Why The Jersey # 15 Will Always Be “Eze” To Remember

In years past, I have written about how certain Ohio State jersey numbers are always associated with specific players. For example, I can vividly recall back in 1996 the minor brouhaha that erupted when prized recruit Andy Katzenmoyer requested, and was granted, the jersey number 45 – anyone with even a small understanding of Ohio State lore knew that the jersey number 45 was, and would always remain, the great Archie Griffin.

Katzenmoyer played well for Ohio State from 1996-1998, and did not tarnish the legacy of Griffin with his on-field performance. Ohio State officially retired Archie Griffin’s jersey on October 30, 1999, ensuring no other player would ever don the treasured jersey number 45.

Throughout my Ohio State fandom until now, I have always associated the jersey number 15 with former Buckeye quarterback Mike Tomczak. Tomczak was the quarterback from Ohio State from 1982-1984, led Ohio State to a Big Ten championship in 1984 and The Rose Bowl in 1985, and had a lengthy NFL career from 1985-2000.

As I wrote up above, “until now”. Henceforth, and probably forever more, the Ohio State jersey number will always be associated with Ezekiel Elliott in my mind. Elliott’s contributions on the field, wearing jersey number 15 for Ohio State, will be difficult for someone to supplant in future seasons.
In 2013, as a true freshman, Elliott made his mark on the coaching staff, fans, and the opposition, with his willingness to participate on special teams coverage…



Who will ever forget this triumphant run that sealed Ohio State's victory over Alabama in The 2015 Sugar Bowl?



Or how about Elliott's performance against Oregon in The 2016 National Championship?



Elliott's performance versus That Team Up North in 2015?



Or his Fiesta Bowl record-tying performance versus Notre Dame?

Perhaps this final video montage will help you understand why the jersey number 15 will always be "Eze" for me, possibly forever....

Bidding Best Wishes To Buckeyes As They Leave For Possible NFL Bounty

For several members of the 2012 recruiting class, it began with a 56-10 victory over Miami University on September 1, 2012, in Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer’s first game as Ohio State’s head coach in Ohio Stadium. True freshmen such as Joshua Perry, Jacoby Boren, Michael Thomas, Tommy Schutt, Taylor Decker, and Adolphus Washington all participated, albeit as backups in mop-up time, for a team coming off a 6-7 season in 2011. Cam Williams, a highly-touted recruit, contributed later in the season against Alabama-Birmingham, as a special teams coverage player. These were recruited players who signed on for a team that was going to be denied a bowl berth at the end of the 2012 season, despite the fact that these players signed in 2012 had absolutely nothing to do with the transgressions that led to the penalty.

Some of the players who helped to contribute to Coach Meyer’s tremendous 2012 season were players who signed to play for former Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel, battled through the tumultuous 2011 season under interim Ohio State Head Coach Luke Fickell, and were strong enough to stay during the transition to Coach Meyer. The most dynamic of these players was Braxton Miller, but Miller was joined in the 2012 season by classmates such as Bryce Haynes, Nick Vannett, Chase Farris, and Joel Hale.

Even though 2012 was an undefeated season, Coach Meyer knew that reinforcements were desperately needed to effectively transform the Buckeyes into the type of team that would be capable of challenging for B1G Conference championships – national championships were still too far to contemplate. In February 2013, players such as Joey Bosa, Vonn Bell, and Ezekiel Elliott were among those who signed with the Buckeyes and played during the 2013 season; much to Coach Meyer’s chagrin, so many of the talented players were regrettably redshirted in 2013.

During the 2013 season, assistance came in the form of some of the 2012 redshirted players, such as Warren Ball on special teams. Remember that Ball verballed to Coach Tressel, stayed with his commitment during 2011 under Coach Fickell, and was willing to help the team, even in a reduced manner, under Coach Meyer. It could be argued that one of the biggest contributions from the 2012 class came when most needed and most unexpected, as Tyvis Powell, a safety who redshirted in 2012, came up with an interception to preserve a victory in Ann Arbor over That Team Up North in 2013. Powell was the first player to verbal to Ohio State and Coach Fickell after Coach Tressel resigned in May 2011.

In 2014, several of those talented but redshirted freshmen from the 2013 recruiting class were ready and eager to contribute on the field for the Buckeyes. Jalin Marshall, Eli Apple, and Darron Lee seemingly came out of nowhere to play prominently. A former Georgia Tech scholarship player, who chose to walk-on at Ohio State, by the name of Jeff Greene contributed on special teams. Perhaps the biggest contribution came from arguably the most unheralded player from either the 2012 or 2013 classes, a player Urban Meyer seemingly did not want, by the name of Cardale Jones.

