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Published: Monday, August 14, 2006

Siciliano ready to coach QBs

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The former Austintown resident would prefer not to make the move.

By JOHN BASSETTI

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

COLUMBUS — Nick Siciliano Jr. isn't a doctor or nurse, yet he's on-call these days.

The former All-Steel Valley Conference quarterback at Fitch High is an offensive quality control coach for Ohio State's football team, but he's been given the green light to step in as quarterbacks coach if necessary.

"I'm ready to take over, but don't misconstrue that it's only if, for some reason, Joe doesn't feel well on a given day," said Siciliano of his standby status to fill in for Joe Daniels, who is battling cancer.

Objective

"I'll be able to go out as coach, but my objective is to do what I can to make him feel well enough to do his job."

Siciliano is in his second year with the Buckeyes after serving in various capacities at several other schools.

Before graduating from Youngstown State in 1999, Siciliano was a student coach under Jim Tressel when the Penguins won the Division I-AA championship in 1997. At YSU, he majored in computer information systems.

He then served as assistant video coordinator under Bob Stoops at Oklahoma when the Sooners won the 2000 national championship. He returned to YSU as tight ends coach under Jon Heacock, then served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Urbana in 2002. Before arriving at OSU in 2005, Siciliano was at North Carolina A&T.

Siciliano, 31, said that his job isn't much different than the NFL — film breakdown, tendencies, statistical charts — except that he can't be on the field coaching.

"The NCAA doesn't allow me to be on the field coaching, that's why we filed an appeal for the days Joe couldn't be at practice."

Limitations

As quality control coach, Nick isn't allowed to instruct and can't have much dialogue with the players.

"About the only on-field thing I can do is chart what plays are run. I pretty much do what the coaches tell me to do."

Siciliano admitted that he misses being a position coach, but the situation at OSU is enough to satisfy his support role.

"You miss being on the field instructing, but there's nothing that would make me want to do that here with this situation. I'm here to learn and get better. My main objective is to make sure Joe's out at practice every day. I don't care if I have to carry him out there."

The Buckeyes had their first practice with pads on Saturday.

"The guys were flying around a good deal," Siciliano said.

With clearance, Siciliano could assume Daniels' duties, but that's not his wish.

"My role is to do what I can to help Joe."

However, beginning today, Ohio State begins two-a-day sessions. Possibly, that may drain the 63-year-old Daniels.

To satisfy the NCAA, guidelines have to be followed.

Wary of infractions

"We've got to dot the I's and cross the T's and play it smart. We've had five practices now and Joe's been out there every day. I can learn from him and he's coaching some pretty good guys," Siciliano said of quarterbacks Troy Smith and Justin Zwick and others.

Siciliano believes that Daniels' presence at practices is actually therapy.

"Being out on the field has been great for him. It's conducive to feeling better. That's a great thing."

While at Fitch, Siciliano was also a standout baseball player and went on to become an umpire.

In fact, he was behind the plate when the Mahoning Valley Scrappers played their first game at the former Cafaro Field in 1999. He umpired in the minors for three seasons.

Ohio State's regular staff consists of Tressel and nine assistants, plus two graduate assistants.

Final thoughts

Whether Siciliano takes on new duties or not isn't important now because he enjoys his position.

"Quality control is what I expect to do and hope to do the rest of the year. It's a lot of off-the-field stuff. It's a little bit of a grunt job, but this is Ohio State and I work for Jim Tressel. It doesn't get much better than this. I may be under the radar, but, if I left here tomorrow, there would be 5,000 people applying for my job."

bassetti@vindy.com

Monday, August 14, 2006