Welcome to the nineteenth and final installment of the "Greatest Buckeyes Ever" poll - this one allows you to vote for the best head coach.
Please vote on each poll, if you can. Also, please note that each poll will allow you to vote at least twice, as we would like to compile a first and second team. If you vote for "other", please let us know your selection(s) by setting forth the name(s) in a post.
Polls will be posted as follows:
1. Quarterback (CLOSED - Rex Kern is the first team QB, with Craig Krenzel as the second team selection)
2. Tailback (CLOSED - no surprise: Archie is first team, Eddie is second)
3. Athlete (CLOSED - Paul Warfield and Chris Gamble are first team; Cie Grant and Brian Bashnagel are second)
4. Fullback (CLOSED - Pete Johnson first team and Jim Otis second team)
5. Wide Receiver (CLOSED - Cris Carter and David Boston first team, Michael Jenkins and Joey Galloway second team)
6. Tight End (CLOSED - John Frank first team, Rickey Dudley second team)
7. Offensive Tackle (CLOSED - Orlando Pace, John Hicks, and Korey Stringer first team; Jim Davidson and Chris Ward second team)
8. Offensive Guard (CLOSED - Jim Lachey and Jim Parker first team; Rob Murphy and Ken Fritz second team)
9. Offensive Center (CLOSED - LeCharles Bentley first team, Jeff Uhlenhake second team)
10. Defensive Tackle (CLOSED - Dan Wilkinson and Jim Stillwagon first team; Tim Anderson and Jim Marshall second team)
11. Defensive End (CLOSED - Mike Vrabel and Will Smith first team; Alonzo Spellman and Matt Finkes second team)
12. Linebacker (CLOSED - Chris Spielman, Andy Katzenmoyer, and Tom Cousineau first team; Randy Gradishar, Pepper Johnson, and Matt Wilhelm second team)
13. Safety (CLOSED - Jack Tatum and Michael Doss first team; Tim Fox and Damon Moore second team)
14. Cornerback (OPEN - Shawn Springs and Antoine Winfield lead)
15. Kicker (OPEN - Vlade Janakievski and Dan Stultz lead, with a populist uprising for Mike Nugent)
16. Punter (OPEN - Surprisingly, Andy Groom leads over Tom Skladany and Tom Tupa)
17. Current Buckeyes (OPEN - Ginn, Hawk, and Nugent lead)
18. "Old Time" Buckeyes (OPEN - Chic Harley, Vic Janowicz, and Les Horvath lead)
19. Head Coach (OPEN)
So, please vote now for the greatest Buckeye head coach; please make TWO selections.
Note on candidates:
Paul Brown coached OSU for only three seasons (1941-1943), but managed to win a national championship (1942) during that brief time. His overall record at OSU was 18-8-1 (.685 winning percentage). Brown's greatest achievements were in professional football, where he forged a dynasty with the Cleveland Browns.
Woody Hayes is a college football legend who won four national championships at Ohio State (1954, 1957, 1961, 1968). However, Woody fell short several more times (1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975), and his notorious temper finally cost him his job after the infamous 1978 Gator Bowl (a 17-15 loss to Clemson) during which Woody punched opposing LB Charlie Bauman. Woody's record during his 28 years at Ohio State (1951-1978) was 205-61-10 (.761 winning percentage).
Earle Bruce followed in the very large footsteps of Woody Hayes, and managed to post a winning percentage nearly equal to the Buckeye legend (.755, with a record of 81-26-1 from 1979 to 1987). Earle nearly won a national championship during his first season, but his team fell one point short in the 1980 Rose Bowl. The rest of Bruce's team were very good, but none contended for national honors.
John Cooper may have been the Buckeyes' most controversial head coach. He was roundly derided by critics as a Southerner who didn't understand Ohio football (and the rivalry with Michigan), and a recruiting genius who was merely a mediocre football coach. Nevertheless, Coop compiled some of the best talent ever to wear the scarlet and grey, and several of his teams were in the national championship hunt (1993, 1995, 1996, 1998). Unfortunately, even Cooper's best squads fell a little bit short, often by way of a loss to that team up north. Cooper coached OSU from 1988 to 2000, compiling an overall record of 111-43-4 (.715 winning percentage).
In 2001, Jim Tressel inherited an Ohio State program which had fallen rapidly from the peak which it reached in 1998, when the Bucks narrowly missed a national championship. After a generally unimpressive rookie season (which was highlighted by a win over Michigan), Tress won it all in 2002, going undefeated over the course of a 14-game season. The coach's critics complain that "Tressel Ball" is boring, even if it does seem to be a winning formula (and currently it's not a winning formula, but talent may have something to do with that). However, most Buckeye fans see a bright future ahead with Coach Tressel at the helm.
