OL T.J. Downing (official thread)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Scout.com$ (Dave Biddle)

Good read on Downing and the nasty attitude he brings to the offensive line. You have to love the hair.

[DaddyBigBucks]

In an interview on 1460thefan, TJ Downing was asked about coming to OSU in spite of the fact that his father played for tsun.

TJ said that on the trip down here, his father fell in love with the coaching staff and told him that he had to go to OSU.

Think about that for a second, putting the shoe on the other foot. Better yet, put the shoe on YOUR foot. If you had PLAYED at OSU, how much more would you have to like Michigan's coaching staff for you to tell your son he should go there????

There are no words...

[bucknut11]

Canton Rep

DOWNING HONORED Senior offensive lineman T.J. Downing was named the Jim Parker offensive lineman of the week. Downing finished the Iowa game with the highest film grade of the linemen. “T.J. played his best game, by far,” Tressel said. “I think T.J. likes the physicalness of the whole situation (and) when we run the ball 40 some times. He played an excellent football game.”

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by DaddyBigBucks

I tell you, Offensive Guards get no respect... no respect at all.

I bet they get respect from Troy Smith...

[bucknut11]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

I bet they get respect from Troy Smith...

I'd agree with that...

Guard T.J. Downing said, "I would love nothing more than to say my quarterback my senior year was the Heisman Trophy winner."

Downing?s quarterback has been steadfast in his refusal to talk about winning the award.


"It?s not something I think about day in and day out," Smith said. "I give all the respect and kudos to my teammates, because without them I wouldn?t be in this situation."

Dispatch

[BB73]

official.site

Born Blue, Turned True
Son of former Michigan Wolverine, T.J. Downing now bleeds only scarlet and gray


Oct. 7, 2006 by Pat Kindig


T.J. Downing grew up a Michigan fan, and for good reason. His father, Walt Downing, was an All-American football player for the Wolverines from 1974-77 and the elder Downing ingrained Michigan into his son from day one.
T.J. attended Michigan games with his father and donned the Maize and Blue with pride, rooting on the Wolverines, especially when they played their biggest rival - the Ohio State Buckeyes.

"Growing up most of my life in Ohio, I never followed Ohio State," Downing, who grew up in Canton, said. "I followed Michigan because my dad went there. I used to go to games with my dad and tailgate with his former teammates. That was during the 1990s, when they won a national championship. There was a lot to cheer about for sure."

Now before Ohio State fans stand on their bleacher seats and begin to boo No. 72, they should stop and take notice that these days Downing bleeds nothing but scarlet and gray. He is one of the most spirited Buckeyes on the team and has assumed a valuable leadership role for the 2006 squad.
Downing is one of the first players to emerge from the Ohio Stadium tunnel before games and is perhaps the most boisterous Buckeye urging the crowd of 104,000-plus to make as much noise as possible.
"For me, to be vocal works as motivation," Downing said. "It gets me hyped. It also makes me put more pressure on myself to perform at a high level."

Now in his fifth season at Ohio State and second as a full-time starter, Downing has transformed that same energy into being an effective vocal leader and motivator for his Buckeye teammates.


He cautioned though, when acting as a vocal leader, a player has to take into account teammates react in different ways to that sort of motivation.

"You have to be careful," Downing, who sports a mohawk haircut under his Buckeye helmet, said. "You have to be selective because everybody responds differently. Some guys clam up and hide. Being vocal with them almost makes things worse. On the other hand, some guys really step up to that vocal challenge and play better. You just have to approach it differently with each case."

Downing attributes his leadership position to the long line of accomplished teammates he has played alongside on the Ohio State offensive line.

"It is a learned role," Downing said. "I had the advantage of playing with Shane Olivea, Alex Stepanovich, Adrien Clarke, Bryce Bishop and Ivan Douglas. I learned from them and have applied that to the way I have taught the younger guys.

"Playing with Rob Sims and Nick Mangold last season also makes me consider myself a leader. They looked at you to do a job and do it well. Nick is the best center I have ever seen. Rob is the most powerful and explosive player I have ever played with. Playing alongside them, you have to try and match their abilities. Doing that turned me into a leader."

As a three-year starter at Michigan, Downing's father knows what it takes to be a leader and thinks his son has fit comfortably into that role.

