By
Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Saturday night's game against Ohio State may prove to be a pivotal game for Arizona - it will be the first time in the young season that the Wildcats will do battle against a team that appears to be bigger and stronger than UA.
A member of the Big Ten Conference and one of the nation's football powerhouses, the Buckeyes are renown for their physical, if traditional style of play.
"They have a lot of good, fast athletes... just flying around all over the field," UA head coach Dick Tomey said. "They have a lot of big guys running around the field who can really smack people around."
According to Tomey, the school's reputation throughout the state of Ohio coupled with the state's status as a high-school football powerhouse brings a steady stream of talent to Columbus.
"Ohio State every year has one of the best recruiting classes in the country," he said.
The Buckeye offense is a prime example of the team's size.
The OSU offensive linemen average roughly 300-pounds per player and is anchored by 6-foot-6 senior right tackle Henry Fleming, who weighs in at 305 pounds.
At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Buckeye quarterback Steve Bellisari appears diminutive behind his line. However, the junior is the team's leader returning rusher and passer.
"They are huge," senior defensive end Joe Tafoya said. "They come in with some really good offensive linemen."
Coming out of the backfield, six-foot fullback Jamar Martin's 245 pounds make him one of the conference's best and biggest blocking backs.
"They've got a big QB and a big fullback," Tafoya said.
Even the Ohio State players that fail to out-size the Wildcats have the ability to beat Arizona with team speed.
Senior flanker Ken-Yon Rambo, who was named an honorable-mention All-Big Ten last season, has the ability to beat the Wildcats deep.
OSU's offensive game plan will be due in part to head coach John Cooper, a former Arizona State head coach.
Tomey and his players expect a smash-mouth football game.
"John's background as a coach is very fundamental in nature," he said. "He has a very close identification with being a good fundamental coach and with them being a good fundamental football team. That goes back to the roots he has as a player and a coach."
Sophomore defensive tackle Young Thompson, who had five tackles last Saturday against Utah, is committed to improvement during this week of practice.
"(Last Saturday's) game should be our worst effort of the season," he said.
According to Tafoya, the game should prove to be a defensive battle.
"If we play better than Ohio State's defense, we'll feel good," he said. "This will not be a finesse game."
However, the senior is quick to point out that size doesn't always matter - on the football field, at least.
"They've got the size," Tafoya said, "(But) I'm not sure if they have the talent."
