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OSU's defensive end Lawrence Wilson has ability, maturity to win
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007
COLUMBUS: Lawrence Wilson thought he was going incognito last winter, wearing a hat and roaming Summit Mall with a friend.
But that is tough in Akron for the former St. Vincent-St. Mary football and basketball standout, now a junior defensive end at Ohio State.
Sure enough, a kid spotted Wilson and whipped out a $50 bill for him to autograph.
''I said, 'I don't want to sign a $50 bill. You can't use it again,''' Wilson said. ''He came up with a dollar after that.''
Wilson obviously knows the value of $50. But perhaps the admirer was banking on the breakout season that some in Columbus are predicting for Wilson this fall.
'It's his time'
''He's ready,'' co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell said recenty. ''It's his time. He's a penciled-in starter. Maturity, that's probably the biggest thing. He's always had the ability.
''That's what we've seen so far and, hopefully, he'll continue to do it.''
Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock thinks the same and said Wilson took a leap last year, when he played in 12 games and had 17 tackles, five for losses, three sacks and a forced fumble. Jay Richardson and Vernon Gholston were the starters, and Wilson had to contribute what he could as a part of the line's ro Please see OSU, C3
tation.
''My sophomore to junior year I matured more than my freshman to sophomore year, just off and on the field,'' Wilson said. ''I studied a lot of film. I know what to do and what not to do. I've learned from previous players' mistakes.''
Lineup
This season, Wilson is slotted to line up opposite Gholston, an All-America candidate from Detroit.
Gholston (6-foot-4 and 260 pounds) and Wilson (6-5, 275) have the size, speed and strength to batter opposing quarterbacks.
''We've been talking about it all year, how we can make a lot of plays for our defense,'' Wilson said of Gholston. ''We complement each other so well. We're both big and fast.''
Asked if he thought what the Buckeyes could have with Wilson's and Gholston's speed, Fickell said, ''If they were on a track team?''
''It helps,'' Fickell said. ''Sometimes we get caught up in it too much, but speed is the name of the game. But we've got to get in those situations to use their speed, so we've got to stop somebody on first and second down.''
Longtime friend
One who's confident that Wilson will make a name for himself outside Akron in 2007 is sophomore tailback Chris ''Beanie'' Wells, a longtime friend from Garfield.
''Lawrence was always a hard worker,'' Wells said. ''I think he's more ready than anybody (to break out) and just so determined to have a great season.''
In summer workouts, Wells and Wilson teamed with junior receiver Brian Robiskie to run sprints and steps on their days off.
Fickell thinks those impromptu sessions were important.
''A lot of times guys having successful years is what they do in the times they don't have to be here, the times that maybe somebody else isn't getting better,'' Fickell said.
Wilson loved the chance to spend more time with Wells, whom he has known since he was 5 and Wells was 4.
Wells' grandmother was their Sunday school teacher at First Apostolic Faith Church in Akron and their families have been close for years.
''If you've known somebody since you were 5 and you're still cool with them, that's a great friendship,'' Wilson said. ''Those in-between years we fell off and went to different schools. But when we came here it really built. That's one of my closest friends.''
Wilson went on some recruiting trips with Wells and remembered a visit they made to Pitt together.
He couldn't believe Wells committed to OSU a day after he signed in February 2005.
''I saw him at the mall and he was like, 'I just committed yesterday.' I thought, 'Man, that's kind of weird,''' Wilson said. ''It's kind of destined.''
There he is, at the mall again. If things turn out well for the Buckeyes this season, Wells and Wilson better keep disguises handy.
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Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com.
COLUMBUS: Lawrence Wilson thought he was going incognito last winter, wearing a hat and roaming Summit Mall with a friend.
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