Football Captains Basically Known

The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon will be held July 31st and August 1st. This is the event where coaches and various players from each team come together to play it up with media. More importantly for Ohio State fans, it provides a glimpse who will be the upcoming football captains because those making the trip to the event are typically named captains in late August.

Thus, it was made known earlier this week that three players will be accompanying Coach Tressel and they are *drum roll please*:

• Marcus Freeman
• Kirk Barton
• Vernon Gholston

So basically, they are your captains. As alluded to above, we know this to be true based on past history. If we look at last year, for instance, Troy Smith, Doug Datish and Quinn Pitcock were attendees at the 2006 luncheon. All three were captains - along with David Patterson. The likelihood that a fourth will be added this year is probably pretty good; perhaps James Laurinaitis.

We will be able to confirm these captain selections with yet another tipoff before they are "officially" announced by the athletic department. In the second week of August, the team will have Picture Day where, among other things, the team photo is taken. Historically, the players seated in the center of the front row are the team captains. Look at last year's team photo as example and note Smith and Patterson and the two inbetween. An early congrats to Marcus, Kirk and and VG.