Not many Ohio State careers are filled with the amount of apprehension and uncertainty Raymond Small has already had to deal with.

The difference is that Small's is just beginning.

The speedster from Cleveland's Glenville High School has moved to Columbus in anticipation of beginning his football career this fall, but the move has been made under the cloud of rumors that he will not be declared eligible to play for the Buckeyes.

After putting those rumors to rest while talking to BuckeyeSports.com following the OHSAA State Track Finals on June 3, Small confirmed on Wednesday that he will be good to go when the Buckeyes kick off their season against Northern Illinois Sept. 3.

"I'm real happy," he told BuckeyeSports.com. "I don't know about anybody else, but I'm so ready. I'm just ready for the season to roll around."

The transition to college life has not been too rough so far for Small, who will be rooming with former high school teammate Robert Rose this fall. For now, Small is living with junior speedster Ted Ginn, Jr., another former high school teammate.

"It feels real good," he said. "It feels just like at home."

Small has already gone through orientation at OSU and has began working out with the team.

"It's going real well," he said. "We have sessions so I get up at 9 o'clock and lift weights and condition. On Thursdays we go seven-on-seven. It's a little different, but I'm adjusting real good."

The final question mark for Small appears to be an ACT score that he is still waiting on, but he said that he will be a Buckeye regardless of the score. The score will be reported directly to OSU and not to Small, he said.

He has not enrolled in summer classes but said he never planned to.

All the speculation about Small's eligibility has been hanging over his head and causing added stress, he said following the state track finals.

"It's been a lot of stress," he said. "You hear one thing and the coach is telling you another thing and you don't know what's really true. I'm trying to work as hard as I can to get there, and once I get there I'm going to work hard to do the right thing.

"The only way I can respond is I've gotta do what I've gotta do and just show them different."