Thanks for your participation.
Please vote on each poll, if you can. Also, please note that each poll will allow you to vote at least twice, as we would like to compile a first and second team. If you vote for "other", please let us know your selection(s) by setting forth the name(s) in a post.
Polls will be posted as follows:
1. Quarterback (CLOSED - Rex Kern is the first team QB, with Craig Krenzel as the second team selection)
2. Tailback (CLOSED - no surprise: Archie is first team, Eddie is second)
3. Athlete (CLOSED - Paul Warfield and Chris Gamble are first team; Cie Grant and Brian Bashnagel are second)
4. Fullback (CLOSED - Pete Johnson first team and Jim Otis second team)
5. Wide Receiver (CLOSED - Cris Carter and David Boston first team, Michael Jenkins and Joey Galloway second team)
6. Tight End (CLOSED - John Frank first team, Rickey Dudley second team)
7. Offensive Tackle (CLOSED - Orlando Pace, John Hicks, and Korey Stringer first team; Jim Davidson and Chris Ward second team)
8. Offensive Guard (CLOSED - Jim Lachey and Jim Parker first team; Rob Murphy and Ken Fritz second team)
9. Offensive Center (CLOSED - LeCharles Bentley first team, Jeff Uhlenhake second team)
10. Defensive Tackle (CLOSED - Dan Wilkinson and Jim Stillwagon first team; Tim Anderson and Jim Marshall second team)
11. Defensive End (CLOSED - Mike Vrabel and Will Smith first team; Alonzo Spellman and Matt Finkes second team)
12. Linebacker (CLOSED - Chris Spielman, Andy Katzenmoyer, and Tom Cousineau first team; Randy Gradishar, Pepper Johnson, and Matt Wilhelm second team)
13. Safety (CLOSED - Jack Tatum and Michael Doss first team; Tim Fox and Damon Moore second team)
14. Cornerback (OPEN - Shawn Springs and Antoine Winfield lead)
15. Kicker (OPEN - Vlade Janakievski and Dan Stultz lead, with a populist uprising for Mike Nugent)
16. Punter (OPEN - Surprisingly, Andy Groom leads over Tom Skladany and Tom Tupa)
17. Current Buckeyes (OPEN - Ginn, Hawk, and Nugent lead)
18. "Old Time" Buckeyes (OPEN - Chic Harley, Vic Janowicz, and Les Horvath lead)
19. Head Coach (OPEN)
So, please vote now for the greatest Buckeye head coach; please make TWO selections.
Note on candidates:
Paul Brown coached OSU for only three seasons (1941-1943), but managed to win a national championship (1942) during that brief time. His overall record at OSU was 18-8-1 (.685 winning percentage). Brown's greatest achievements were in professional football, where he forged a dynasty with the Cleveland Browns.
Woody Hayes is a college football legend who won four national championships at Ohio State (1954, 1957, 1961, 1968). However, Woody fell short several more times (1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975), and his notorious temper finally cost him his job after the infamous 1978 Gator Bowl (a 17-15 loss to Clemson) during which Woody punched opposing LB Charlie Bauman. Woody's record during his 28 years at Ohio State (1951-1978) was 205-61-10 (.761 winning percentage).
Earle Bruce followed in the very large footsteps of Woody Hayes, and managed to post a winning percentage nearly equal to the Buckeye legend (.755, with a record of 81-26-1 from 1979 to 1987). Earle nearly won a national championship during his first season, but his team fell one point short in the 1980 Rose Bowl. The rest of Bruce's team were very good, but none contended for national honors.
John Cooper may have been the Buckeyes' most controversial head coach. He was roundly derided by critics as a Southerner who didn't understand Ohio football (and the rivalry with Michigan), and a recruiting genius who was merely a mediocre football coach. Nevertheless, Coop compiled some of the best talent ever to wear the scarlet and grey, and several of his teams were in the national championship hunt (1993, 1995, 1996, 1998). Unfortunately, even Cooper's best squads fell a little bit short, often by way of a loss to that team up north. Cooper coached OSU from 1988 to 2000, compiling an overall record of 111-43-4 (.715 winning percentage).
In 2001, Jim Tressel inherited an Ohio State program which had fallen rapidly from the peak which it reached in 1998, when the Bucks narrowly missed a national championship. After a generally unimpressive rookie season (which was highlighted by a win over Michigan), Tress won it all in 2002, going undefeated over the course of a 14-game season. The coach's critics complain that "Tressel Ball" is boring, even if it does seem to be a winning formula (and currently it's not a winning formula, but talent may have something to do with that). However, most Buckeye fans see a bright future ahead with Coach Tressel at the helm.
Thanks for your participation.