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Photo by Don Speck | The Lima News
OHIO STATE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Dynasty days
Buckeyes’ greatest
era is now
Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021
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2 Thursday, August 26, 2021 OSU FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021 Greene County Dailies
Current era the gold standard for OSU
By Jim Naveau has won 11 of its last 12 games
jnaveau@limanews.com against Wisconsin, including
three times in the Big Ten
COLUMBUS — This might championship game.
be the golden age of Ohio State Day is a different coach and a
football. different personality type than
When Urban Meyer took Meyer. But he has kept some of
control of Ohio State’s football the key elements of what Meyer
team in January 2012 one of the built, like strength and condi-
first things he did was schedule tioning guru Mickey Marotti
early-morning team workouts and an incredible recruiting
outside in the snow. It was an program.
effort at team building by group With the Big Ten’s highest-
misery. ranked recruiting class nine
Whether they realized it of the last 10 years and seven
or not at the time, the rest of 5-star recruits in the 2021 class
the Big Ten football programs it appears Ohio State will con-
would soon also be shivering in tinue doing what it has done
a state of shared misery. And so since 2012 for a while.
would much of the rest of the 2. Late Career Woody Hayes
college football world. Don Speck | The Lima News Era (1968-1978)
Ohio State defensive tackle Haskell Garrett (92) holds up the championship trophy after Ohio State defeated
To politely paraphrase what Ohio State football and
Northwestern to win its fourth consecutive Big Ten title last December.
one columnist wrote at the Hayes’ career were both
time, the message the hiring trending downward when his
of Meyer sent to the rest of the Big Ten games in nine seasons. Football Playoff national cham- (2012-present) recruiting class of 1967, which
Big Ten was that it was in trou- They’ve been Big Ten champion pionship game and a College Ohio State’s 106-11 record wasn’t allowed to play until
ble. And after two seasons of the last four years, have been Football Playoff semifinal game. over the last nine seasons looks 1968 under the rules of the
Ryan Day as OSU’s head coach, selected for the College Football So, what are the top eras in even more impressive when you day, arrived. Over that group’s
maybe the message is you’re Playoff four times, advanced to Ohio State football? It’s tough consider who it has beaten. three varsity seasons Ohio State
still in trouble. Maybe even big- the championship game twice to compare eras. But here’s a It has beaten Michigan eight went 27-2 and was consensus
ger trouble than before. and won it in 2014. ranking of them: times in a row and 15 of the national champion in 1968.
In the Day/Meyer Era, the Ryan Day’s teams haven’t lost last 16. It has beaten Penn State That began an 11-year stretch
Buckeyes have a 106-11 overall a Big Ten game and his only Gold Medal Eras eight of the last nine times the where OSU won or shared nine
record and have lost only five losses have been in a College 1. Ryan Day/Urban Meyer two teams have played and it Big Ten championships and had
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Greene County Dailies OSU FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021 Thursday, August 26, 2021 3
OHIO STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2021
Date Opponent Time
Thursday, Sept. 2 at Minnesota 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 11 Oregon Noon
Saturday, Sept. 18 Tulsa 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25 Akron TBA
Saturday, Oct. 2 at Rutgers TBA
Saturday, Oct. 9 Maryland Noon
Saturday, Oct. 16 Bye week
Saturday, Oct. 23 at Indiana TBA
Saturday, Oct. 30 Penn State TBA
Saturday, Nov. 6 at Nebraska TBA
Saturday, Nov. 13 Purdue TBA
Saturday, Nov. 20 Michigan State
Saturday, Nov. 27 at Michigan Noon
Don Speck | The Lima News
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his team celebrate a victory over Wisconsin after winning a third consecutive Big
Ten title in 2019. Saturday, Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship Game 8 p.m.
a 98-24-2 record. 3. Jim Tressel Era Meyer and Day have added an Era (1951-1967) Football Writers Association.
