Commentary: Zwick stepping back into drivers' seat

With almost breathless, "here we go again" resignation, Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk is treating the suspension of starting quarterback Troy Smith as just another player injury.

You know, the latest in an embarrassingly long line of Buckeye brain cramps.

The pressing question is whether Smith's apparent head injury will prove more devastating to the Buckeyes than Justin Zwick's earlier shoulder separation.

Zwick, given back the job he held for the first six games of the season, should provide that answer when he starts at quarterback in next Wednesday's Alamo Bowl.

With Zwick on the sidelines -- nursing his wounded wing and a battered ego caused by his alarming propensity for turnovers -- the Buckeyes won four of their last five games behind Smith.

Zwick had one of the best seats in the house as his replacement almost single-handedly beat Michigan in the regular season finale.

Smith was amazing that day, accounting for 241 yards passing, 145 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He was the conquering hero, leading to speculation that hero-worshipping gratitude led to Smith accepting illegal "extra benefits" and running afoul of the NCAA.

Now it's up to Zwick to prove the offensive transition taking place over the next week can be as seamless as it was successful going from Zwick to Smith after a humiliating 33-7 loss at Iowa.

No matter how big you paint Smith's loss, it should take more than his absence to make Ohio State feel as outmanned as Davy Crockett at the Alamo.

In his six starts, Zwick never faced a softer defense than he'll see Wednesday from Oklahoma State. Although the Cowboys possess a high-powered running attack, they had trouble scoring enough in the big games to keep up with their opponents.

They blew a 35-7 lead in a 56-35 loss to Texas, surrendering 322 yards rushing and 278 passing. They gave Oklahoma a scare, but ultimately succumbed 38-35 after allowing a 72-yard TD pass, an 80-yard TD run, a 50-yard punt return for a score and 488 yards total offense.

Zwick should benefit from an offensive line that manhandled Michigan up front and from a receiving corps that has been given some added zip from the late-season emergence of Ted Ginn Jr. and Tony Gonzalez.

In return, the Buckeyes need Zwick to put the brakes on his nervous feet, show poise in the pocket and throw with the same authority coach Jim Tressel says he has shown in post-season practices.

If Tressel is correct, Zwick has emerged from his trials and tribulations a better man and hopefully a better quarterback.

"I don't know that the early part of the season was easy for him because no one was mentioning then that we were on all cylinders," Tressel said. "All adversity makes you better -- and this (losing his job) was another one."

Zwick will never be a media favorite. He talks in platitudes and monotones, often acting like he'd rather be sitting through an opera. Smith is more charismatic, more loquacious, more open with his feelings.

Those strengths turned out to be Smith weaknesses. His words came back to haunt him.

Just last week he referred to Zwick as the "other" guy. Now, of course, he's "the" guy.

Just last week, Smith was heard saying, `The minute you get too cocky, you never know what can happen to you."

Although details are sketchy, it seems Smith failed to heed his own advice.

If he thought the Michigan win made him bullet-proof, he now knows otherwise. Just as Zwick found out before him that nothing is for keeps.

Whether Zwick's rebirth is simply a one-game deal is up to Tressel. And, perhaps, a contrite Smith, whose Michigan performance should carry considerable cachet into next season.

This much should be certain: No more brain belches or cranium cramps will be tolerated in a program that could fill a hospital ward with such walking wounded.

Originally published Wednesday, December 22, 2004