• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

2018 Countdown thread

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
99 WARRIORS: NO. 54, RIMINGTON TROPHY WINNER AND TWO-TIME ALL-AMERICAN BILLY PRICE
Andrew Lind on July 9, 2018 at 8:05 am@andrewmlind
94242_h.jpg

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
13
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 54 BILLY PRICE
A four-star prospect from Austintown Fitch, Billy Price actually began his career at Ohio State as a defensive tackle. He urged head coach Urban Meyer to let him switch positions, and ended up becoming one of the most productive offensive linemen in program history.

C BILLY PRICE
2013-17
b. Oct. 12, 1995 (Austintown, OH)

  • Rimington Trophy (2017)
  • Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year (2017)
  • All-American (2016-17)
  • All-Big Ten (2015-17)
  • National Champion (2014)
  • Big Ten Champion (2014, 2017)
The 6-foot-4, 312-pound Price quickly adapted to the offensive line and started all 15 games (three at left guard and the next 12 at right guard) as a redshirt freshman, helping the Buckeyes to the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship. He then started every game as a redshirt sophomore and garnered third-team All-Big Ten honors that season.

Price was named a team-captain and first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and second-team by the Associated Press, Fox Sports, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and Walter Camp as a redshirt junior. He also collected first-team All-Big Ten honors by leading Ohio State back to the playoff.

Price slid over to center ahead of his senior season with Pat Elflein’s departure for the NFL and won the Rimington Trophy, which is handed out to the nation’s best center. It marked the first time in the award’s 19-year history that one school has produced back-to-back winners. He was also named a consensus first-team All-American, the Big Ten’s offensive lineman of the year and first-team all-conference.

Price finished his career tied with former defensive end Tyquan Lewis as the program’s all-time leader in games played with 55. He started every game of his career, which also broke former linebacker and current Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell’s school record for consecutive starts.

"I think as long as I'm around Ohio State, I'll make sure that that guy is treated with legendary status because he's done everything I've ever asked of him, and that includes his off-the-field, his leadership when times are tough,” Meyer said last season. "I'm deeply indebted to Billy. Billy's going to be a lifelong friend and he'll be a Buckeye for the rest of his life, obviously.”

Though he suffered an incomplete tear of his left pectoral muscle during workouts at the NFL Combine, Price was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 21st overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, making him the second Ohio State offensive lineman in the last three years to be taken in the first round (Taylor Decker, No. 16 overall by the Detroit Lions in 2016). He was fully cleared to resume football activities last month and is expected to start at center as a rookie.


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...s/2018/07/94242/99-warriors-no-54-billy-price
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 53, TWO-TIME ALL-AMERICAN, THREE-TIME ALL-BIG TEN LINEBACKER RANDY GRADISHAR
James Grega on July 10, 2018 at 8:05 am @jgrega11
94267_h.png

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook84
41 COMMENTS
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 53 RANDY GRADISHAR
As part of one of the final classes to be forced to sit out varsity football as a freshman, Randy Gradishar made the most of his final three years as a Buckeye.

LB RANDY GRADISHAR
1971-73
b. March 3, 1952 (Warren, OH)

  • First Team All-American (1972, 1973)
  • First Team All-Big Ten (1971, 1972, 1973)
  • Academic All-American (1973)
  • College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1998)
  • Big Ten Co-Champion (1972, 1973)
The Warren, Ohio native started every year he was eligible to play varsity football and made a name for himself immediately, being named a first team All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore in 1971, collecting 84 tackles in his first year as a starter as the Buckeyes limped to a 6-4 record in which they lost their final three games.

The following season brought with it much more success for the Buckeyes and for Gradishar, who tallied 102 tackles from his linebacker position. Ohio State finished the regular season 9-1 and shared the Big Ten title with Michigan. The Buckeyes were sent to the Rose Bowl that year after beating the Wolverines in Columbus, but were handled by No. 1 USC, 42-17. For his efforts, Gradishar earned first team All-America honors. The loss to the Trojans would be the last time he would taste defeat as a Buckeye.