A case could be made (2001-2010) 8-0 record and one COVID-19 Ohio State claims three They were second in the AP
this was the greatest era of OSU Tressel’s years in Columbus cancelation in the last nine sea- national championships from and UPI polls.
football with more Big Ten were defined by two things — sons. Michigan’s last win in the this era when college football Hayes’ teams had some great
championships and just the 2002 national championship series was in 2011 in the season championships were decided seasons early in his career but
as many national champion- win over Miami and making between Tressel’s departure and by poll voters. A 10-0 season he also had at least three losses
ships as the teams of the last Ohio State the dominant team Meyer’s arrival. in 1954 when it was voted No. in nine of his first 17 seasons
nine seasons. But national in its rivalry with Michigan in a Tressel’s 2006 and 2007 1 by The Associated Press is at OSU, including two losing
championships weren’t directly way that was beyond the wild- teams also played for national one and a 9-1 season in 1957 seasons.
won on the field in the 1960s est dreams of most OSU fans. championships but fell short when it was No. 1 according 2. Earle Bruce Era (1979-
and there were no Big Ten The 2001 win over Michi- against Florida and LSU. to United Press International 1987)
championship games to get gan started OSU on its way to is another. The third, after Bruce was often derided
through to win conference a 9-1 record against its rival Silver Medal Eras an 8-0-1 season in 1961, was
championships. from 2001 to 2010, to which 1. Early Career Woody Hayes awarded to the Buckeyes by the See ERA | 8
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4 Thursday, August 26, 2021 OSU FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021 Greene County Dailies
Five Buckeyes to watch this season
By Jim Naveau
jnaveau@limanews.com
COLUMBUS — There are
many players who could be
players to watch at Ohio State
this football season. Here are
five of the most interesting of
the Buckeyes:
1. Chris Olave
Olave was always going
to be a player to watch
this season. Most people
thought they’d be watching
him in the NFL but he sur-
prised almost everyone by
announcing he would return
to Ohio State for his senior Offensive lineman Thayer Munford picks up Ohio State Photos by Don Speck | The Lima News
season. wide receiver Chris Olave during a touchdown celebration Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson puts a stiff arm on Maryland’s defensive back Deonte Banks
On the surface it looked like in a game against Maryland at Ohio Stadium in 2019. during a game in 2019 at Ohio Stadium.
Olave had done everything he
could do at Ohio State. But he receiver recruit and the third- touchdowns, and caught 50 sion Hills High School in San sion Hills’ coach told Day he
saw it differently. lowest ranked member of passes, seven of them for Marcos, Calif., saying it was should look at Olave and he
“There’s a lot of reasons I Ohio State’s 2018 recruiting TDs, last season when OSU done for athletic reasons, not sent Olave to be the receiver
came back. I felt like I needed class. He flew under the radar was the runner-up in the Col- academic reasons. when Tuttle had a throwing
to work on some things,” he until the Michigan game lege Football Playoff. Ohio State’s interest in him session for Day.
said. “I came back to try to his freshman year when he Olave’s lack of recruiting grew after Ryan Day, then Day liked what he saw from
get in the weight room more caught two touchdown passes attention in large part was the Buckeyes’ offensive coor- Olave and what he heard
and get a lot stronger and and blocked a punt. because he missed his junior dinator/quarterbacks coach, about him from people at Mis-
turn into a complete receiver Suddenly everyone knew season of high school football went to Mission Hills to try sion Hills. And the 26 touch-
and try to be NFL ready his name. He was Ohio State’s after the California Interscho- to recruit Jack Tuttle, a 4-star down passes he caught as a
Week 1.” No. 1 receiver in 2019 with lastic Federation refused to quarterback who is now senior in high school were a
Olave was a 3-star wide 48 catches, 12 of them for approve his transfer to Mis- Indiana’s back-up QB. Mis- factor, too.
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2. Garrett Wilson
A year ago Olave
and Wilson were being
described as possibly
the best receiver com-
bination in the Big Ten.
This year it’s more like
they might be the best
pair of receivers in the
country.