"T.J. has matured over his five years," Walt, who played guard and center for Michigan, said. "When someone takes a redshirt season like T.J., they get the opportunity to get that extra year under their belt and absorb things. All of that has allowed his overall game plan to fall in place.

"Now, he is on top of his game physically and mentally. He has played great in all the big games and has no fear going into any game. T.J. is a leader on that offensive line and I love that. He truly has embraced that role. I am so proud of his maturity, dedication and outstanding love for the game."
In his father, T.J. could not have asked for a better mentor. Walt's football credentials speak for themselves.

A starter in three Ohio State-Michigan games, Walt's UM teams claimed victory in his final two contests vs. Ohio State in 1976 and `77 to earn Rose Bowl berths each year. He was an All-American in 1977 and was an All-Big Ten honoree in 1976 and '77. In 1976, he helped pave the way for the Michigan offense to rack up a NCAA-best 4,144 yards rushing, a year after the Wolverines totaled more than 3,800 yards on the ground. To put that in perspective, only two NCAA teams have rushed for 4,000 yards or more since the 2000 season.

Following his senior year at Michigan, Walt was a second-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers in the 1978 NFL Draft. He played six seasons for the 49ers and helped the franchise win its first Vince Lombardi Trophy with a 26-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI.
His father's career has allotted T.J. an invaluable resource to tap into for guidance and advice.

"Having my dad to talk to is a huge advantage," T.J., who along with teammates Troy Smith and Doug Datish graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in August, said. "I try to get with him immediately after a game and ask what he saw and what he thinks I need to work on. I ask him if I am giving any signs to the defense. He has great expertise for that. He won a Super Bowl ring with the 49ers and knows what it takes to succeed."
Walt enjoys talking to his son after games, but sometimes forgets T.J. is his son and gets lost in the football-side of the conversation.

"He always asks me what the pros and cons of his game were that day," Walt said. "I always am more analytical as opposed to being a parent, but I think T.J. appreciates that because he knows that's how he's going to continue to get better. As a parent and as an advisor, I could not be more pleased. He's been playing great."

Walt watches T.J. intently and has observed many similarities between the way he played and how his son performs.

"T.J. is like I was," Walt said. "We were not the most technical lineman, but we are both physical. I played for Bill Walsh (former head coach for the San Francisco 49ers) and he loved guys who wanted to set a physical example. I was a physical player at Michigan and with San Francisco and T.J. has followed in my footsteps. T.J. is not always the best technique guy, but he is a guy you want in your corner because he is going to battle to the end."
T.J. said his mother, Susan Downing, is not to be forgotten when it comes to giving him football advice.

"My mom tells me things too," T.J. said. "Sometimes she feels left out since my dad was the former pro, but she remembers things from my dad playing and lets me know if she sees me do something I shouldn't. She always throws in her two cents."

After he finished his scholastic career at Canton GlenOak High School, Downing tapped into both his parents for direction when choosing where to go to college and play football. However, he said his father's Michigan ties did not play into his decision, whatsoever.

"My parents never swayed me either way," T.J. said. "The decision was completely up to me. I made it clear to them I wanted to feel comfortable with my decision. My parents put no pressure on me."

T.J. did, however, know his father went through the same recruiting period following his high school career and used him as counsel.

"My dad just wanted to be there during the process," T.J. said. "He has been around college football and wanted to be around the coaches and get a feel for them. He came with me to Columbus and really liked coach (Jim) Tressel and coach (Jim) Bollman. He was sold on Ohio State more than he was Michigan. That's saying a lot coming from a Michigan alum."

One might think those were tough words for a former Michigan star to say, but Walt could not be happier with T.J.'s choice in Ohio State.

"People at Michigan thought he was going to gravitate to them because I played there," Walt said. "Coach Tressel and coach Bollman made such a commitment going after T.J. and Ohio State had the great recruiting class with T.J.'s group, he felt comfortable with Ohio State.

"I think T.J. has made the best decision of his life in going to Ohio State. He has four major bowl victories and two Big Ten titles under his belt and was part of a national championship. Does it get any better than that?"

Needless to say, T.J.'s choice to play football at Ohio State has caused his father to catch some grief from some of the Michigan contingent.

