Boeckman's season mirrors last year's Heisman winner
Todd Boeckman came into the season having to follow in the footsteps of a Heisman Trophy winner.
<p class="MsoNormal">The Ohio State quarterback may approach or surpass Troy Smith's 2006 passing totals before he ends it.
<p class="MsoNormal">Boeckman has thrown 16 touchdown passes in seven games, one fewer than Smith at this point last season. Smith had 1,495 passing yards through seven games. Boeckman is at 1,353 yards.
<p class="MsoNormal">The bottom line is similar. Under Smith, the Ohio State was unbeaten and No. 1 in the country after seven games. Boeckman also has the Buckeyes 7-0 and No. 1 in every poll.
<p class="MsoNormal">With Boeckman having a year that almost mirrors Smith's and the Buckeyes back on top in the rankings, the question came up this week.
<p class="MsoNormal">Is Boeckman ready to declare his Heisman candidacy yet?
<p class="MsoNormal">"Not at all," Boeckman said, laughing. "I definitely don't want to do that. I'm just going to go out there and play my game."
<p class="MsoNormal">Boeckman was an unknown nationwide at the start of the season. Some may still get stumped if they are asked for the name of the starting quarterback on the nation's No. 1 team.
<p class="MsoNormal">Everyone knew Smith. The Heisman was in his grasp as long as the Buckeyes kept winning.
<p class="MsoNormal">Smith, like some of his 2006 teammates, had a swagger to him. Boeckman is soft-spoken and not worried by the lack of notoriety he receives from around the country.
<p class="MsoNormal">"It's not a big deal to me, if I'm getting all the attention or not getting any attention," Boeckman said. "As long as we keep on winning, playing hard and keep on beating teams like we've been beating, I'm very satisfied with what we're doing."
<p class="MsoNormal">Boeckman did not have an exceptional game two weeks ago when Ohio State won at Purdue, 23-7. He threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted three times.
<p class="MsoNormal">He was near perfect in just one half of action during last week's 48-3 win over Kent State. Boeckman finished 13-of-16 for 184 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
<p class="MsoNormal">"I know I made some bad decisions out there (at Purdue)," Boeckman said. "I know our whole team in general did. But we have to keep on improving, keep on playing hard, know what we did wrong and not let that happen again.
<p class="MsoNormal">Boeckman feels the more experience he gets, the more he will keep on improving.
<p class="MsoNormal">"The more times you're out there, the more comfortable you're going to feel," Boeckman said. "The coaches have a lot more confidence in me to get the job done and they're giving me more freedom to do things."
<p class="MsoNormal">-- The Repository