You probably already know about the standard. Now meet the prototype.

Above all the talk about the differences in Miami and Ohio State -- the flash of UM versus the grind-it-out Buckeyes; Luther Campbell's old squad against Woody Hayes' old bunch -- and at the core of both programs are Ohio State's Mike Doss and Miami's Sean Taylor, two punishing safeties who are the catalysts for vaunted defenses and figure to have a big say in who wins the battle of the ground game Friday. They are also players are very different stages of their college careers.

The 5-foot-11, 204-pound Doss, a three-time first team All-American, is a guy who has made an astounding 322 career tackles and 32.5 tackles for losses at OSU. He's a standout in run support and probably the biggest reason why the Buckeyes have only allowed 11 runs over 15 yards the whole season. He is the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the leader of the nation's No. 2 defense.

Taylor, who might be an even bigger hitter, has given UM a Doss-like presence. Only the 6-3, 225-pound sophomore brings more speed and better ball skills in coverage. One NFL scout recently told ESPN The Magazine that if Taylor could come out now, he might be a top 15 pick.

Expect to see Doss lurking near the line early. Ohio State D-coordinator Mark Dantonio has said its imperative that OSU takes away Miami's ground attack, and that means derailing Willis McGahee. "He's a great cut-back runner," says Dantonio. "He's created the plays. He cuts back, makes a play, makes people miss. He has great vision and he can accelerate."

The 'hat' will be on MLB Matt Wilhelm and Doss to make sure four and five-yard gains don't become 40- and 50-yard gains. "I know they are the best team we will face because they have a lot of speed and talent," Doss says.

An even bigger challenge for Doss, though, could be in the deep middle of the field where Miami TE Kellen Winslow II and 227-pound wideout Andre Johnson like to operate. "Doss is a big hitter, but you can beat him with the pass," says one Big Ten coach. "He gets lost a lot in coverage and doesn't have enough of a burst to catch up."

That speed and savvy is why some experts think Taylor (74 tackles, 14 passes broken up) potentially might be an even better safety. It's also why some around UM are saying he could be the best the 'Canes have ever had. But he is still a work-in-progress. Taylor came to UM without much fanfare. Despite his linebacker size and 4.45 speed, he wasn't high on a lot of recruiting analysts lists. Truth is, it's because Taylor missed most of his junior year due to a hip injury. Then, when he arrived at UM, he came in with a hard-edge to him that rubbed some the wrong way.

"He was definitely rough around the edges, but super talented," says Miami assistant head coach Art Kehoe. "I remember the first time we put pads on him, he hit everything that moved. It was scary. Still is. He's just a tough, nasty critter."

Taylor also had a little clash with Jerome McDougle after the defensive end questioned the young free safety's commitment. "He was hard headed and thought it was gonna be easy," says McDougle. "But around here, every day you come out, we practice hard and you're gonna be pushed to the limit and he didn't want to hear it."

Taylor says it was just a misunderstanding that started after he missed a summer workout when he had to go out of town. "Even though it was a 'voluntary' thing, at UM, you're expected to be there everyday. Your teammates are counting on you," he says. "We fell out there and he was thinking that I wasn't listening to my coach, but we got on the right track as the season went on."

McDougle says he thinks Taylor, a first-team all Big East selection by the head coaches, could be one of the defense's leaders next year and already should be an all-American. Taylor says it's all part of his maturation process. "I just got comfortable with the coverages and the guys I'm playing with and trusting that they're gonna do their job and I'm gonna do mine."

Bruce Feldman covers college football for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at bruce.feldman@espnmag.com.