"I was at a Michigan function a couple years back and ran into Bo Schembechler, my head coach," Walt said. "Coach Schembechler came up to me and said `Walt, how could you let your son go play for Ohio State?' He would not speak to me the rest of the night."

Either way, if you ask Walt, he'll show you what colors he wears now, regardless of the situation.

"I love Michigan. Don't get me wrong," Walt said. "I was at the Ohio State-Michigan game last year. We had 240 former Michigan players back for the alumni game. All of us wore our "M" letterman jacket.
"I was down on the field before the game. I went to the Ohio State endzone and T.J. came over and told me to show the team what I was about. I took off my "M" jacket and showed them I was wearing T.J.'s Fiesta Bowl jersey. Troy Smith came over and gave me a big hug. I stood on the sideline with those guys for the national anthem. It was the best feeling. My Blue blood is great, but T.J. is my main man and that's what it's all about."

[osugrad21]

Link

OSU center Downing's nasty attitude starts up top
By JON SPENCER
For The Marion Star

COLUMBUS - Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith calls senior guard T.J. Downing "the tough glue that holds us together." Others look at that Mohawk on Downing's head and figure he's come unhinged.
"I'm a free spirit ... you've gotta have fun," he said. "Enjoy life, you're only going to be here so long."
With the 6-0 Buckeyes cruising along at No. 1, and the offensive line drawing praise from every corner, Downing has gotten more mileage out of his Mohawk than Mr. T.

"If he let his hair grow back, I think I'd be upset," Smith said. "I don't think, I know I would be upset."

Downing only wants to protect Smith, the Heisman Trophy frontrunner, not perturb him.

"I'm not trying to draw attention to myself," the fifth-year lineman out of Canton GlenOak said. "I just wanted to make sure the attitude on offense was known from week one ... grow a Mohawk, be nasty."

That sounds to GlenOak coach Jack Rose like the Downing he remembers.

"He never had a Mohawk here, but his motor was always running," Rose said. "He was a diamond in the rough. He made himself a player. There's probably not a lineman down there (at OSU) who can outwork him. He knew that as a lineman he wasn't going to get a lot of accolades and that he had to show (he was worthy of notice) on the field.

"He had a great work ethic, which probably comes from his dad."

Signing with the Buckeyes could have been hairy for Downing since his dad, Walt, was an All-America lineman at Michigan. But OSU coach Jim Tressel did a good job of defusing a potential family feud.

"I told Walt that coach Tressel wanted to meet him (at GlenOak)," Rose said. "They must have talked for half an hour. When Walt came out, he grabbed me and said, 'I'm glad T.J. is going to Ohio State. Now I'm a Buckeye.' For a Michigan guy to say that, you have to give a lot of credit to coach Tressel."

It didn't hurt Tressel's cause that T.J. is not only a free spirit, but a free thinker.

"I think he wanted to go to Ohio State and blaze his own trail, make his own statement," Rose said. "I'm sure not many people have come up to him in Columbus and said, 'You're Walt Downing's son.' At Michigan, he would have gotten that a lot."

Walt Downing owns a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 49ers team that beat the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI. His son could trump that by winning a national championship ring to match the one he received as redshirt freshman in 2002.

Downing spent his first couple of years on the squad watching and learning as a understudy to Alex Stepanovich and Shane Olivea, both of whom now start in the NFL.

They had mean streaks, too. Theirs, however, didn't run the length of their scalps.

"In high school, it's easy to be a good player. When you get to college you have to find a way to separate yourself," Downing said, sharing wisdom imparted by Olivea and Stepanovich. "You've got to have the attitude that nobody's going to beat you ... that never quit attitude.

"When you're going out there, amidst everything, whether it's 110,000 fans in the 'Shoe or on the road at Iowa where everybody is against you, you just have to focus on your job and doing the small things. If you're worrying about what you're doing, you can't play nasty. If you're calm and relaxed and know what you're doing, you flip that nasty switch on and put a forearm in somebody's face."

Rose will never forget the first time he saw Downing. It was 1999, his first year on the job at GlenOak.

"I came into the weight room one day and there was a big hulk of a kid in the rack doing shoulder shrugs," Rose said. "One of the coaches told me it was T.J. Downing. I said, 'Is he still here or did he graduate?' He said, 'Coach, he's a freshman.'