It’s possible both
could be selected in
the first half of the first
round of the 2022 NFL
draft if Wilson decides
to declare for the draft Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison is no stranger to double Photos by Don Speck | The Lima News
after his junior season. teams. Here he’s surrounded by Northwestern offensive linemen Ohio State freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson runs the ball during the Buckeyes’ spring
Wilson will return to but he still makes the tackle on running back Cam Porter during game in April. Henderson was ranked the No. 1 running back in the country in the 2021 recruiting
last season’s Big Ten championship game. class.
an outside wide receiver
position this year after
3. Zach Harrison
being moved inside to er nationally in the 2019 at Ohio State some rison in practice, is was playing my best ball
slot receiver last season. recruiting class. Harrison, a former of those people who one of those predicting the last three or four
He thrived in both He had offers from 5-star recruit, doesn’t possibly pay too much great things for him. games of the season.
of those positions. He Alabama, Oklahoma, pay attention to recruit- attention to recruiting “Zach Harrison? He’s a “It’s day and night
caught 43 passes for Notre Dame, Texas ing and who is ranked rankings have wondered freak of nature,” Mun- from when I was a
723 yards and six touch- A&M, Georgia, Michi- as the best recruits. if the 6-6, 272-pound ford said. freshman. I sometimes
downs last season after gan and most of the That element of college junior defensive end has Harrison himself says go back and watch
catching 30 passes, five big-time college football football just doesn’t lived up to expectations the best is yet to come. freshman year film and
of them for touchdowns, programs. interest him. after being ranked the “I still don’t feel like I’m like, ‘I don’t even
as a freshman. Those He lived in Columbus “I don’t follow No. 2 defensive end in I’ve reached my moun- recognize that guy.’ I’ve
30 catches were the from the time he was recruits,” he said earlier the country in the 2019 tain top yet. I still have gotten bigger, stronger,
most by an Ohio State six years old until his this summer at Big Ten recruiting class. improvements to make faster and my technique
freshman receiver since family moved to Texas Football Media Days. The answer to those and I’m trying to make has gotten better,” he
David Boston had 33 in when he was 12. While “Once I was done being questions could come those improvements said.
1996. that wasn’t the only rea- a recruit I left that this year when Harrison every day,” he said.
Wilson was a 5-star son he ended up in scar- behind. It’s in the past.” appears ready to have a “I feel like I could 4. TreVeyon Henderson
recruit out of Lake let and gray, it helped There are a lot of breakout season. have done more but If for some reason you
Travis High School in convince him Columbus people who do follow Offensive lineman toward the end of last don’t like watching vid-
Austin, Texas who was is where he wanted to recruiting, though. And Thayer Munford, who season I was really
ranked the No. 2 receiv- be. after two good seasons has seen plenty of Har- catching my stride. I See WATCH | 7
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6 Thursday, August 26, 2021 OSU FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021 Greene County Dailies
Quarterback not always a one-man show
COLUMBUS Here are three
— Pick a number. of them: 1. The
One, two, three or quarterback Ryan
four. How many Day chooses to
Ohio State quarter- start the opener at
backs do you think Minnesota plays
will get on the field well and keeps
this season? Jim the starting job all
The Buckeyes Naveau season. 2. If the
might have more Contributing starter struggles
talent at that posi- columnist during a game Day
tion than they’ve might be quicker
ever had before with to send another QB into
two 5-star recruits, Kyle the game for a series or
McCord and Quinn two or the rest of the
Ewers, and two 4-stars, game than he would C.J. Stroud takes off on a running play during Ohio State’s 2021
C.J. Stroud and Jack have if his starter was an spring football game.
Miller. established veteran. 3.
But they are all young The starter by the end of
and none of them has the season could be a dif- backs with freshmen and replaced his quarter-
ever thrown a pass in a ferent quarterback than one of those substitu- back Kelly Bryant, who
college football game. the one who started the tions came at halftime of had led the Tigers to a
Stroud and Miller opener. a national championship national semifinal game
enrolled in January 2020. The most likely sce- game. the year before, with
McCord enrolled this nario is sticking with the Alabama coach Nick freshman Trevor Law- Photos by Don Speck | The Lima News
January, and in a bit of a quarterback who began Saban pulled his starter rence four games into the Jack Miller (9) was the first of Ohio State’s collection of 5-star
surprise, Ewers decided the season as the starter. Jalen Hurts at halftime of 2018 season and won the and 4-star quarterbacks to commit to the Buckeyes.
to graduate early and But don’t rule out the the national champion- national championship.
came to OSU a year other two possibilities. ship game in the 2017 It’s a new world.
