
2	2:09	AKRN	Jake Schifino 15 yard pass from Charlie Frye (Zac Derr kick)	Ohio St 21–7
3	3:37	OHST	Chris Vance 61 yard pass from Steve Bellisari (Josh Huston kick)	Ohio St 28–7
4	7:48	AKRN	Rickie Coble 87 yard interception return (Zac Derr kick)	Ohio St 28–14

^[9]

UCLA

See also: 2001 UCLA Bruins football team

Indiana

See also: 2001 Indiana Hoosiers football team

Northwestern

See also: 2001 Northwestern Wildcats football team

Wisconsin

See also: 2001 Wisconsin Badgers football team

San Diego State

See also: 2001 San Diego State Aztecs football team

Penn State

See also: 2001 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

Minnesota

See also: 2001 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

Purdue

See also: 2001 Purdue Boilermakers football team

Illinois

See also: 2001 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

Michigan

See also: 2001 Michigan Wolverines football team and Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry

Ohio State Buckeyes at #11 Michigan Wolverines

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Ohio State	7	16	0	3	26
Michigan	0	0	7	13	20

at Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

• Date: November 24, 2001
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: High 50s, Cloudy, wind 15 mph ESE
• Game attendance: 111,571
• Referee: S. Newman

Game information

First quarter OSU - Jonathan Wells 1-yd run (Mike Nugent kick) Second quarter OSU - Jonathan Wells 46-yd run (Mike Nugent kick) OSU - Jonathan Wells 11-yd run (Mike Nugent kick) OSU - Team safety Third quarter MICH - M. Walker 21-yd pass from John Navarre (Hayden Epstein kick) Fourth quarter MICH - B.J. Askew 2-yd run (pass failed) OSU - Mike Nugent 33-yd field goal MICH - M. Walker 11-yd pass from John Navarre (Hayden Epstein kick) Top Passers OSU - Craig Krenzel - 11/18, 118 yards, 1 INT MICH - John Navarre - 21/47, 206 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs Top Rushers OSU - Jonathan Wells - 25 rushes, 129 yards, 3 TDs MICH - Chris Perry - 6 rushes, 53 yards Top Receivers MICH - M. Walker - 5 receptions, 160 yards, 2 TDs OSU - Darnell Sanders - 3 receptions, 38 yards Top Tacklers MICH - Victor Hobson - 10 (9 solo, 1 assisted) MICH - Eric Brackens - 10 (6 solo, 4 assisted) OSU - Joe Cooper - 8 (all solo) OSU - Tim Anderson - 8 (7 solo, 1 assisted) Interceptions OSU - 4 - Mike Doss (2), Dustin Fox (1), Tim Anderson (1) MICH - 1 - Todd Howard

South Carolina—Outback Bowl

See also: 2001 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

Personnel

Coaching staff

• Jim Tressel - Head Coach (1st year)
• Jim Bollman - Offensive Line/OC (1st year)
• Ken Conaster - Special Teams (1st year)
• Bill Conley - Tight Ends / Recruiting Coordinator (15th year)
• Joe Daniels - Quarterbacks (1st year)
• Mark Dantonio - Defensive Coordinator (1st year)
• Jim Heacock - Defensive Line (6th year)
• Mark Snyder - Defensive Linebackers (1st year)
• Tim Spencer - Running Backs (8th year)
• Mel Tucker - Defensive Backs (1st year)
• Bob Tucker - Director of Football Operations (7th year)
• Dick Tressel - Associate Director of Football Operations (1st year)

Roster

2001 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class FL 3 Bam Childress  Fr QB 8 Steve Bellisari Sr WR 9 Ricky Bryant So SE 12 Michael Jenkins So QB 15 Scott McMullen So QB 16 Craig Krenzel So QB 17 Rick McFadden So RB 28 Jonathan Wells Sr C 68 LeCharles Bentley Sr G 76 Alex Stepanovich So OT 77 Tyson Walter Sr TE 88 Ben Hartsock  So TE 89 Darnell Sanders Jr	Defense Pos. # Name Class S 2 Mike Doss Jr DB 4 Rob Harley Fr LB 6 Cie Grant Jr DB 7 Derek Ross Jr S 25 Donnie Nickey  Jr LB 35 Matt Wilhelm Jr LB 36 Pat O'Neill  So LB 46 Fred Pagac Jr.  So LB 58 Courtland Bullard Sr DE 93 Will Smith So DE 97 Kenny Peterson Sr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class PK 23 Josh Huston Fr PK 85 Mike Nugent Fr	Head coach Jim Tressel Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: 2001-12-16

Depth chart

Defense FS 25 Donnie Nickey 26 Will Allen WLB Middle LB SLB 58 Courtland Bullard 35 Matt Wilhelm 10 Joe Cooper 6 Cie Grant 46 Fred Pagac Jr 44 Robert Reynolds SS 2 Mike Doss 41 Thomas Matthews CB 24 Maurice Lee 11 Richard McNutt DE DT DT DE 56 Darrion Scott 54 Tim Anderson 98 Mike Collins 93 Will Smith 49 Tim Cheatwood 95 David Thompson 97 Kenny Peterson 75 Simon Fraser CB 7 Derek Ross 37 Dustin Fox Offense WR 12 Michael Jenkins 83 Chris Gamble LT LG C RG RT 77 Tyson Walter 63 Adrien Clarke 68 LeCharles Bentley 78 Bryce Bishop 71 Shane Olivea 53 Ivan Douglas 70 Scott Kuhnhein 66 Mike Jacobs 76 Alex Stepanovic 50 Michael Stafford TE 89 Darnell Sanders 88 Ben Hartsock WR 4 Chris Vance 9 Ricky Bryant QB 8 Steve Bellisari 16 Craig Krenzel Key reserves FB 39 Jamar Martin 5 Sam Maldonado Special teams PK 85 Mike Nugent PK 23 Josh Huston P 18 Andy Groom P 21 B. J. Sander KR 20 Maurice Hall PR 4 Chris Vance RB 28 Jonathan Wells 30 Lydell Ross

Source: Athletic Department official site, 2001 football archive 12-01 depth chart

2002 NFL draftees

Player	Round	Pick	Position	NFL club
LeCharles Bentley	2	44	Guard	New Orleans Saints
Derek Ross	3	75	Defensive back	Dallas Cowboys
Jonathan Wells	4	99	Running back	Houston Texans
Darnell Sanders	4	122	Tight End	Cleveland Browns
Jamar Martin	4	129	Fullback	Dallas Cowboys
Courtland Bullard	5	167	Linebacker	St. Louis Rams
Tyson Walter	6	179	Center	Dallas Cowboys
Steve Bellisari	6	205	Quarterback	St. Louis Rams

^[10]