Experience makes Boeckman a different QB

CHICAGO - The retail list price for Jim Tressel's new book, The Winner's Manual, is $24.99.

He doesn't find it quite so easy to put a price on the experience St. Henry's Todd Boeckman gained in his first year as a starter at quarterback for the Buckeyes last season, though.

"There is no price tag on experience," Tressel said on Thursday at the Big Ten summer media preview.

Boeckman, a senior, threw for 2,379 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions last season when the Buckeyes advanced to the BCS national championship game for the second year in a row.

The biggest difference between Boeckman now and a year ago is that season of experience, with lots of ups and a few downs, Tressel said.

"Todd now has a body of work he can evaluate. Instead of seeing it on the practice field, he has some real life experiences. He can now evaluate things from a whole different perspective," Tressel said.

"I think it's a lot easier for him to step up and take charge of a football team. I'm sure when he came into last year, a part of him was saying, ‘Hey, I have to prove to these guys I can be a quarterback. Now that he has proved he can be their quarterback, I think it will be a little bit easier for him to take charge and be in command and all those things you look for in a quarterback."

With the signing of Terrelle Pryor, rated the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the country, Boeckman's successor appears to already be on board.

Tressel described the freshman as having "a lot of things he has to build as a foundation," and said, "He has great ability. I would think from Day 1 he's going to be a guy you're going to take notice of."

Some fans have been in a hurry to get Pryor onto the field, but Tressel says he hasn't sensed any of that impatience in his top recruit.

"Terrelle is the kind of guy who would never ask for anything that he doesn't deserve. Now, he's also a competitive kind of guy who is going to try to deserve to play," he said.

He said he hasn't noticed any irritation on Boeckman's part about all the attention being given to a backup quarterback.

"I think Todd has enjoyed his time with Terrelle. I think it has helped Todd grow in his leadership role," Tressel said.

NOTES:

OSU GETS THE VOTES: Ohio State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten football title by the media members attending the two-day Big Ten preview. Wisconsin got the runner-up spot and Illinois was third.

The Buckeyes' Chris Wells was voted the preseason Offensive Player of the Year and teammate James Laurinaitis was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Tressel downplayed the poll.

"It hasn't been very accurate in the past, which is a little frightening," he said. "It's really kind of irrelevant. Outside of the next week or two, there is not much attention to the preseason poll."

BOOK REVIEWS: Tressel's recently published book, The Winner's Manual, has been selling well.

If there is anything surprising about that, it is the breadth of the audience purchasing it, the OSU coach said.

"Nothing surprises you about Ohio State. Probably the thing that has surprised me a little, though, have been the e-mails from people who aren't Ohio State fans. We knew the Ohio State fans would be there, but we didn't necessarily know the others would."

DISCIPLINARY NOTES: Defensive back Donald Washington, who was demoted to second team on the depth chart for an undisclosed reason during spring practice, is still listed as a second-teamer.

When Tressel was asked what Washington needed to do to regain his starting job, he said, "Do a great job in everything."

Defensive back Eugene Clifford, who recently added an assault charge to some past legal troubles, probably will not report for the start of practice on Aug. 4, Tressel said. He did not address his future with the team.