Gone is the All-American defensive tackle, the lightning-quick wide receiver and the Heisman Trophy winner. For almost any other program in the country, this year would surely be a rebuilding year. Not so for the Ohio State Buckeyes, who return 10 starters from a season ago and once again look to claim the Big Ten conference crown...a third consecutive.

The offense will look to recapture the magic of one year ago, when Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith took the Buckeyes to new heights, rewriting Ohio State passing records and establishing himself as one of greatest Buckeye players of all-time. Stepping in behind center this fall will either be junior Todd Boeckman, sophomore Rob Schoenhoft or redshirt freshman Antonio Henton. All three quarterbacks saw considerable action this spring with the first-string offense. And there’s no surprise that with just 15 practices behind them, Boeckman is number one on the depth chart heading into fall camp, followed by Schoenhoft and then Henton.

Despite the loss of Antonio Pittman, the tailback position will again be a main strength for the Buckeye offense. Sophomore Chris “Beanie” Wells will see the majority of the snaps, but versatile junior Maurice Wells could also see significant minutes, but he’ll be in for a battle with highly touted freshman Brandon Saine, the latest Ohio Mr. Football to choose Ohio State. Three-year letterman Dionte Johnson takes over for the graduated Stan White Jr. at fullback.

Although the big names have been lost from the wide receiving corps, Buckeye fans should expect similar results from the next generation of talented speedsters. Juniors Brian Robiskie (third on the team with 29 receptions and 383 yards last year) and Brian Hartline bring size and experience on the outside, while burners like sophomore Ray Small and junior Albert Dukes will show the explosiveness Ohio State fans have come to expect.

The offensive line returns three starters, including All-American candidates in tackles Alex Boone and Kirk Barton. Steve Rehring also returns, and Jimmy Cordle and Ben Person will anchor the remainder of the line in place of the departed Doug Datish and T.J. Downing. Boone and Rehring are each 6-8 and about 325 pounds.

Once again, the defense will be strong under the watchful eye of coordinators Jim Heacock and Luke Fickle. After a 2006 campaign in which they held opponents to 10.6 points per game, the unit has reloaded and looks to be the catalyst to yet another Big Ten title for Ohio State.

All-American and Nagurksi Award winner James Laurinaitis headlines the linebacking unit, the marquee defensive unit for the Buckeyes. Playmaking junior Marcus Freeman will look to add support on the outside, while seniors Curtis Terry and Larry Grant bring valuable experience and speed to round out the squad.

Malcolm Jenkins appears to be next in the rich tradition of cornerbacks at Ohio State. He will anchor the Buckeyes’ secondary and look to top last season’s All-Big Ten campaign when he established himself as a bigplay performer with four interceptions, including a 61-yard return for a score against Penn State. Behind Jenkins at the safety position is the sophomore tandem of Kurt Coleman and Anderson Russell, who bring energy and a hard-hitting approach. The other cornerback position is filled by Donald Washington, whose raw talent was realized last season as part of a stellar freshman season.

The defensive line will have an entirely new makeup while replacing three starters from a run defense that yielded less than 100 yards per game. The results, however, should be the same. Returning All-Big Ten selection Vernon Gholston will again terrorize opponent’s backfields from the defensive end position, while on the other side, Lawrence Wilson looks to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with. Replacing All-American defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock in the middle is the combination of sophomores Doug Worthington and Todd Denlinger.

The special teams success that Coach Tressel has experienced during his tenure will continue in the 2007 season with a familiar group of players. Looking to capture the Lou Groza Award, punter A.J Trapasso will once again resume punting duties for the Buckeyes. Kicking duties will fall on Aaron Pettrey for the second straight year, while Ray Small will replace Ted Ginn as punt returner for Ohio State. Small will join Maurice Wells and Malcolm Jenkins to return kickoffs as well.

The Buckeyes will face a difficult road in their quest to reclaim the Big Ten championship. Potential pitfalls include road games at Penn State and Michigan, as will the high profile showdown with Wisconsin in the ’Shoe. Ohio State also hosts MAC opponents Akron and Kent State, and will make a road trip to the Pacific Northwest to take on Washington.