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What player, past or present, best embodies the spirit of Ohio State Fotball?

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Excellent topic and some legendary names mentioned here, and deservedly so.

I'll take a different route on the "embodies the spirit of" and would like to mention Tyson Gentry and Dan Potokar. Ohio State football, to me, is just so much more than doing great things on the field or giving back financially to the University. It's about loving the game of football, and more importantly so, loving "Buckeye" football. These 2 outstanding young men both came to TOSU to live a dream, and were able to do that without the accolades of being a phenom player. They just showed up on the practice field one day and through their perseverence were able to wear that Scarlet jersey that they loved so much.

We all know the rest with each young man, because, this great site gives Buckeye fans the opportunity to actually hear about, care about, and pray for Buckeye players that have hit a "bump." Anybody out there that thinks the phrase that "Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye" is a bit corny needs to check themself for a pulse, and then a brain. These are so many out there that have been "Great Buckeyes" that we'll never know about. But, the media age that we live in has allowed us to single out these two, and for that I am appreciative.

Thanks Ty and Danny. You both make all of us proud to be Buckeye fans.

Peace.
 
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Buckeye86;1186193; said:
I remember him. I vocal leader on the team despite not seeing the field very much, I can distinctly remember him leading the pre-game hype huddle (or whatever the hell it's called) before the '04 Michigan game. Never saw the field as a starter, but busted his ass on special teams and never complained. Good call on a great Buckeye. It would be interesting to find out more about him, I searched a little bit and couldn't find much, but from what I can tell he was a walk-on and the only year he was listed on the all time jersey listing from the official site is 2004.
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Thomas Matthews was not a walk-on. He was a scholarship player from Ft. Lauderdale, part of the 2000 recruiting class. I remember this class fairly well as it was one of the first years that I really followed recruiting from start to finish. Anyway, Matthews seemed to be one of those guys that just never really found a position as he kind of bounced back and forth between linebacker and safety.
 
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Akronbuck, Winfield was definitely a good hitter, but I would say William White might have been the hardest hitter pound for pound - he was about 5-7 and I remember him breaking a Michigan tight end into two pieces one year!

As for my player, I'd say Tomczak. Not a heralded player coming in, might have even been a walk on (invited walk on?), was a great program guy, and then doesn't get drafted in the NFL.

.... oh yeah, he played 18 years in the NFreakingL.

That's the Buckeye "do whatever it is they say you are not able to do" spirit IMHO.

Peace out!
 
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Apache;1186797; said:
Id like to add Luke Fickell. He has the record for most consecutive starts I think. Something like 55.

For an interior defensive lineman, he was something special.
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FYI, Fickell's record is 50 consecutive starts.
 
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UpNorthBuckeye;1186817; said:
As for my player, I'd say Tomczak. Not a heralded player coming in, might have even been a walk on (invited walk on?), was a great program guy, and then doesn't get drafted in the NFL.

.... oh yeah, he played 18 years in the NFreakingL.

That's the Buckeye "do whatever it is they say you are not able to do" spirit IMHO.

Peace out!
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Tomczak was definitely not a walk-on. He was in the same recruiting class as Jim Karsatos, but he got on the field much sooner by volunteering to be the holder on FG's and EP's in his freshman year (Art Schlichter's senior year). MT took over the QB job as a sophomore.
 
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UpNorthBuckeye;1186817; said:
Akronbuck, Winfield was definitely a good hitter, but I would say William White might have been the hardest hitter pound for pound - he was about 5-7 and I remember him breaking a Michigan tight end into two pieces one year!
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Another guy who could really lay people out was Nate Salley. My favorite hit was in the 2004 UM game. Hart caught a screen and had the outside lane with 325lb center David Baas in front to block. It looked like he might take it all the way, when Salley came in like a freight train and knocked Baas off his feet and out of bounds. Salley was giving up over 100lbs and lit him up like a tackling dummy.
 
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