"He ended up being a three-year starter for us. I can't remember him not having a good game his senior year. You'd look at the film and he was knocking people out of the picture. Once he locked on to you, you were done."

Tressel calls center and graduate student Doug Datish the cerebral leader of OSU's offensive line and Downing the vocal leader.

"I know this," Tressel said. "T.J.'s a physical player and an excitable guy."

He left out fun-loving.

"I said to (offensive tackles) Kirk (Barton) and Alex (Boone), as tough as it is and as hard and we're trying to be successful, you have to have some fun while you're doing it," Downing said. "Just relax, talk some smack with the fans ... live it up.

"Heck, I've only got a few weeks left. You guys (reporters) won't talk to me ever again. I'll be some has-been. So I'm going to enjoy it while I'm here, so when I look back I can say I had fun."

So far this season has been one big party. Entering Saturday's game at Michigan State, the Buckeyes are averaging 32.8 points per game, lead the Big Ten in pass efficiency and have allowed only eight sacks.

In last week's 35-7 win over Bowling Green, Smith was 17 of 20 passing for three touchdowns and came close to pitching a perfect game. One of his passes was completed out of bounds and two others went off the hands of receivers.

"I say it a million times, it starts with protection," Tressel said. "It's easy to be accurate when no one's in your face. (Smith's) had pretty solid protection all year."

With the line performing at near peak efficiency, Downing could show up with a mullet and Tressel probably wouldn't care at this point.

"T.J., man he's a fighter," wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. said. "He makes things move up there. He's an outgoing, outspoken person and a real big leader on this team.

"He never keeps anything inside. He plays with his heart."

[bucknut11]

TJ made CFN's midseason 1st team All-American Team.

OL - T.J. Downing, Sr. Ohio State
Part of the reason Troy Smith has been so effective because of all the time he gets to operate; someone has to represent the great play up front. Alex Boone is the superstar of the future, but for now, Downing at right guard has been the team's steadiest cog.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

A CUT ABOVE

OSU's Downing anchors Buckeyes' resurgent O-line with high energy, plenty of talent and attitude to spare.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter

Columbus
-- Sue Downing used to find it disturbing, those things her son would say in the paper, the talk about "getting nasty" on the field. Then T.J. Downing would explain what he meant and Mom would shake her head and try to understand, something lost in the translation.
This message was clear. When she sat down for lunch with her son on Aug. 19 and he pulled off his scarlet skullcap to reveal his new Mohawk, Mom didn't scream.
"He's such a goof sometimes," Sue Downing said of her 305-pound son, Ohio State's starting senior right guard, "but he knows I've never been a fan of long hair on guys, so I told him as long as he keeps it neat, I'm OK with it. I think he knows in the business world, he won't be able to have a Mohawk."
When it comes to the way he does his business on the field for the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes, who play at Michigan State today, that strip of hair perfectly describes T.J. Downing.
"If he came in and let his hair grow back, I think I'd be upset," quarterback Troy Smith said. "I know I would be upset. T.J. is probably the tough glue that holds us together. I wouldn't have him any other way."
Downing brings an edge to the sweater vest universe coach Jim Tressel has created at Ohio State. He's the player who publicly challenged Ohio State fans to wear scarlet and get loud for the Penn State game, who spoke afterward of the adrenaline rush he felt when he saw blood out there, who'll scream at anyone who listens if he thinks the Buckeyes should be running the ball more.
"That's how he is, and he just loves to hit somebody and snap their heads back. He thrives on that," tight end Rory Nicol said. "[Line coach Jim] Bollman will tell him 'Hey, that was a good job, you could see that linebacker's neck snap back on that block,' and T.J. gets jitters."
That's his honest approach to the game, but Downing also doesn't downplay the image he's created. It wasn't a surprise that a player eagerly espousing his "nasty" side wasn't named a captain and team spokesman. But he apparently hasn't been muzzled, either. And he hasn't been forced to shave the Mohawk.
"I was thinking Tress would make him cut it off," receiver Ted Ginn Jr. said. "But it's here and he's sticking with it. He keeps nothing inside and he plays with his heart."
"I was little worried at first, but he didn't say anything," Downing said of Tressel's initial reaction. "He kind of gave me a weird look, but I get those a lot."
Tressel said his only rule on team hair is that it must be well-groomed, and Downing and teammate Kirk Barton take care of that every Friday with a tight shave of the rest of his head, Barton doing the back while Downing takes the front. As for Downing's edge, Tressel thinks it works in balance with the cerebral approach of senior center and captain Doug Datish, and Datish agrees.
"It's definitely the yin and the yang," Datish said. "I'm the guy that calms people down and T.J. is the guy who riles them up. Between the two of us, everyone gets mixed together and motivated in their own way."
Though he's the son of Walt Downing, an All-American lineman at Michigan who won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers, T.J. said he wasn't born nasty. He said he learned it as a young Buckeye from older linemen Alex Stepanovich, Shane Olivea and Adrien Clarke.
"I never really had it in high school," Downing said. "In high school, it's easy to be a good player. When you get to college, you have to find a way to separate yourself and having that attitude is what will separate you."
The separation started early, Downing earning three starts as a sophomore before taking over as a full-time starter as a junior last season. Before this season, he said the offensive line had a chance to be even better, and he might turn out to be right. That success comes from more than just a haircut.
"It's the technique and the small things, taking that right step, and when you do that, you can start to play nasty," Downing said. "If you can play relaxed and know what you're doing, then you can flip that nasty switch and go out and put your forearm in somebody's face."
But to be honest, the Mohawk helps. There's a purpose there.
"I'm not trying to draw attention to myself, but I wanted to make sure the attitude of the offensive line was known from week one," Downing said. "I like to throw those curveballs. You never know what you're going to get from me."
Asked if he might consider coloring the Mohawk, Downing last week pondered the prospect of turning it maize and blue for the Michigan game. Like always, Downing appears to be more than just talk. Sue Downing said a family member who's a hair stylist is already looking for the dye.
"I would not be at all surprised," she said. "I just hope it washes out."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