In 2015, a player named Jack Willoughby decided to end his collegiate career as a Buckeye, after a successful four year career for Duke. Even though Willoughby had not taken nearly as long of a road as so many others within the program, Willoughby’s contributions were tremendously appreciated by the coaching staff, his new teammates, and the Buckeye faithful.

There are so many memories from this group of Buckeyes, from the 2012 season until the 2015 season. Fifty wins over a four year span, equaling a record held by Boise State. I feel at a loss for words, so I will simply write…

Thank You.

The 2016 Fiesta Bowl May Be A Festive & Fitting End For The 2015 Buckeyes

Happy New Year! Hopefully this article comes to you in good spirits, with no lingering after effects from your previous night’s exploits and adventures…

Many thanks to Shannon Sommers for a terrific year of managing our Men of the Scarlet and Gray Podcast. Our latest podcast featured Tony Gerdeman of theozone.net, discussing Tony’s latest book “The Thrillogy“, which details Ohio State’s three game victory march to the 2015 national championship over Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon. If you are not following Tony Gerdeman already on Twitter, do yourselves a favor and start following him @GerdOZone. In addition to discussing Tony’s book, Shannon, Tony, and I all gave our thoughts as they relate to The 2016 Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl. By the way, in case any of you were wondering what or who Battlefrog is, here is a link to help educate you before kickoff. You are all welcome.

Tony predicted an Ohio State victory, as did Shannon, and myself. Below are three critical areas I will be watching as The 2016 Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl unfolds at 1pm EST on ESPN…

1. What Will The Ohio State Offense Look Like Against Notre Dame? ~ As I have stated repeatedly heading into this bowl game, Ohio State has only truly looked dynamic on offense at Virginia Tech, portions of the Penn State game, at Rutgers, and most recently, at That Team Up North. Will J.T. Barrett get the keys to the car, entrusted to involve everyone within the offense, but not force the ball to certain people?

2. How Will Ohio State’s Secondary Handle Notre Dame’s Will Fuller? ~ Will Fuller comes into this bowl game with 56 receptions for 1145 yards, averaging 20.4 yards per reception, and 13 touchdowns. How will Ohio State’s secondary handle a gifted deep threat like Fuller? Keep an eye on if Eli Apple or Gareon Conley are matched up with Fuller, as well as how the safeties play.

3. Savor The Last Game Of Braxton Miller In An Ohio State Uniform ~ This kind of ties into the point I made up above in point 1 about the Ohio State offense “not force the ball to certain people“. Many times this season, the Ohio State coaching staff repeatedly tried to involve Braxton Miller, and sometimes it resulted in a detriment to the team. Will the coaching staff, led by Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer, make some of the same mistakes? From a selfish perspective, I am hoping to see one last moment of Braxton Miller’s magic in an Ohio State uniform, no matter if it is forced or not.

Notre Dame has a sneaky good type of offense, and Brian Kelly is certainly one of the better coaches in college football. Ohio State’s offensive line, featuring seniors Taylor Decker, Jacoby Boren, and Chase Farris, should be able to control the line of scrimmage against a decent, but not overwhelming, Notre Dame defensive line. If Ohio State can establish a strong running game with Ezekiel Elliott and Barrett, the play-action passing game should be able to thrive against a weakened Notre Dame secondary. I have it Ohio State 42, Notre Dame 31, with Ohio State running out the clock late in the second half, to send off the 2015 squad on a victorious note.

Bowl Options Beyond The Buckeyes For The B1G

If you have not listened to this week’s Men Of The Scarlet And Gray Podcast, shame on you. I will remember you during The Airing Of Grievances when I celebrate Festivus next week with my family.
Bowl season is upon us. Just like the college football season itself, bowl season seems to come and go far too fast for my liking. Below are some quick thoughts about how The B1G will be represented this bowl season…

12/26 at 3:30pm EST on ABC, in The New Era Pinstripe Bowl ~ Indiana vs Duke. Admit it – after a couple days of family time, won’t you be anxious to see some college football? Personally, I think Indiana has too much offensively for Duke, but maybe I am mistaken.

