ESPN College Bowls 2008

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo likes to describe his style of play as "too fast for your eyes."

Ohio State's offensive line hopes it doesn't blink again in a BCS bowl game.

The No. 10 Buckeyes' ability to block No. 3 Texas' defensive line will go a long way toward deciding the outcome of Monday night's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The Longhorns led NCAA FBS teams with 44 sacks in 12 games this season. Ohio State allowed 26 sacks, fifth-most among Big Ten teams.

Orakpo, a senior from Houston, is Ohio State's biggest concern. The former prep basketball star won a hat trick of national honors this season: the Nagurski Award as the country's top defensive player, the Lombardi Award as the top lineman and the Hendricks Award as the best defensive end.

Orakpo also was named to the All-America first team as well as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year after finishing with 38 tackles, 16½ tackles for loss, 27 quarterback pressures and 10½ sacks.

Ohio State tight end Rory Nicol said Orakpo reminds him of former All-America defensive end Vernon Gholston, who helped lead the Buckeyes to each of the past two BCS Championship Games. Gholston was the sixth pick in the 2008 NFL draft by the New York Jets.

"He's physical, he's a freak, he's fast, he's strong," Nicol said. "All those things, they're important parts of the game, but they don't make you a football player. The thing you see on film is he's explosive, but he plays within the scheme and he does his job. He doesn't lose his containment, he plays his gap, he's where he's supposed to be, and that's what's going to make him a good football player.

"There are people who can run around tackles everywhere in the country, but if you can't play within the scheme, it doesn't matter. No one's going to pay you money to go out there and run around. It won't happen and never will. He plays within the scheme."

Orakpo wasn't a one-man wrecking crew this season for the Longhorns. Senior defensive tackle Roy Miller had 4½ sacks and 26 quarterback pressures. Senior defensive end Henry Melton had four sacks and 15 quarterback hurries. Strongside linebacker Sergio Kindle was second on the team with nine sacks.

"I think Orakpo is a really good football player, but one of the things that makes him good is having a lot of the people around him," Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said. "It's not like it's one deal where you overload them. One of the reasons they are a very good defense is because they are spread across with guys that are good athletes."

And Texas has very fast athletes across the defensive line. Ohio State offensive tackle Alex Boone said the Longhorns' defensive front reminds him of an SEC defense.

"On defense, their speed and strength, everything about them, they make me think they're an SEC defense," Boone said.

That's probably not a good thing for the Buckeyes. In each of the past two BCS Championship Games, Ohio State's offensive linemen looked slow and lethargic in trying to block SEC defenses.

During Boone's sophomore season, Florida defensive ends Derrick Harvey and Jarvis Moss combined for five sacks in the Gators' 41-14 victory over Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game. Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner, was harassed so much that he completed only 4 of 14 passes for 35 yards with one interception.

Last season, LSU defensive linemen Glenn Dorsey, Tyson Jackson and Kirston Pittman each had one sack in a 38-24 victory over Ohio State in the BCS title game. Buckeyes quarterback Todd Boeckman was sacked five times and threw two interceptions.

"We have players that are as fast as them," Boone said. "I think it just comes down to execution and who is going to make the fewest missed assignments."

Boone can't afford to make many mistakes. The 6-foot-8, 312-pound senior from Lakewood, Ohio, will spend much of the game lined up against Orakpo.

"I'm expecting to see him the whole game," Boone said. "The last month I've really focused on him. I don't think I've faced a guy with that kind of combination of speed, strength and technique. His technique is impeccable."

Orakpo weighed only 210 pounds when he arrived at Texas in 2005. Since then, he has gained more than 50 pounds while maintaining 8 percent body fat. He bench-presses 515 pounds, squats 600 and has run the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds.

Orakpo was hampered by a right knee injury during his junior season and finished with 27 tackles and 5½ sacks.

"I worked real hard to try and have a season like this," Orakpo said. "I'm a hardworking guy, and the year before I got banged up, and that was very unfortunate for me. I tried my best to make sure I was going to give it my best to come out in 2008 and lead this team to the best of our abilities. Man, I could put this story in a book because it's a dream come true."

Orakpo's discipline will be as important as his pass-rushing skills against the Buckeyes. Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is a running threat, gaining 553 yards with six touchdowns this season. The freshman passed for 1,245 yards with 12 touchdowns.

"You have to be disciplined," Orakpo said. "You don't want to be characterized as just a pass-rusher. You want to be able to be sound on the run, be sound on reverses and all the things that normal defensive ends are capable of doing. That's what I pride myself on doing because not everybody's going to just pass the ball every down. You have to play that back side correctly and slow-play the quarterback on zone reads and all types of stuff to help yourself be a complete player."

Orakpo has one more opportunity to showcase his skills.

And the Buckeyes insist they'll be ready for him.

"I don't have any bad things to say about him," Nicol said. "I think Orakpo's a good player. I don't think he's Superman. We've got to go out there and play a game."

Mark Schlabach covers college football and men's college basketball for ESPN.com. You can contact him at schlabachma@yahoo.com.