ahead of schedule in mid- Ohio State and Day are season and replaced Coaches have more Ohio State. Two of the The competition for
August. playing to win national him with freshman Tua options and maybe less four, Miller and Ewers, playing time, if it is
This leads to all kinds championships. Two of Tagovailoa, who threw patience. So do quarter- have two high schools shared in a big or small
of possibilities with no the last four national the game-winning touch- backs. on their resumes, so way, would seem to be
incumbent and no expe- championships were won down pass. There is no way they are not strangers to between Stroud, McCord
rienced quarterback on by coaches who replaced The next year Clemson McCord, Ewers, Stroud exploring a new oppor- and Miller unless playing
the roster. their starting quarter- coach Dabo Swinney and Miller will all stay at tunity. quarterback at the
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highest level of college football is a lot
less complicated than coaches have
Watch Ohio State.
As a junior he rushed
in his career.
His problem wasn’t
always said it is. for 2,424 yards and too much weight. It
In the last 30 years the most memo- From page 5 45 touchdowns and was too little enthusi-
rable season-long sharing of the quar- also had five receiving asm.
terback job at Ohio State was in 1996 eos of a running back TDs and three on kick Jones was a high
and 1997 when Stanley Jackson and Joe breaking long runs for returns when Hopewell school basketball
Germaine took close to an equal number touchdowns, making won a state champion- star, who averaged
of snaps. defenders miss tackles ship. He averaged a 17 points a game, ran
Jackson was the starter for every game and looking like a man touchdown once every the floor and threw
but one those two seasons. Germaine among boys, don’t go 4.4 carries. down some thunderous
had to wait until 1998 before having the on the internet and OSU has two solid dunks.
job all to himself. watch highlights of returning running Football was his sec-
Was it successful? Yes and no. Ohio TreVeyon Henderson. backs in Master Teague ond sport and it was
State had an 11-1 record in 1996 and Those, of course, and Miyan Williams. probably a distant sec-
was 10-3 in 1997. But it lost to Michigan are from high school But with Henderson ond. Ohio State took
both those years and also lost to Penn games. Henderson, the Buckeyes might a chance on him as a
State and Florida State in 1997. a freshman, has not have something they project. Jones recently
John Cooper made the strange deci- played a game at Ohio haven’t had since J.K. described himself as
sion to bench Jackson and start Ger- State yet. But the 5-10, Dobbins went to the lazy during his first
maine against Michigan in 1996 even 215-pound running NFL — a running back two years in Columbus.
though OSU came into the game unde- back from Hopewell, who can score from He has spent some
feated with Jackson starting the first 10 Va., is one of the most anywhere on the field. time practicing with
games of the season. Jackson played only highly antici- the first-team offen-
briefly and Germaine played poorly (12 pated freshman 5. Dawand Jones sive line in preseason
of 31 passing). The result was a 13-9 loss in OSU’s 2021 Jones, a 6-8, practice but still needs
to Michigan, which dropped Cooper’s recruiting class. 360-pound junior to be more consistent,
Kyle McCord, who now wears No. 6, his high
record against OSU’s biggest rival to school number, throws a pass during Ohio
Henderson offensive line- Day said.
1-7-1 at the time. State’s 2021 spring football game. was ranked the man has come a “He has the ability
Several quarterback changes, other No. 1 running long way in the to dominate because
than in injury situations, have been back in the last year. He still of his size, strength
Jones
made in midseason at Ohio State since Cardale Jones late in 2015 after Jones country in the might be a bit and athleticism,” Day
then, including Troy Smith replacing began the season as the starter. 2021 class even of a long shot to said. “But again, it’s
Justin Swick as the starter in the sev- Jones, of course, was the unexpected though he did not play break into the starting about consistency and
enth game of the 2004 season, Terrelle hero of the 2014 national championship his senior season after lineup, but the idea being able to do it for
Pryor replacing Todd Boeckman in the season when he replaced Barrett, who Virginia moved the that he would even be four quarters. He’s
fourth game of the 2008 season, Braxton was was injured in the Michigan game. high school football mentioned as a pos- further along than he’s
Miller becoming the starter ahead of Joe Sometime it’s which quarterback is season to the spring. sible starter would been, so he’s just got
Bauserman in the fourth game of the there at the end, not the beginning, that By that time he was have been dismissed as to keep growing and
2011 season and J.T. Barrett replacing matters most. already enrolled at nearly impossible early pounding away.”
