Returning Juniors

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

College football
For love of game: Ohio State juniors decide as one
Chance to return as seniors and play a final year with teammates trumps opportunity to be selected in NFL draft
Friday, January 18, 2008 3:05 AM
By Ken Gordon


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
FRED SQUILLANTE | DISPATCH
"Every time you look in your refrigerator and you've only got peanut butter and jelly, you know, it makes you (think) like, 'Dang, I wish I would've taken that 15 million dollars.'" ? Malcolm Jenkins
FRED SQUILLANTE | DISPATCH
"I think in every big game we encounter, people are still going to doubt us; we're still going to get that same stuff we've gotten the whole time." ? James Laurinaitis
FRED SQUILLANTE | DISPATCH
"To win a championship, that's hard. It's the things before you win the championship that you want. You want to be with the guys, you want to have fun, you want to be in college." ? Alex Boone
FRED SQUILLANTE | DISPATCH
"After the game, with all the emotion, you could've asked us right there if we had to choose, a lot of us probably would have said, 'Hey, we're leaving.'" ? Marcus Freeman




This could become the most famous shower scene since Psycho. In the moments after Ohio State lost to Louisiana State in the national championship game, a number of OSU juniors who were considering leaving school a year early found themselves in the locker room shower together.
Then and there, they decided as a group to return.
That was one of the bigger revelations that came out of a recent discussion with James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, Alex Boone and Malcolm Jenkins.
With the stress of their decisions behind them, the mood was relaxed. Laurinaitis arrived late -- and hungry. In short order, he downed an orange, apple, some carrot sticks, grapes and finally a ham sandwich.



Cont...

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Bright futures

Friday, January 18, 2008 3:05 AM
By Ken Gordon


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




Where the four who decided not to enter the NFL draft stand:

Cont...

[WoodyWorshiper]

This interview should be tacked to the top of this page and stay there forever. God only knows what can or will happen during the course of any football season. If the 2008 version of TOSU football goes undefeated and win the BCS National Championship, we all need to be able to click on this article and read again about how much the overall "experience" meant to these kids, as much as the football game itself. On the flipside, if the 2008 version of TOSU football happens to lose 4 games during the season and their Bowl game, we need to be able to click on this article and read again about how much the overall "experience" meant to these kids, as much as the football game itself.

Peace.

[OHSportsFan9]

wow...that's about all I can say after seeing how much these kids care about each other, the team, and the University.

That is simply special.

[Mr. Clutch]

Originally Posted by OHSportsFan9

wow...that's about all I can say after seeing how much these kids care about each other, the team, and the University.

That is simply special.

Which is why I'm forced to believe that this year is their year. They deserve it more than anyone.

[bucknutt76]

I totally agree if we beat USC then its over dude. No question we are champs. We all know that team up north doesnt have it this year thats for sure so they can see another loss. Bet Woody would love to see that.

[kippy1040]

That would be huge to come back from Pasadena with a win. Along time ago (maybe in the 70's or 80"s) not too sure, but the Bucks won a big game over UCLA, september in the RoseBowl. On the flight back to C-bus the pilot made a little circle over the the field of the rose bowl and said. "I wanted to give you guys one more look down there because i have a gut feeling that you will be back one more time.". The exerpt was out of the book called "Earle" that I read. Thought that was pretty interesting stuff.

[bucknutt76]

I have never heard that, thats really good info, I cant wait till the game im going to go its only about an hour and half away. Go Bucks

[Jaxbuck]

Originally Posted by kippy1040

That would be huge to come back from Pasadena with a win. Along time ago (maybe in the 70's or 80"s) not too sure, but the Bucks won a big game over UCLA, september in the RoseBowl. On the flight back to C-bus the pilot made a little circle over the the field of the rose bowl and said. "I wanted to give you guys one more look down there because i have a gut feeling that you will be back one more time.". The exerpt was out of the book called "Earle" that I read. Thought that was pretty interesting stuff.

1979

[WoodyWorshiper]

Originally Posted by kippy1040

That would be huge to come back from Pasadena with a win. Along time ago (maybe in the 70's or 80"s) not too sure, but the Bucks won a big game over UCLA, september in the RoseBowl. On the flight back to C-bus the pilot made a little circle over the the field of the rose bowl and said. "I wanted to give you guys one more look down there because i have a gut feeling that you will be back one more time.". The exerpt was out of the book called "Earle" that I read. Thought that was pretty interesting stuff.

Jax is right in that it was 1979, and it was after Art Schlichter's coming out party with his length of the field drive in the final 2 minutes to beat UCLA. I believe the way the story went was that after the game in the Coliseum that the pilot flew over Pasadena and showed the Buckeyes The Rose Bowl and said he thought they'd be back there. Can't be certain cuzz it was only 28 years ago, but that's how I remember it.

Peace.

[kippy1040]

Woody you were right. I stand corrected. It was the coliseum and not the Rosebowl that the game was played in. 79 was the year tht OhioState went
undefeated and went on to play SoCal in the RoseBowl and lost by one point, I think.

[Best Buckeye]

Originally Posted by kippy1040

Woody you were right. I stand corrected. It was the coliseum and not the Rosebowl that the game was played in. 79 was the year tht OhioState went
undefeated and went on to play SoCal in the RoseBowl and lost by one point, I think.

That was 1980 Rose Bowl 17- 16 against Charles White (who gained like a gazillion yards and a couple dozen td's)

[SanClementeBuck]

I attended that '79 game w/an SC friend; ucla fans were surly to both of us. Ha, told one bruin fan who heckled prior to game that we would win by a td. The guy went off. It was halarious. Not clear, but wasn't Spencer our RB that game?