[osugrad21]

CoachTressel.com


T.J. Downing Feature Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Courtesy of Marcus Hartman
Buckeye Sports Bulletin Staff Writer
The arrival of Big Ten play brings along with it a ratcheting up of physical play.
A more pronounced chill in the air means louder popping of pads, and bad weather often calls for an increase in running the football.
That all suits T.J. Downing just fine.
?It is the type of game that I do greatly like,? he said before Ohio State?s Sept. 23 conference opener with Penn State.
It is a natural fit for the Midwestern-raised son of an All-Big Ten and All-American offensive lineman, after all.
In his second full season as a starter at right guard, the fifth-year senior and Canton, Ohio, native has blossomed not only into one of the line?s best players but also into the face of the unit. While his nasty temperament on the field helps him open holes for Antonio Pittman and protect quarterback Troy Smith, his thoughtful and often candid answers to questions make him popular with reporters, as well.
Having his hair shaved into a Mohawk doesn?t hurt his getting attention, either. Nor does making a block to spring Pittman on a game-clinching 48-yard touchdown run against Cincinnati.
Downing took care of the first action mentioned above prior to the season. He managed the latter Sept. 16 against the Bearcats, the culmination of a game of grinding it out against a game-but-overmatched opponent.
One week later against Penn State, Downing got another big block on a similar-looking play that let Pittman get loose for a 19-yard run and the initial first down on the Buckeyes? first touchdown drive of the afternoon. To close that drive, Downing got a piece of the reigning Butkus Award winner, Penn State?s Paul Posluszny, as he lunged for Pittman. Unmolested, the Buckeye runner found the end zone for the eventual winning points.
It was the first touchdown of the 2006 Big Ten season for the Buckeyes, scored in a fitting way after the pregame talk had been so much about what new challenges lay ahead.
?Everyone in our locker room knows when you go to the Big Ten you better take it up a notch,? Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said during the week leading up to the game. ?You better understand that everyone now has had some games to get better, and if you?re going to be successful in Big Ten play, you?re going to have to rise up and play better than you?ve been playing the whole season.?
Tressel added that Penn State was a fitting opponent to start the conference season because the Nittany Lions brought a physical, hard-nosed style of football to every matchup.
?I don?t think anyone will line up and just run the football and be successful against Penn State, us included,? he said.
As one of the men set to be in the middle of the fray, Downing saw it differently.
?If they play us straight, we?re just going to have to get after it,? Downing said. ?It?s going to be a hard battle for us.
?I think if we just keep hitting them in the mouth, hitting them in the mouth, continuously, all four quarters, eventually we?ll wear them down and go from there. We?ve just got to establish the run game and make it work. If it doesn?t, you get back up there and try it again. Just keep hitting them.?
That proved prophetic, as Ohio State gained 138 mostly hard-fought ground yards on the afternoon, including Pittman going for 68 yards in the second half after managing 42 in the first.
?It was just nice because sometimes you get in a situation where if the passing game is shut down and the running game is shut down then you?re screwed, but Pittman stepped up today and our running game was successful and that?s why we won the game,? Downing said afterward.
If Downing knows about anything, it?s physical line play. It is in his blood.
His dad, Walter, was an All-America center at Michigan in the late 1970s and after that spent five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL. He was part of a Super Bowl champion during the 1981 season.