In 1973, Gradishar collected a team-high 134 tackles as the Buckeyes finished with a 10-0-1 record. That season saw Ohio State get revenge on USC in the Rose Bowl, 42-21, following a controversial decision that sent the Buckeyes to Pasadena, Calif. instead of the Wolverines following a 10-10 tie in Ann Arbor. Once again, Gradishar was named a first team All-American and finished sixth in the Heisman voting as one of three Buckeyes to finish in the top-six (John Hicks finished second, Archie Griffin finished fifth). He went on to become the No. 14 overall pick by the Denver Broncos in the 1974 NFL Draft, which kicked off another successful string of seasons. At the time of his departure from Columbus, his 320 career tackles were the most in school history. That total now ranks 12th in program history.

Gradishar spent his entire NFL career with the Broncos, playing 10 seasons with a great deal of success. He was named a Pro Bowler seven times and in 1978, was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Gradishar appeared in Super Bowl XII, ultimately losing 27-10 to the Dallas Cowboys.

Since his retirement in 1983, Gradishar has been named to the OSU Varsity "O" Athletics Hall of Fame, the Denver Broncos Ring of Honor and in 1998, he was named to the College Football Hall of Fame as the first Buckeye linebacker to be inducted.


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...e-time-all-big-ten-linebacker-randy-gradishar
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 52, FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN AND MEMBER OF THE UNDEFEATED 2012 TEAM, JOHNATHAN HANKINS
Kevin Harrish on July 11, 2018 at 8:05 am @kevinish
94278_h.png

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
11
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 52 JOHNATHAN HANKINS
The Buckeyes went undefeated during Urban Meyer's first season in Columbus, and Johnathan Hankins was one big – pun completely intended – reason why.

DT JOHNATHAN HANKINS
2010-12
b. March 29, 1992 (Deerborn Heights, Mich.)

  • First Team All-American (2012)
  • First Team All-Big Ten (2012)
  • Undefeated Season (2012)
Hankins, or Big Hank, as he became known, arrived in Columbus weighing in excess of 350 pounds. He was a space-eating defensive tackle who earned regular reps with the first team, but he was not an every down player at that frame.

By his sophomore season, Hankins cut his weight down to 330 pounds, earned a starting spot on the defensive line, and began to dominate with rare quickness at his size. His sophomore season, Hankins registered 67 total tackles, 11 tackles for a loss and three sacks, establishing himself as one of the most dominant interior linemen in the country.

Hankins' numbers dipped his junior season – he had only four tackles for a loss and just a single sack – but it was still enough to earn him first-team All-American honors from Scout.com and propel him to a second-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Hankins has been in the NFL for four seasons now, playing three seasons with the New York Giants and one with the Indianapolis Colts in 2017. He is currently a free agent, but will likely find his way onto the starting lineup wherever he signs.


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...of-the-undefeated-2012-team-johnathan-hankins
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 51, TWO-YEAR STARTER AND BIG TEN CHAMPION, ANTHONY SCHLEGEL
Kevin Harrish on July 12, 2018 at 11:00 am@kevinish
94321_h.png

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
32
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 51 ANTHONY SCHLEGEL
Anthony Schlegel was a member of one of the most feared group of Buckeye linebackers every to play together.

LB ANTHONY SCHLEGEL
2004-05
b. March 1, 1981 (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

  • All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2005)
  • Big Ten Champion (2005)
After transferring from the Air Force Academy, where he played his first two seasons and earned all-conference honors, Schlegel started for two years at Ohio State at middle linebacker, between future first-round picks A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter. The trio formed perhaps the best linebacking corps in college football at the time, and were even featured on a box of cereal called "Buckeye Heroes."

Schlegel had over 80 tackles in both seasons at Ohio State, good for second on the team in 2005 and third in 2004. He helped guide the Buckeyes to the 2005 Big Ten title and was eventually drafted in the third round by the New York Jets.

