Can he stop Johnson?

Two-way star Gamble could be key for Ohio State

Chris Gamble is OSU's second-leading receiver, with 29 catches for 430 yards. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

By Stewart Mandel, CNNSI.com

PHOENIX -- Ken Dorsey. Maurice Clarett. Willis McGahee.

Friday’s Ohio State-Miami Fiesta Bowl is at no loss for star power.

But the most important player on the field may be the guy who will spend the most time on the field.

Ohio State’s Chris Gamble is college football’s most high-profile two-way player in over a generation. Unlike Michigan’s Charles Woodson and Georgia’s Champ Bailey, who were starting cornerbacks who garnered part-time action as receivers, Gamble has started at both positions the last five games, lining up for as many as 120 plays in a single contest. He quickly emerged as the Buckeyes’ top cover corner, picking off a team-high four interceptions, returning one for the deciding touchdown against Penn State and ending Purdue’s last-ditch rally with another.

Against Miami, the sophomore from Sunrise, Fla., will play his most important role yet: Locking up sleek ‘Canes receiver Andre Johnson, co-MVP of last year’s Rose Bowl when he burned Nebraska for 199 yards on six catches.

“He’s a tremendous athlete,” said Miami offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. “It’s going to be a great challenge for Andre and I know he’s going to be up for the challenge. I know Gamble will be as well.”

Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2002 -- Four days to kickoff “You don’t go ‘Wow.’ Everybody puts their pants on the same way. Anything can happen that day.” -- Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett on watching film of Miami. 3.3 -- Ohio State quarterback and molecular genetics major Craig Krenzel’s fall quarter GPA. The U.S. government could probably get a few ideas for national security from the way Ohio State conducts bowl practices. Tucked away at a high school nearly a half-hour from Tempe amidst the red dirt and cacti of the desert, practices are not just closed, they’re quarantined. Police stand guard at a barricade that blocks a long driveway from the school’s parking lot to the football field. All vehicles coming or going receive an escort. And media wishing to interview Jim Tressel are allowed past the barricade only after the players have departed through another exit. Has any previous college team ever A) produced both of the NFL’s top two rookies in a season, as Miami has with Clinton Portis and Jeremy Shockey, and B) returned to the national championship game without them? Linebackers Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams and Roger McIntosh Vilma and Williams are veterans who led the ‘Canes in tackles and McIntosh is a promising redshirt freshman, but poor execution at times contributed to Miami’s struggles against the run. Matt Wilhelm, Cie Grant and Robert Reynolds Wilhelm recovered from offseason ankle surgery to produce an All-America season, the speedy Grant is a menace on the blitz and Reynolds has been solid in his first season starting. Secondary Antrel Rolle, Sean Taylor, Maurice Sikes and Kelly Jennings Four entirely new starters managed to lead the nation in pass defense. Taylor and Sikes make big plays and are among the game’s top safeties. Rolle is a gifted shut-down cornerback. Chris Gamble, Mike Doss, Donnie Nickey and Dustin Fox The converted receiver Gamble has shut down everyone so far. Doss, a repeat All-America, is known mostly for his run-stopping. Nickey is a solid four-year starter. Fox struggles at times.

The idea to have Gamble play defense was born almost exactly a year ago, during Outback Bowl practices. While fooling around during practice, Gamble, who played defense sparingly in high school, decided to go at teammate Mike Doss while he was catching practices. Light bulbs started going off for the defensive coaches watching.

“There was no doubt in my mind given the opportunity, he could play that position,” said defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio. “It was on our wish list, because I thought he was too valuable on offense.”

His wish was granted out of necessity, when starter Richard McNutt went down for the season with an ankle injury. When head coach Jim Tressel approached Gamble about the possibility of playing both ways, he jumped at it.

“I did it ever since I was a kid in little league,” said Gamble. “I just love the game of football and wanted to be on the field as much as I could.”

His first action on defense came against Cincinnati on Sept. 21. His first play: an interception in the end zone. He continued to play defense sparingly the next four games, cutting down on his mistakes, making a key pick late in a close win over Wisconsin. With the Buckeyes’ other cornerbacks struggling (OSU ranks 87th out of 117 teams in pass defense) and with a dangerous Penn State offense coming to town, Gamble officially became a two-way starter Oct. 26 and has held the job ever since.

“I’m probably more a defensive back right now,” said Gamble, who’s also caught 29 passes and returned 34 punts and 11 kickoffs. “I want to hit somebody now. And I like catching an interception and trying to take it back for a touchdown.”

Playing cornerback is all about technique and instinct. Gamble’s instincts are impeccable but he’s still very much learning the technique part, often relying on safeties Doss and Donnie Nickey to clue him in on coverages.

“We call it ‘Him Ball’ -- you guard him,” said Doss. “He’s very smart. He definitely picked up everything real quick.”

Chudzinksi isn’t reading too much into a possible Johnson-Gamble matchup. That’s because Ohio State likes to play predominately zone and may move its cornerbacks around on different receivers.

But in this case, it’s unlikely Gamble will stray too far from Johnson, Dorsey’s favorite big-play target who averages 21.6 yards per catch. Teams have picked on opposite cornerback Dustin Fox all season, and with most of the Buckeyes’ defense focused on stopping the run, Gamble may be their only hope in keeping Johnson from a huge night.

Johnson has a couple decided advantages: size (6-foot-3, 227 pounds vs. 6-2, 180) and experience. But they do have at least one thing in common.

“We are fully confident that he can man up Andre Johnson,” said linebacker Matt Wilhelm. “He’s a Florida boy just like they are. He’ll be able to keep up and hold his own.”

 

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