Ohio State’s Pat Elflein talks about brotherhood and overcoming adversity
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Elflein is a person we can all look up to.
"He's my rock, that's my man. If there's ever something I need, ups and downs, he calls me, I call him.”
– Pat Elflein via Austin Ward, ESPN.com
So far, Pat Elflein’s career at Ohio State has been a spectacular scene. He’s one of the offensive line juggernauts that protects J.T. Barrett and helps allow the running game to take off. Elflein has been nominated for numerous awards for his football contributions, but his biggest contributions are ones that focus on life off the gridiron: brother and spokesperson.
In a recent story by Austin Ward of
ESPN.com, Ward goes in-depth with Elflein about the substance abuse battles his brother, Matt, went through – a battle that was occurring when Pat was beginning his time in Columbus, Ohio, with the Buckeyes. The brotherhood bond that was the catalyst for getting Pat to work toward his dream to become a member of the Ohio State football team was being eroded away by the constant drug abuse by Matt.
Eventually, Matt received the help he needed, however, one of Pat’s childhood friends, unfortunately, lost his battle to substance abuse. Through watching recovery and loss, Ward writes about how Pat spoke at a function that combats drug abuse and commemorating for a drug-free environment.
The article is definitely worth the read, and highlights the impact Pat Elflein has/is making in telling his story.
“The documentary, produced by BTN Originals, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the first-time Ohio State and Michigan played each other nationally ranked as No. 1 and No. 2.”
– Ryan Sullivan on the new documentary premiering on the Big Ten Network commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 2006 Ohio State-Michigan contest, BTN.com
Believe it or not, it has been 10 years since Ohio State and Michigan had their “Game of the Century”. In one of the most memorable meetings, the No. 1 ranked Buckeyes survived the gauntlet against the No. 2 Wolverines, 42-39. Behind a Heisman performance from quarterback Troy Smith, a picture perfect run from Antonio Pittman, and a late-hit by a Wolverines defenseman, the 2006 installment of The Game sparks a ton of memories.
Now, a documentary has been created by the Big Ten Network that will highlight the events surrounding the Buckeyes-Wolverines clash in The Shoe back in 2006. Premiering on Monday night at 9 p.m. ET on BTN,
The Game: 2006…Remembered will feature interviews from notable members around the rivalry and TV broadcast booth.
The documentary will feature an in-depth look at the effect of Bo Schembechler’s death on The Game. Schembechler, who coached the Wolverines against Woody Hayes and his Buckeyes, died the day before the battle of the top teams took place.
Here is a short promo for the documentary:
“Of the 25 players from metro Detroit on the Michigan State roster, 13 are listed on this week’s depth chart for the Ohio State game.”
– Kevin Goheen, Landof10.com
But, before we get to the Ohio State-Michigan game, there is still one game to be played: Michigan State.
The Saturday meeting in East Lansing, Mich. features a huge contingent of players from the Detroit area – a college football recruiting hotbed.
Kevin Goheen goes into the explanation to how Detroit has been able to produce some of the best college football players in the nation. Goheen found that coaching at the high school level has a big impact on how the student athletes perform.
Cass Tech (in Detroit) has been one of the bigger influences in getting kids ready for the next level. It’s one of recruiting battlegrounds in the Big Ten, and three current Buckeyes are a product of Cass Tech – with Mike Weber being the most notable as he is already filling the shoes of former OSU superstar (and now NFL sensation) Ezekiel Elliott.
While a big impact is the way coaches coach talent in high school, the process to becoming a football star starts in middle school. Goheen was able to talk to one of the local high school coaches, Jermain Crowell, and he said that Detroit Police Athletic League is “one of the best youth organizations in the country.”
Don’t be surprised if someone who grew up in the Detroit area makes a big play on Saturday.
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