After a short NFL career, Schlegel returned to Columbus as part of Ohio State's strength and conditioning team and recently made headlines when he tackled a fan who ran out onto the field.



https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...starter-and-big-ten-champion-anthony-schlegel
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 50, THREE-YEAR STARTING QUARTERBACK AND THREE-SPORT STAR WILLIAM “TIPPY” DYE
Dan Hope on July 13, 2018 at 8:05 am @dan_hope
94341_h.jpg

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook30
15 COMMENTS
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 50 WILLIAM "TIPPY" DYE
Few athletes in Ohio State history have ever accomplished more within the realm of athletics, both on and off the field, than William "Tippy" Dye.

QB TIPPY DYE
1934-36
b. April 1, 1915 (Harrisonville, Ohio)
d. April 11, 2012 (Grass Valley, Calif.)

  • Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame (1984)
A three-year starting quarterback for the Ohio State football team, Dye led the Buckeyes to 7-1 seasons in 1934 and 1935 and a 5-3 record in 1936. He was the only quarterback to lead the Buckeyes to three consecutive wins over Michigan until Troy Smith duplicated the feat from 2004 through 2006 (J.T. Barrett became Ohio State's first starting quarterback to win four straight games against Michigan from 2014 through 2017).

A three-sport athlete, Dye was also a star for Ohio State on the basketball court, earning All-Big Ten honors as a guard on the hardwood in 1936 and 1937, also captaining the men's basketball team in the latter year. Dye also played baseball for the Buckeyes in 1935 and 1936.

Following a one-year stint with the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals, Dye became a coach, returning to Ohio State in 1942 to be an assistant coach for both the football and basketball teams. After that season, however, Dye left to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and upon his return in 1946, Dye focused exclusively on basketball, head coaching the Buckeyes in that sport for four seasons.

Dye went on to coach the Washington men's basketball team for nine seasons (1950-59) before becoming the athletic director at Wichita State (1959-62), Nebraska (1962-67) and finally, Northwestern (1967-74).

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...erback-and-three-sport-star-william-tippy-dye
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 49, LATE DEFENSIVE END JAYSON GWINN
Andrew Lind on July 14, 2018 at 8:05 am@andrewmlind
94361_h.jpg

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
13
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staf

NO. 49 JAYSON GWINN
An up-and-coming star from Columbus Brookhaven, Gwinn unfortunately saw his career — and life — come to a close far too soon.

DE JAYSON GWINN
1992-93
b. Nov. 24, 1973 (Columbus, OH)
d. Dec. 12, 1993 (Columbus, OH)

  • Big Ten Champion (1993)
The 6-foot-3, 258-pound Gwinn earned his first start late in his redshirt freshman season and subsequently tied the school record with five tackles for a loss in a 23-17 win over Indiana. He finished the season with 14 total tackles while backing up starter Randall Brown.

In December 1993, Gwinn was killed in an early morning car accident just blocks from the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. He was returning to the hotel where players stayed during the semester break after he helped teammate Marvin “Obie” Stillwell get medical treatment for a gunshot wound at a local nightclub when his car collided with another.

Gwinn, who had just turned 20 on Thanksgiving, was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was in good condition following the accident.

Cornerback Marlon Kerner, who played with Gwinn at Brookhaven, honored Gwinn by wearing No. 49 during the Holiday Bowl against BYU, while the rest of the team wore a helmet decal with his initials.

Gwinn was survived by a then-7-month-old son, Jayson Jr. His younger brothers, Anthony and Justin, also played at Ohio State.



https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio.../2018/07/94361/99-warriors-no-49-jayson-gwinn
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 48, THREE-TIME FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN DEFENSIVE BACK, VINCE SKILLINGS
James Grega on July 15, 2018 at 8:05 am @jgrega11
94363_h.jpg

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
1
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staf

NO. 48 VINCE SKILLINGS
Our pick for the best player in Ohio State history to wear No. 48 is three-time first team All-Big Ten selection, Vince Skillings.