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8 Thursday, August 26, 2021 OSU FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021 Greene County Dailies
Era the college football season
ended on Nov. 1 during his
an era but Brown’s 1942
team was the first Ohio
13 seasons in Columbus he State football team to
From page 3 might have been a whole win a national champi-
lot more popular with onship. The reason he
as “Old 9-3 Earle” by Ohio State fans. stayed only three years
some OSU fans when he Cooper’s 2-10-1 record was because he went into
followed Hayes as the against Michigan and the military during World
Buckeyes coach because three chances at national War II.
his teams finished with championships that Who knows what he
that record six seasons in slipped away in 1995, 1996 might have done at Ohio
a row. But his teams won and 1998 because of losses State with more years?
four Big Ten champion- to Michigan the first two 2. Chic Harley Era
ships and finished second times and to Michigan (1916-1919)
twice. State in 1998, defined him Harley, a running back,
Another thing that is in the minds of many fans. is often referred to as the Don Speck | The Lima News
often overlooked is that Ohio State’s adminis- player who built Ohio Ohio State fans celebrate with a message for Michigan in the final moments of OSU’s 56-27 win in
his winning percentage at tration wanted someone Stadium because he was 2019 over the Wolverines, its eighth in a row over its rival. The two rivals did not play last season
Ohio State (.755) is almost different from Bruce when the star running back on because of COVID-19.
identical to the .761 win- it went looking for his OSU teams which won 21
ning percentage of Hayes. replacement and Cooper games, lost one and tied 2020 OHIO STATE STATISTICS
He was never a fan was different. The differ- one and won two Big Ten
favorite when he was ences, including his south- championships during his PASS RECEPTIONS SACKS
OSU’s coach but he ern accent, didn’t always career. Chris Olave`50 Jonathon Cooper`3.5
Garrett Wilson`43 Tommy Togiai`3
became one after he was play well in Columbus. Harley also played Jeremy Ruckert`13 Haskell Garrett`2
fired the week before the Bobby Bowden sym- basketball, baseball and Trey Sermon`12 Zach Harrison`2
Michigan game during the pathized with him about ran track while at Ohio PASSING YARDS Jaxon Smith-Njigba`10 Tuf Borland`1.5
1987 season, the only sea- that before OSU played State. He missed the 1918 Justin Fields`2,100
TACKLES INTERCEPTIONS
son in which the Buckeyes the Seminoles in the Sugar season because he was a RUSHING YARDS Pete Werner`54 Shaun Wade`2
didn’t win nine or more Bowl in 1997 and said, fighter pilot during World Trey Sermon`870 Tuf Borland`48 Five others with one
games with him as head “I told him not to go up War I that season. Master Teague`514 Shaun Wade`35
Justin Fields`383 Justin Hilliard`33 FIELD GOALS
coach. there, to stay down here Ohio State played its Steele Chambers`86 Blake Haubeil`5/7
His OSU teams were 5-4 with us guys. There aren’t football games at Ohio Baron Browning`30
Jake Seibert`1/2
against Michigan, includ- many you alls up there.” Field during Harley’s RECEIVING YARDS TACKLES FOR LOSS Dominic DiMaccio`1/2
ing a win in his final game, career. When overflow Chris Olave`729 Justin Hilliard`5
Garrett Wilson`723 PUNTS
and 5-3 in bowl games. Bronze Medal Eras crowds of 20,000 or more Zach Harrison`4.5
Drue Chrisman`45.0
Jameson Williams`154 Tommy Togiai`4.5
3. John Cooper Era 1. Paul Brown Era packed it, the university Jeremy Ruckert`151 Zach Hoover`39.3
(1988-2000) (1941-1943) decided to go ahead with Haskell Garrett`4.0
Trey Sermon`95 Jonathon Cooper`3.5
Cooper recruited great Three seasons is a bit the construction of Ohio Tuf Borland`3.5
talent to Columbus and if short to be considered Stadium.
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