FB Ryan Lukens (former walk-on)

[BB73]

Ryan is listed as a 6 foot, 223 pound LB. His hometown is Lebanon, OH and he attended Archbishop Moeller high school.




From JT's press conference yesterday.

The scout defensive player was Ryan Lukens, a great legacy here at Ohio State. He's in the midst of his application for veterinary school right now and if he would have the good fortune of being admitted would be a third generation veterinarian from his family at Ohio State. His dad was a player here, Bill, and of course everyone knows the name Joe Lukens, and Ryan just does a great job on the scout team as linebacker. He is a back-up on many of our special teams and has played quite a bit this year as a special teams player and continues to do well and was recognized for that.

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

April 3, 2008

Pony express?

Something interesting came out of my first-ever interview with Ryan Lukens, who is going to be a fifth-year senior but who has been buried in obscurity on special teams until now, when he's getting a chance to play a lot at fullback.
He was asked how much time fullbacks will get this season. Will it be similar to last year, when the Buckeyes played a lot of I-formation, power football?
Lukens answered that so far, OSU has worked more often in a two-tailback formation with Beanie Wells and Brandon Saine, which the Buckeyes call their, "Pony" look. Other times, a tight end is being used as a move blocker, going in motion and whamming somebody inside.

Cont....

[hawaiianbuckeye]

Beanie says Ryan is taking the job seriously and doing a very good job right now.

HAYN

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Scout.com$ (Jeff Svoboda)

Lukens In Line For Fullback Time..........Lukens is excited to have an opportunity at fullback.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Bucknuts.com (Free)

Meet Ohio State's Starting Fullback....by Dave Biddle.

[Best Buckeye]

Good for this kid, we need someone to step up since I am not fond of
postion playing as a committee.
And I love to see walk ons get ahead as it is one of the most exciting things about the game to me. It balances out the ones who come in highly regarded and don't get to play much.

[MD Buckeye]

Rivals $

4/8

Talks about Ryan embracing his new role with the Bucks

[ScriptOhio]

For those dues paying Ohio State Alumni Club members, there is a really nice article (the cover story) on Ryan Lukens in the July/August Alumni Magazine. Check it out.



I tried to scan it; however, it is 8 pages and the file got way too big to post. Maybe someone else is smarter than I am and can link it here for everyone to read/enjoy.

Here is "More On Ryan Lukens"; however, it is not the cover story mentioned above.

Two of a Kind: Father and Son Reflect on Their Coaches

To this day, one of Bill Lukens' favorite pastimes involves getting together with former Buckeye football players and telling stories about their coach-Woody Hayes.
"Woody was a colorful guy," said Bill Lukens, who lettered at guard for Ohio State from 1974 through 1976. "But it gets overlooked that he was a father figure and a teacher and a friend. He was more than a football coach and I think most of the guys I played with feel the same way."
Lukens son, Ryan, has a similar opinion of his college football coach-Jim Tressel. Ryan Lukens joined the Buckeye football program as a walk-on three years ago and has shared some of the same unique experiences his father had in the 1970s.
Both agree that they loved their time at Ohio State and both point to their coaches as one of the big reasons for their enjoyment. They also are ready to let fans in on a secret-although Tressel and Hayes have decidedly different public personas, they are more alike than you'd think.
"Woody didn't care about anything except his team," Bill Lukens said. "He would do anything for his team, and I see that in Tressel.
"Woody shaped my whole life. He took boys and turned them into men, and I feel fortunate that Ryan has a similar type of coach. I know that [Tressel] cares more about Ryan as a person than as a football player. That's how Woody was."
The Lukens' say that both coaches fostered the idea of a team as a family. Even as an unrecruited walk-on, Ryan Lukens said he has never felt like he was a second-class citizen with the Buckeyes.
"With coach Tressel, if you are on the team you are on the team," Ryan Lukens said. "He knows everyone, whether you are a walk-on or a starter. I remember that first year being amazed that he knew every kid, their hometown, their high school, their high school coach, everything. He's just amazing with that stuff."
Tressel also has a keen appreciation for Buckeye history and was well aware of the contributions Bill Lukens made to Ohio State football.
But even Bill Lukens, a former team captain, was amazed at the level of kindness Tressel showed his son prior to the annual Captains' Breakfast two years ago.
"All former captains are invited to that breakfast and they get to spend the morning before the Michigan game with the guys on the travel team," Bill Lukens said. "Only guys on the travel team get to go, and Ryan hadn't been on the travel team all year.
"Then, all of a sudden, Ryan was on the traveling team that week. The only reason for him to be on the traveling team that week was that so he and I could be at the Captains Breakfast together. That was pretty special, but it doesn't surprise me. Coach Tressel is just a special guy. He and Woody understand what it's all about."

Entire article: Ohio State Alumni: Two of a Kind: Father and Son Reflect on Their Coaches

[Buckskin86]

article from YSU gameday program..

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/fls...B_OEM_ID=17300

[BB73]

Departing seniors were asked about their experience at tOSU.

dispatch

Ryan Lukens

Fullback

Lebanon, Ohio | Age: 22

Parting thought: "Playing football here just gets you prepared for life. It teaches you all the values. The coaches are just as worried about us becoming a better man as they are becoming a better football player. They teach punctuality, owning up to your actions, being a leader. And I think taking that into my future as a veterinarian will definitely help me out."