DB VINCE SKILLINGS
1977-80
b. May 3, 1959 (Brenizer, PA)

  • First Team All-Big Ten (1978-80)
  • Big Ten Champion (1979)
Skillings played his first two years under Woody Hayes, starting the 1978 season, which ended up being Hayes' last. During that season, he was named a first team All-Big Ten selection as Ohio State's starting safety. His sophomore season saw him collect six interceptions, including one that was returned to a touchdown in a 49-14 win over Wisconsin.

In 1979, Skillings helped lead an Ohio State defense that allowed just 10.5 points per game and rattled off an undefeated regular season to take home the Big Ten title. The Buckeyes however, fell 18-15 to USC in the Rose Bowl, ultimately costing them a national title. For his efforts that season, Skillings, who collected three interceptions, was once again named a first team All-Big Ten selection.

Skillings' senior season saw the Buckeyes finish 9-3 and second in the Big Ten following back-to-back losses to Michigan and Penn State to end the season. Skillings earned his final first team All-Big Ten honor with four interceptions in 1980, giving him 13 for his career, which ranks eighth in school history.

He went on to be drafted in the sixth round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, but finished his playing career in the CFL.


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...am-all-big-ten-defensive-back-vince-skillings
 
Upvote 0
brodybuck21 said:
Dye went on to coach the Washington men's basketball team for nine seasons (1950-59) before becoming the athletic director at Wichita State (1959-62), Nebraska (1962-67) and finally, Northwestern (1967-74).
Click to expand...

As AD of Nebraska, Dye's first job was to find a football coach. His first two choices declined, his third choice, Michigan State's Duffy Daugherty, also refused. Daugherty suggested his assistant Bob Devaney for the job. As they say... the rest is history.
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 47, OHIO STATE'S FIRST CONSENSUS ALL-AMERICAN AND MEMBER OF ITS FIRST UNDEFEATED TEAM, CHIC HARLEY
Kevin Harrish on July 16, 2018 at 8:05 am @kevinish
94390_h.png

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
25
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staf

NO. 47 CHIC HARLEY
Ohio State football lore is full of greats, icons and legends, but there is none more legendary than Chic Harley.

CHIC HARLEY
1916-17 & 1919
b. Sept. 15, 1894 (Chicago, IL)
d. April 21, 1974 (Columbus, Ohio)

  • Consensus First Team All-American (1916, 1917, 1919)
  • Conference Champion (1916, 1917)
  • Defeated Michigan (1919)
Though he stood just 5-9 and weighed no more than 150 lbs., Harley was one of the most dominant players of his time. Bob Hooey of the Ohio State Journal described his running style as "a cross between music and cannon fire" and a former teammate once claimed Harley was so good, "Red Grange couldn't carry Chic's headgear."

Harley was one of the top high school football players in the country. Growing up in Columbus playing for East High School where he was so dominant, his games regularly drew larger crowds than neighboring Buckeye games.

Though he had offers to play for legendary programs Notre Dame and Michigan, Harley elected to stay home and play for the small, local school of Ohio State.

After spending his first season on the freshman team, Harley led the Buckeyes to their first-ever undefeated and tieless season and conference title in 1916. He helped lead Ohio State past powerhouses Illinois and Wisconsin-Madison, scoring every point in both games. After the season, he was named a consensus first-team All-American – Ohio State's first in program history.

In 1917, Harley once again led the Buckeyes to an undefeated season and a conference title and was once again named a consensus All-American, but he stepped away from football to enlist in the army as a fighter pilot during World War I.

RELATED Music & Cannonfire: Bringing Chic Harley's Legend to Life 100 Years Later With a Homemade Jersey

Harley returned for his final season in 1919 and had perhaps his greatest accomplishment: beating Michigan, nearly single-handedly. Harley led the Buckeyes to their first-ever victory over the Wolverines, scoring on a 50-yard touchdown run and intercepting four passes, which remains an Ohio State record to this day.