Ohio State offensive coordinator and line coach Jim Bollman assessed the younger Downing at the team?s media day in August.
?He?s really a tough player,? Bollman said. ?He works very hard at his technique and improving at his technique, but he?s a tough physical guy and he?ll do what it takes to get the job done. Especially in big games, he?s risen up and played very well against some pretty good people. Aggressive is a fair word to put on him.?
Downing said he doesn?t know any other way to be when going through the battles in the trenches.
?That?s what offensive line is about ? being a tough nasty person,? Downing told BSB before the season. ?That?s what I grew up around with my dad being an offensive lineman. He always instilled that attitude in me.
?You?ve got to be tough with what you?re doing because you?re getting banged around in there and you?re hitting guys that are as big as you, if not bigger. You?ve got to be nasty. When things get ugly, the softer person is the one that?s going to lose, and I?ve always told myself I won?t be the weak link and I?m not going to be the softer one and nobody?s going to beat me. I?ll kill myself before I let somebody else beat me, and that?s an aggressive, nasty attitude right there talking, and if that?s what I have to do to succeed and be a great offensive lineman, that?s what I?ll do. I?ll put myself into that mind frame.?
Statements like that and the haircut ? made famous, interestingly enough, by Robert De Niro in the 1976 movie Taxi Driver at the same time the elder Downing was making a name for himself as a Wolverine ? conspire to crystallize the vision of the younger Downing as a bona fide throwback to the ?three yards and a cloud of dust? days of Ohio State football.
And that?s how Downing supplies the attitude to the Ohio State line. ?He brings toughness and just this drive to succeed,? senior center Doug Datish said. ?He brings a little spark to us. He?s got the Mohawk ? that?s about as much edge as you can get, I?d say.?
While the haircut has gotten him some attention, it?s Downing?s play that keeps him on the field and gets respect from his teammates.
?T.J., man, he?s a fighter,? wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. said. ?He?s got a big heart. He?s not going to let anybody just come in and run over him. He?s always going to come out and play hard, practice or game. T.J. is a real big leader on this team. He makes things move up there. He?s an outgoing, outspoken person. He never keeps anything inside and he plays with his heart.?
And it?s not just those on his side of the ball who notice Downing. The men lining up across from him are also willing to sing his praises, at least if they wear the same colors he does on Saturdays.
?He always has a lot of energy,? defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock said about Downing. ?He?s always the guy who?s laughing or chuckling. I think he just really enjoys having a fun time and tries to make the best of everything.?
While he obviously has fun with the attention-grabbing look (?It?s my headdress, man.?), he said any effect from it is just skin deep.
?No, it?s not the Mohawk that gives me the mentality. That comes from inside. That?s in the heart. The Mohawk?s just for looks.?

[osugrad21]

Ohio State offensive tackle T.J. Downing (GlenOak) has been named to the College Football News.com Midseason All-America team. OSU quarterback Troy Smith (Cleveland Glenville) also is listed on the squad.

Link

[Buckskin86]

T.J. Downing has true-blue support
His dad Walt played for Michigan, but is proud to root for his son, a Buckeye guard.
By Doug Harris

Staff Writer

Friday, November 17, 2006

COLUMBUS ? Walt Downing was an All-American center at Michigan, and his attachment to his alma mater will never wane. But there's a bond in his life even stronger than that, and he's developed a rooting interest in the school he loved to hate.

