Homan, OSU linebackers let play do the talking

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Ohio State sophomore linebacker Ross Homan knows the stereotype of linebackers.

That perception is that a linebacker often is someone who is "a loud, outspoken, crazy guy," Homan said on Friday as Ohio State prepared for Monday's Fiesta Bowl game against Texas.

But he also knows that bears little resemblance to himself or OSU's two other starting linebackers, James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman. 

When it comes to Ohio State's linebackers, one can scratch loud and outspoken off the list right away. And the closest to crazy any of them has gotten might be Laurinaitis posing for a magazine cover in some of his dad's old professional wrestling gear.

"There are some (linebackers) like that who are crazy. It's a position where you're constantly trying to hit somebody, where you're trying to take someone's head off," Homan said.

"That's not me. It never was. We're all calm, collected, quiet guys," he said.

Homan's statistics weren't quiet this season. The 6-foot, 1-inch, 230-pound sophomore from Coldwater ranks fourth in tackles for OSU with 64, despite often leaving the field when the Buckeyes go with five defensive backs.

But his season was quiet in another way, and that was a good thing. After a 2007 season in which he went from the brink of breaking into the starting lineup to seeing his season ended after four games by a foot injury, the lack of turmoil was a welcome relief.

"It was great, feeling no pressure. Thank God, I was healthy. It was unbelievable playing healthy. It makes the whole season more fun, it makes practice more fun," Homan said.

When he arrived at OSU, there were instant comparisons to A.J. Hawk. Laurinaitis thinks Homan, who received a medical redshirt last season, can live up to the lofty predictions for him.

"When he gets a chance to play every down and learns more of the defense, he'll be special," Laurinaitis said.

Homan enrolled early at Ohio State in 2006 after helping Coldwater win a state football title. His younger brother Adam, who will sign a national letter of intent with Ohio State in February, will do the same thing, starting class the day of the Fiesta Bowl.

Has there been any brotherly advice passed along?

"I just give him advice that the reality of it at first is that it's going to be hard, getting used to college life and, especially, football. You have to look at it in the long run and how it's going to help you in the future," Homan said. "He knows that and he's really excited to be here."

There was no big brother waiting in the football program at Ohio State when Homan arrived, but he quickly was influenced by some of the older linebackers, like Hawk and Bobby Carpenter.

"When I came here, A.J. and Bobby, James and Marcus were workout warriors, constantly working out and trying to eat good," he said.

"A.J. and Bobby passed it down to James and Marcus, and James and Marcus kind of passed it down to Spit (Austin Spitler) and me and Tyler Moeller and we're trying to get Andrew Sweat and Etienne Sabino into the program. It's kind of like a waterfall effect, constantly trying to put down the next generation of linebackers."