After the game, legendary Michigan coach Fielding Yost was granted special permission to congratulate the Buckeye locker room. After addressing the team, Yost turned to Harley and said, "And you, Mr. Harley, I believe are one of the finest little machines I have ever seen.”

Harley finished his career as a three-time consensus first-team All-American, led Ohio State to two conference titles and lost just one game in his career – his last, a loss for which he took full responsibility.




https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...-and-member-of-its-first-undefeated-team-chic
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 46, MAXWELL AWARD WINNER, HEISMAN RUNNER-UP AND NATIONAL CHAMPION, BOB FERGUSON

94416_h.png


Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
18
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 46 BOB FERGUSON
TB BOB FERGUSON
1959-1961
b. Aug. 29, 1939 (Troy, OH)
d. Dec. 30, 2004 (Columbus, OH)

  • Maxwell Award (1961)
  • National Champion (1961)
  • Consensus First Team All-American (1960, 1961)
  • UPI Player of the Year
  • Heisman Runner Up (1961)
  • Varsity "O" Hall of Fame (1987)
  • Ohio State All-Century Team (2000)
At 6-1 and 220 pounds, Bob Ferguson was the prototypical 1960s Ohio State fullback.

A two-time All-American and three-year starter Ferguson led the Buckeyes in rushing every year he played. He only lost six yards in rushing that entire time.

Ferguson earned the 1961 Maxwell Award, given annually to the best all-around player, and the UPA Player of the Year.

He also finished second in Heisman Trophy voting after the Buckeyes finished the '61 season with a national title and 8-0-1 record. Ferguson shared the backfield with halfbacks Paul Warfield and Matt Snell.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers both drafted Ferguson with a first-round pick, and Ferguson accepted the offer from the Steelers. He retired after two seasons with the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings due to a head injury.

Ferguson then went back to The Ohio State University and earned a master's degree in sociology. He served as a youth counselor in Columbus until health problems forced him to retire in 1990. He died in Columbus in 2004 due to complications from diabetes.


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...-runner-up-and-national-champion-bob-ferguson
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 45, TWO-TIME HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER AND OHIO STATE LEGEND ARCHIE GRIFFIN
Dan Hope on July 18, 2018 at 8:05 am @dan_hope
94424_h.jpg

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
34
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 45 ARCHIE GRIFFIN
The choice for the top Buckeye to wear No. 45 simply couldn't have been anyone else.

While the only other Buckeye to don the number since, Andy Katzenmoyer, was a great player in his own right, no jersey number is more synonymous with an individual player in Ohio State history than the No. 45 and Archie Griffin.

RB ARCHIE GRIFFIN
1972-75
b. Aug. 21, 1954 (Columbus, Ohio)

  • Heisman Trophy (1974, 1975)
  • Maxwell Award (1975)
  • Walter Camp Award (1974, 1975)
  • First-Team All-American (1973, 1974, 1975)
  • Team Captain (1974, 1975)
  • Team MVP (1973, 1974)
  • Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame (1981)
  • College Football Hall of Fame (1986)
  • Rose Bowl All-Century Player (2014)
Griffin, of course, is one of the greatest players in college football history. More than 40 years removed from accomplishing the feat, Griffin is still the only player to ever win the Heisman Trophy twice.

A four-year starter for the Buckeyes, Griffin ran for 867 yards and three touchdowns on 159 carries and three touchdowns in 1972. He emerged as a star in 1973, rushing for 1,577 yards and seven touchdowns on 247 carries and earning the first of three consecutive first-team All-American honors.

In 1974, Griffin became the fourth Heisman Trophy winner in Ohio State history after rushing for 1,695 yards and 12 touchdowns on 256 carries. He became the first-ever repeat Heisman winner in 1975, when he ran for 1,450 yards and four touchdowns on 262 carries.