12/26 at 9:15pm EST on ESPN, in The Foster Farms Bowl ~ Nebraska vs UCLA. To say that Huskers Head Coach Mike Riley had a rough year in 2015 would be an understatement. While I would like to see Nebraska finish out 2015 on a positive note against UCLA, my feeling is UCLA has too much, especially with budding superstar quarterback Josh Rosen at the helm for the Bruins.

12/28 at 5pm EST on ESPN2, in The Quick Lane Bowl ~ Minnesota vs Central Michigan. Quite commonly in bowl games, it comes down to which team is happiest to be there. After losing their head coach midseason unexpectedly, I believe the Golden Gophers are going to make the most out of their bowl experience.

12/30 at 10:30pm EST on ESPN, in The National Funding Holiday Bowl ~ Wisconsin vs USC. Some things never change. Among them, the idea that kicking off a football game at 10:30pm EST, even during bowl season, is a good idea. Wisconsin seemed to falter down the stretch; I like USC under their recently named head coach Clay Helton here.

12/31 at 8pm EST on ESPN, in The Goodyear Cotton Bowl (CFP Semi-Final) ~ Michigan State vs Alabama. First off, do not be surprised if this does not kick off at 8pm; the other semi-final game is scheduled to start at 4pm, but that could always run over. Anyway, this is a tough one to call, but I am leaning with Michigan State, if, and this is a big if, Spartan quarterback Connor Cook’s shoulder is healthy. Remember I wrote “big if”.

01/01 at 12pm EST on ESPN2, in The Outback Bowl ~ Northwestern vs Tennessee. Northwestern has had a solid year, but has really struggled offensively. While I do not believe Tennessee is an upper echelon SEC team, I believe the Volunteers will have too much speed for the Wildcats in this one.

01/01 at 1pm EST on ABC, in The Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl ~ That Team Up North vs Florida. Personally, whenever I go to Buffalo Wild Wings, the last thing in the world I think of is “citrus”, but I digress. Buckeye fans will be focused upon what the Buckeyes will be doing at this time. Do not be surprised if Jim Harbaugh earns a win over an offensively challenged Gators squad.

01/01 at 5pm EST on ESPN, in The Rose Bowl Game Presented By Northwestern Mutual ~ Iowa vs Stanford. “The Granddaddy Of Them All”. Yes, I would have loved to have seen the Buckeyes in this one, but that is a separate conversation. Iowa is to be congratulated upon a fine 2015 season, but I like Stanford in this game.

01/02 at 12pm EST on ESPN, in The TaxSlayer Bowl ~ Penn State vs Georgia. As I stated up above, bowl season will go fast. Here will be one of your last chances to watch live college football for several months. Maybe your last time to watch Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg running for his life in a Penn State uniform. I like Georgia here, despite all of their coaching turnover.

Bowl season is something to be cherished. Here is to hoping The B1G will give us fans something worthwhile to watch over the next couple of weeks.

The 2016 Fiesta Bowl Is Fitting For The Buckeyes

Congratulations to the Ohio State Buckeyes for being selected for The 2016 Fiesta Bowl. The players, coaching staff, and Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer are to be commended for a tremendous 2015 season, with the opportunity of beginning 2016 on a positive note against a well-regarded and highly-ranked team from the University of Notre Dame.

Am I disappointed that Ohio State will not repeat as national champions, as the Buckeyes were not picked as one of the four best teams in the country by the College Football Playoff committee? Absolutely. Do I believe Ohio State ranks as one of the four best teams talent-wise this season? Absolutely. Do I believe Ohio State deserved inclusion within the College Football Playoff? No.

As so many of you witnessed throughout 2015, as I did, Ohio State never seemed to play up to their potential. All season, Ohio State fans waited and wondered for the juggernaut that finished the 2014 season with a mighty and triumphant flourish to appear. That team finally appeared with the demolition of That Team Up North on November 28th, with a resounding 42-13 victory.

Unfortunately, the Buckeyes had not demonstrated the same type of intensity and domination throughout most of the 2015 season. Yes, there were flashes ~ at Virginia Tech. At Rutgers. Ask yourself – what kind of performance was registered against Hawaii? Northern Illinois? Maryland?

Did that Ohio State team look like one of the best teams in the country at that point? With the eyes of the nation watching, Ohio State played listlessly against Michigan State, and lost, at home, to a team playing two backup quarterbacks.  I was there, in the stands of Ohio Stadium - trust me.  The better team won that day, plain and simple.