Downing was invited to join about 200 ex-players on the field for last year's Ohio State game in Ann Arbor ? all of them in their Michigan letter jackets ? forming a human tunnel as the Wolverines made a rousing entrance into the stadium. But with his son, T.J., getting ready to start at guard for the Buckeyes, the elder Downing spent the time pumping up the opposition instead.

"When Ohio State was warming up in the end zone, I walked over and T.J. said, 'Show 'em what it's about, Dad,' " Walt Downing recalled. "I took off my jacket, and I had his Tostitos Fiesta Bowl jersey on. They went nuts."

Because of longtime friendships with the elder Downing, Rick Leach, Dwight Hicks and a few other former Wolverine stars also are switching allegiances for the showdown Saturday.

"I got a lot of calls from my dad's ex-teammates (Sunday) night," T.J. Downing said. "They were wishing me good luck and telling me that even though their blood is blue, they love my dad to death and treat me like a son. And they're cheering for me this weekend."

Walt Downing had a 2-2 record against Ohio State while playing from 1974-77. The Wolverines suffered a 21-14 defeat in '75 ? the last time both teams went into the game undefeated ? but avenged that setback with victories the next two years.

During the long history of enmity in the series, that period was especially heated and typified the era that's become known as the Ten-Year War. But Walt Downing can't ever remember there being as much at stake as there is in this year's clash.

"It's shaping up to be an epic game," he said.

Keeping the Mohawk, adding some spirit

Having started twice previously against the Wolverines, winning both times, T.J. Downing would rather be nowhere else than right in the thick of it.

He's one of the team's inspirational leaders, a free spirit who brings a much-needed nasty streak to the offensive line. He speaks his mind ? dismissing UM's offensive prowess earlier this season by saying, "They ain't been hit by the Buckeyes yet" ? and his in-your-face demeanor is evident in how he wears his hair in a Mohawk.

"That Mohawk thing, at first I thought, 'I'm not sure about this image he's projecting,' " said Walt, who played seven years in the NFL, winning a ring in Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers triumphed over the Bengals. "But as it's gone on, I love it. He put himself out there before the season and told his teammates, 'We've got to bring the fight every week.'

"Troy Smith and Ted Ginn came up to me and said, 'Mr. D, T.J. is not allowed to shave that Mohawk off. He's our boy and he's our attitude.' I applaud him for his gutsiness and for taking the team and hoisting it on his shoulders."

T.J. Downing accompanied his father to Michigan functions while growing up in northeast Ohio. But he spurned the Wolverines for the Buckeyes, saying simply, "They showed me more love."

Walt Downing, who is vice president of a trucking company based near Canton, stayed out of the recruiting process because he didn't want to inject his bias. But he believes the Wolverines blew it.

"There was just a whole different energy being presented by Ohio State," he said. "A week before T.J. was supposed to take his SATs, (coach) Jim Tressel called him directly and said, 'Just relax. You're a smart kid. Trust your instincts, and you'll do well.' That meant a lot."

Silencing Bo

Downing was part of a heralded 2002 recruiting class. And during his five years in the program, including a redshirt year, the Buckeyes have won three major bowls and are two victories away from a second national title.

"It was always cool following the Wolverines ? they were a huge part of my life growing up," T.J. said. "I loved their success in the '90s, but I'm glad I've been able to help bring an end to that success in the 2000s."

But while Downing's emergence may be creating some temporary converts among ex-Wolverines, his father's former coach is having trouble swallowing it.

"Bo Schembechler was in my ear this past year," Walt Downing said. "I go, 'Bo, let's see here. One national championship, three major bowl victories, three out of four wins against Michigan, and they're ranked No. 1 going into the year.' He just said, 'Aw, shut up,' and walked away."


Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/con...1706osufb.html

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton


Quote:
IT?S ALL ON THE LINE

Saturday, November 18, 2006

By PAUL E. KOSTYU COPLEY COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF

Walt Downing (left) manned the line during his college days at Michigan. Today his son, T.J., anchors the offensive line at Ohio State.