With 5,589 rushing yards for his career, Griffin left Ohio State as the all-time leading rusher in NCAA history.

Griffin was selected with the No. 24 overall pick in the 1976 NFL draft and went on to play seven seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals. He later served as the president and CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association from 2004 to 2015.

Griffin was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

Ohio State officially retired No. 45 in Griffin's honor in 1999, marking the first time that Ohio State ever retired an athlete's number in any sport.




https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...y-winner-and-ohio-state-legend-archie-griffin
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 44, NATIONAL CHAMPION AND TWO-WAY STAR DICK LEBEAU
Andrew Lind on July 19, 2018 at 8:05 am@andrewmlind
94457_h.jpg

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook
7
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 44 DICK LEBEAU
Born in London, just 30 miles west of Ohio State’s campus, Dick LeBeau played both halfback and cornerback for legendary coach Woody Hayes. He scored two touchdowns in a 31-14 win over Michigan in 1957, which propelled the Buckeyes to the 1957 national championship.

HB-CB DICK LEBEAU
1956-58
b. Sept. 9, 1937 (London, OH)

  • National Champion (1957)
LeBeau was selected in the fifth round — or 58th overall pick, which would now be the second round — of the 1959 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, but was cut in training camp. He signed with the Detroit Lions just a few months later, and went on to play 14 seasons with the franchise and finished his career as the team’s all-time leader in interceptions (62). LeBeau, a three-time Pro Bowler, was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and inducted into Detroit’s ring of honor — ‘Pride of Lions’ — in 2010.

After retirement as a player, LeBeau immediately began a coaching career in the NFL as the special teams coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles. He also spent time with the Green Bay Packers (defensive backs coach), Cincinnati Bengals (defensive backs coach, defensive coordinator and head coach) Buffalo Bills (assistant head coach), but finally made his mark as the defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he won two Super Bowls (XL and XLIII).

After he resigned from his position in 2015, LeBeau was named the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Tennessee Titans. He helped Tennessee reach the playoffs last fall, but was not retained by new Titans head coach Mike Vrabel this offseason.

LeBeau — who was an active member of the NFL for a whopping 59 seasons — is a married father of five, grandfather of six and great-grandfather of two.



https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...ational-champion-and-two-way-star-dick-lebeau
 
Upvote 0
99 WARRIORS: NO. 43, BIG TEN AND NATIONAL CHAMPION LINEBACKER, DARRON LEE
James Grega on July 20, 2018 at 8:05 am @jgrega11
94470_h.jpg

Email this ArticleShare on RedditShare on TwitterShare on Facebook115
19 COMMENTS
We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.

NO. 43 DARRON LEE
Born in Chattanooga, Tenn., Darron Lee moved to New Albany, Ohio in middle school and it wasn't long before he became a football sensation in central Ohio.

LB DARRON LEE
2013-2015
b. Oct. 18, 1994 (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

  • National Champion (2014)
  • Big Ten Champion (2014)
  • Sugar Bowl Defensive MVP (2015)
Just a three-star recruit out of high school, Lee was not exactly sought after by Ohio State. It was linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell that persuaded Urban Meyer to take Lee as a member of the 2013 class, a move that more than paid off.

After redshirting the 2013 season, Lee exploded onto the scene in 2014. He recorded 81 total tackles, good for third on the team, as the Buckeyes went on to win their first national championship in 12 years. Lee's best game as a Buckeye in his first year as a starter came against Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal when he recorded seven tackles and two sacks in a 42-35 win that sent Ohio State to the national title game. He also returned a pair of fumbles for touchdowns that season, one against Navy in the season opener and another against Michigan in the regular season finale.

Lee returned in 2015, recording 66 tackles and a decisive interception return for a touchdown against Northern Illinois, that ended up being the difference in a 20-13 victory. He went on to become a first round draft pick by the New York Jets in the 2016 NFL Draft, one of five Buckeyes to be taken in the first round that season.


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...n-and-national-champion-linebacker-darron-lee
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top