D-line duo of Patterson, Pitcock a force for Buckeyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Back in August it seemed a long shot that Ohio State would have a quality defense; the Buckeyes had two returning starters surrounded by nine gaping holes.

Luckily, those two players -- tackles David Patterson and Quinn Pitcock -- were the right duo to lead a young and talented Buckeyes defense to the top.

"I've said many times that our two inside guys, David Patterson and Quinn Pitcock, are as good as it gets," coach Jim Tressel said. "Those guys create havoc and you've got to really figure out a way to slow them down."

When they aren't disrupting offenses, they are a calming influence on the younger Buckeyes filling vacancies left by the departures of six players taken in the first four rounds of the NFL draft.

The top seven tacklers from the 2005 Buckeyes -- and nine of the top 10 -- were gone.

Not only did Patterson and Pitcock have to be good, they also had to be leaders.

"We had a lot of new guys and they did a good job of leading them and keeping them under control," defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said.

Pitcock, a 6-3, 295-pound fifth-year senior from Piqua, was a finalist for the Lombardi and Lott trophies presented to the nation's top collegiate defender. A first-team All-American, he had 11 tackles for a loss and eight sacks.

Patterson, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound senior from Warrensville Heights, had 18 tackles including three for a loss. In many ways, he is the Buckeyes' voice, speaking on behalf of the team at banquets, appearances and news conferences.

Each missed all or part of two games, Patterson after knee surgery and Pitcock because of a concussion. Both are expected to be ready when the No. 1 Buckeyes play second-ranked Florida in the national championship game on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.

Their friendship was forged on the field. Now they're nostalgic as they prepare for their final game together in an Ohio State uniform.

"Quinn's my boy. I love to hang out with him," Patterson said, grinning at Pitcock, who was standing just a few feet away. "He's just not a guy on the defensive line, he's really one of my friends. It's just special when you get to play with your friends. ... When he's not there at practice, I notice he's not there -- the game has a little bit different feel. I'm sure that's true for him too."

Said Pitcock of Patterson: "Just last night he was telling somebody I'm his brother from another mother."

No one respects the Buckeyes' big two more than their next opponent.

"They're a pretty sturdy group up front," Florida quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said. "A lot of teams will have a superstar at one defensive end and then not a great player at the other one. They're pretty solid all the way across the front with all four players."

Ohio State's coaching staff depended on Patterson and Pitcock to help teach and train all those fresh faces filling out the depth chart. They were inspired by those who wondered how long it would take the defense to catch up with the veteran-laden offense.

"We always had this quote: 'There will be 999 people telling you you can't do something, or one saying you can. Don't focus on the 999, focus on that one,"' Patterson said. "A lot of people around the country and the state thought that the defense would be the weak link of this team and we could really hurt the team. We just took that on as a challenge."