Before I am besieged by multiple tweets and comments, let me simply remind you that my thoughts are similar to other former Buckeyes, such as Kirk Herbstreit, Chris Spielman, and Matt Finkes. If former players could see the same type of issues that faced this team this season, and have the same type of reaction by the ranking that led Ohio State to the Fiesta Bowl, how far off can I be?

Would I have liked The Rose Bowl over The Fiesta Bowl? Yes – who is not awed by “The Grandaddy Of Them All” on January 1st? I am intrigued by the idea of playing against Notre Dame, a team similar to Ohio State in the sense that both teams are only a few points away from being undefeated. I will offer up an analysis of The 2016 Fiesta Bowl as it gets closer and closer to January 1st.

In the meantime, I urge you, and the 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes, to think in the vein of Henry David Thoreau ~ “Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh…”.

[video] 2015 Ohio State Football: Team Up North Highlight

Courtesy of www.elevenwarriors.com.  My favorite part was Joey Bosa crushing Jake Rudock.

How Much Do I Love Beating TTUN In Ann Arbor? Let Me List Them For You

Congratulations to the 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes for a thorough and dominating performance against That Team Up North. Heading into this game against their rival, with so many doubts about the team’s collective psyche, it would be fair to say that the Buckeyes were facing their moment of truth in Michigan Stadium. Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer, the coaching staff, and the players all truly rose to the occasion in the 42-13 victory.

Also, congratulations to all of the players who were honored by inclusion on The B1G conference teams. Defensive lineman Joey Bosa, linebackers Raekwon McMillan and Joshua Perry, and safety Vonn Bell were named first team All-B1G defense, while defensive tackle Adolphus Washington, cornerback Eli Apple, linebacker Darron Lee, and punter Cameron Johnston were named to the second team. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, and guard Pat Elflein were named first-team All-B1G offense. Wide receiver Michael Thomas, center Jacoby Boren, and guard Billy Price were named to the third team. Congratulations to Taylor Decker for being named the B1G offensive lineman of the year, Joey Bosa for being named the B1G defensive lineman of the year, and to Ezekiel Elliott for being named both the B1G running back of the year, as well as the B1G offensive player of the year.

Above all, congratulations to the Buckeyes for winning their fourth straight pair of Gold Pants. Back to the main point, and that is savoring the dominant victory over That Team Up North. After Ohio State won over That Team Up North, it got me thinking ~ where does this victory rank, when I think of the wins over That Team Up North in Ann Arbor?

5. 2013 Ohio State 42, That Team Up North 41: Ohio State should have won this game in far easier fashion, but the defensive lapses that plagued the Buckeyes all season allowed the Wolverines to stay into this game until the final seconds. A win is a win, but this was far too close for my liking…

4. 1987 Ohio State 23, That Team Up North 20: Perhaps I am going too far back into the archives for some of the readers here, but the way the Buckeyes were able to win the final game for fired Ohio State Head Coach Earle Bruce is very memorable to me. Watch the clip below, and tell me Coach Bruce wasn’t fired up for this one. And who knew how dreadful the next thirteen years against That Team Up North were going to be?!? 




3. 2015 Ohio State 42, That Team Up North 13: The most dominant performance by the Buckeyes over That Team Up North in Ann Arbor with the 29 point victory since Ohio State won 50-20 in 1961. Ohio State Head Coach Woody Hayes had an assistant on his staff that year – some fellow named Bo Schembechler.

 

2. 2005 Ohio State 25, That Team Up North 21: Yes, I am still mesmerized by Troy Smith’s poise and footwork with only seconds remaining. As former Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel said about Troy Smith, “There will be a lot of No. 10 jerseys and a lot of kids on Thanksgiving weekend trying to make those moves in a pile of leaves…”. Yes, I still get excited watching Anthony Gonzalez make a clutch catch to put Ohio State into scoring position. Yes, Antonio Pittman should get more credit for the winning touchdown run that sealed the win. Here is why I rank this game so high on my list ~ Ohio State was down 21-12 midway through the fourth quarter, and the Buckeyes rallied to victory in this thriller.



1. 2001 Ohio State 26, That Team Up North 20: “You will be proud of our young people in the classroom, in the community, and most especially, in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the football field…”. After so many disappointing losses in Ann Arbor from 1989-1999, I will forever savor this one. To top it off, Ohio State knocked That Team Up North from The Rose Bowl by virtue of this defeat, so it was like pouring salt into the wound. 



There is an old saying about “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. When I behold this list, and think of the dominance Ohio State has had over That Team Up North in Ann Arbor these past several years, I truly believe I am looking at a thing of beauty.