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It's interesting that Troy Smith was the 1st quarterback taken.

That may kill Zwick's confidence, hopefully he does not brood over this. However, should Smith become the starter, this is a big confidence booster knowing he has his teammates confidence.

Krenzel void leaves questions for Ohio State

By Mark Parker, The Lantern
April 23, 2004
(U-WIRE) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Decision 2004 in Columbus will come earlier than November, and it won't involve George W. Bush and John Kerry. The candidates for starting quarterback began practice three weeks ago, and their spring campaigns will come to a close Saturday at the annual Scarlet and Gray Game.

For the time being, Ohio State football fans aren't concerned with who will run the country, but who will run their football team -- sophomores Troy Smith or Justin Zwick.

Craig Krenzel is no longer the incumbent heading into the spring game and where there was no question who would be the starting quarterback at this time last year, the primary focus during spring practices has been which young, inexperienced quarterback will emerge as the favorite.

The game will be a showcase for each of the leading candidates and their abilities, but Smith said it won't be the deciding factor in who leads the Buckeye offense come Sept. 4 in OSU's first game against Cincinnati.

"We are all high-caliber guys," he said. "I don't think [the coaches] just base it all off of one thing, one day, because everyone has bad days. There's not one player that's just going to have a great day.

"I expect the decision to be made whenever the coaches feel necessary to make the decision. I don't know when they're going to make it," Smith said. "But they'll make the decision when the time is right."

Two years ago it seemed a decision had already been made when Zwick signed on to play for the Buckeyes. Popular speculation had Zwick starting as a freshman in front of junior Krenzel in 2002. Zwick redshirted, and all Krenzel did was post a 23-2 record in two years while leading the Buckeyes to a Big Ten and national championship.

No one can blame the whispers begging for Zwick to be under center before he even set foot on campus. OSU had just finished a lackluster 2001 season that was plagued by Steve Bellisari's arrest for drunk driving the day before the Illinois game when the team was still in Big Ten title contention. That, combined with the arrival of the blue-chip prospect from Ohio high school's football powerhouse, Massillon Washington, had fans calling for Zwick to become the heir apparent -- even after Krenzel's victory in his first start at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Two years have passed since the quarterbacks arrival, and the job that was once thought to be Zwick's is in limbo because of the play of Smith.

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