Coach Jim Tressel portends an image of anything but unethical and he doesn't come off as a moral bottom-feeder in a sport where such labels are easily applied.

That's why his two-game suspension and $250,000 fine for knowingly misleading Ohio State and the NCAA of the school's well-publicized violations has rocked the Buckeyes' fan base to the core.

Tressel didn't notify the school of infractions that involved trading or selling school memorabilia to a tattoo parlor in exchange for goods or services -- in this case, tattoos.

It is not often that a few ill-timed tattoos and a few off-the-books jewelry sales can impact a national powerhouse football program, but that is exactly the case at Ohio State.

But the Tressel news is a uppercut to the jaw, and the program isn't well positioned to defend itself from the body blows it will absorb in the months to come.

The Buckeyes took a shot to the gut in the days before their Sugar Bowl meeting with Arkansas when they learned the NCAA would suspend star quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four of his Ohio State teammates for the first five games of 2011 for allegedly accepting improper benefits.

Pryor, starting offensive tackle Mike Adams, starting tailback Dan Herron, starting wide receiver DeVier Posey and backup defensive end Solomon Thomas, apparently sold Big Ten championship rings and other memorabilia to a Columbus-area tattoo parlor owner for cash and discounts on tattoos.

While Ohio State has appealed the case, seeking the reduction or elimination of the suspensions in what many consider a victimless crime where no competitive advantage was gained, the Buckeyes' recruiting at the affected positions took on a new sense of urgency as spring practice approached.

The new Buckeye most likely to be directly impacted is incoming quarterback Braxton Miller, whom many feel has the skill set and ability to step in and contend for the starting job in the 2011 opener, should Pryor remain suspended.

Miller was expected to redshirt and spend Pryor's senior season learning the system and getting acclimated, but he's now on the fast track. Due to the presence of Pryor, Ohio State has not been able to recruit any top quarterback prospects the last couple of years, meaning Miller can step right into the competition.

"He's going to get a shot like everyone else will this spring," Ohio State quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano said on national signing day. "(With Pryor out), we don't have a guy cemented. Braxton's got a special skill set that not everybody has."

A lot of football recruits talk about wanting to "play right away" and with a wink and a nod, their coaches tell them they will have a shot at doing so. Few true freshmen reach the field, and very few step right out of their senior prom to fill a vital role at one of the nation's top programs.

But a few gaudy tattoos and some poorly conceived jewelry sales that took place two years ago have landed Miller in position to do just that with the Buckeyes in 2011.

TOP OF THE CLASS

QB Braxton Miller (Wayne High, Huber Heights, Ohio) -- The top-rated quarterback in the country with many recruiting services, Miller committed to the Buckeyes seven months ago, enrolled early, and was in class on campus when Ohio State faced Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. He has the run/pass dual-threat capabilities teams covet, and he is considered further along in his development than Terrelle Pryor was when he came to Ohio State as a freshman.

LB Curtis Grant (Hermitage High, Richmond, Va.) -- Grant, rated by many as the top linebacker in the country, gave Ohio State a huge exclamation point at the end of its recruiting efforts by announcing on signing day that he would be a Buckeye. Grant picked Ohio State over Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and a number of other national powers. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder is fast, athletic and a big hitter who could be the next great Ohio State linebacker.

TE Jeff Heuerman (Barron Collier High, Naples, Fla.) -- The 6-5, 225-pound Heuerman was offered by more than 20 schools, but he chose Ohio State, where the tight end has taken on an increasingly more active role in the offense. Heuerman comes from a run-oriented offense, so his pass-catching ability is essentially untapped, but his excellent blocking skills made him someone the Buckeyes were intent on getting.

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