COLUMBUS When GlenOak High School graduate and Ohio State senior T.J. Downing takes the field in The Game today, he?ll hide a secret under his scarlet and gray jersey.
Few, if any, of the 100,000 or so fans in the Horseshoe or the millions expected to watch the Ohio State-Michigan game on TV will know it?s there. But one person in the stands will know what?s being concealed and understand why.
Walt Downing, TJ.?s dad, will be dressed in Ohio State colors, too. He even sports an OSU wristwatch on his left arm, just inches above the Super Bowl ring he earned as an offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers. Thirty years ago, however, he wore maize and blue as captain of the Wolverines. He understands The Game.
There?s no doubt, however, where the elder Downing?s loyalties lie ? with his son, the OSU offensive line and the rest of the Buckeyes team.
Secret revealed
T.J. Downing respects his father?s history. Under his OSU uniform, he?ll wear one of the ?Victor? shirts his dad earned at Michigan.
And at some point during the game, the two will make eye contact, said Walt Downing, who lives in Massillon. They always have during the three years Downing has followed his son to every home and away game.
?He?ll look up into the stands and bob his head at me after some tough play,? Downing said.
Also in the stands will be T.J.?s mother, Sue, and sister, Kristen.
?His mother has provided great spiritual and parental guidance,? said Downing. The two are divorced. ?She has been T.J.?s guiding light.?
Today, the elder Downing, 50, said he will have his sunglasses on when senior parents are recognized on the field.
?I expect to get emotional,? he said. ?It?s T.J.?s last game.?
Well, it?s his last game in Ohio. Downing is convinced not only will the Buckeyes beat his alma mater, but they will be national champions as well.
Remembering Bo
Downing said The Game got tougher with the death of legendary Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler on Friday because the Michigan team will use it for inspiration.
?I think Bo planned this,? said Downing, who played for the winningest coach in Michigan history. ?He wanted to sit next to Woody (Hayes) and watch the greatest game. Who?s going to pass the popcorn? I loved Bo. Schembechler was just an icon. He was one of the greatest coaches. This is a sad moment for me.?
But Schembechler?s death shouldn?t slow down the Buckeyes, Downing said.
?Bo can talk to me later,? Downing said. ?When the teams are on the field, that?s about reality.?
Downing said both he and his son have heard from a lot from his former Michigan teammates.
?They wish T.J. the best and they know as a father when your son is on the No. 1 team in the nation how proud I am,? he said. ?They have nothing but respect for what I?m enduring and experiencing.?
As a child, T.J. Downing thought he was going to Michigan to play football.
?We always wanted to see the Buckeyes lose,? he said. ?It was always cool following the Wolverines. They were a huge part of my growing up.?
His dad took him to Michigan games on a regular basis. ?I loved the success they had in the ?90s. But I?m glad I?ve been able to help bring that to an end. This is my team. I bleed scarlet and gray.?
And it seems, his dad does, too.
Loyalty goes so far
?I love Michigan football and its unprecedented traditions,? Walt Downing said, but loyalty has its limits.
Last year, when The Game was played in Ann Arbor, Downing and former letter winners were honored before the game. Downing was on the field sporting a Michigan jacket, but left his teammates to join his son on the Ohio State side of the field.
?I took my jacket off and threw it into the stands,? he said. ?I had T.J.?s jersey on underneath.
?I?ve had four sports families. My high school program in Pennsylvania, the Wolverines and the 49ers,? he said. ?Now it?s the Buckeyes. They all have become great friends.? Repository sports writer Todd Porter contributed to this story. Reach Copley Columbus Bureau Chief Paul E. Kostyu at (614) 222-8901 or by e-mail:

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

DOWNING GETS INVITE

Ohio State fifth-year senior guard T.J. Downing is coming off his finest season. Downing was a first-team All-Big Ten selection. He earned it.
Downing has been consistent. His footwork has improved, and more important his handwork is great.

Downing, a GlenOak graduate, has been invited to the important Senior Bowl at the end of the season. It?s a week-long audition in front of every NFL GM and head coach.
Don?t be surprised if Downing doesn?t go from a modest third-round pick to a second-round selection because of how he plays at the Senior Bowl.

[scarletngrey11]

I would love to see the Browns draft Downing.... we need guard help and he brings a nasty attitude to the line.

BAMF.