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HB/WR Brian Baschnagel (official thread)

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jwinslow;2151086; said:
So Bill, did he get more opportunities to catch it in Ditka's system than Woody's?

Looks like he caught 10, 3, 17, 24 passes at OSU.

Versus ....................... 13, 28, 30, 34 in the seasons he started 10+ games for the bears.
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As a fan of both teams (I was 1 year behind Basch at tOSU, and moved to Chicago in 1979), I'd say he got slightly more opportunities to catch the ball with the Bears, but the difference is a minor one. His most productive NFL seasons were with a 16-game schedule, so he was getting just under 2 catches/game with the Bears.

But why would Woody give him the ball very often in 1975? In that season, Pete Johnson led the nation in scoring, Archie won the Heisman, while the Big Ten MVP was awarded to QB Corny Greene. The 4th guy in that backfield was also a talented player, but he wasn't exactly 'featured'.
 
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BB73;2151359; said:
As a fan of both teams (I was 1 year behind Basch at tOSU, and moved to Chicago in 1979), I'd say he got slightly more opportunities to catch the ball with the Bears, but the difference is a minor one. His most productive NFL seasons were with a 16-game schedule, so he was getting just under 2 catches/game with the Bears.

But why would Woody give him the ball very often in 1975? In that season, Pete Johnson led the nation in scoring, Archie won the Heisman, while the Big Ten MVP was awarded to QB Corny Greene. The 4th guy in that backfield was also a talented player, but he wasn't exactly 'featured'.
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So true. What a loaded backfield that was back then...sheesh.
 
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BB73;2151072; said:
He was called a wingback when he was at tOSU. He'd line up behind the edge of the line (today it would be called an H-back, or the slot position if he was out a little wider). He would often go in motion like a receiver, and was given the ball on reverses and option pitches like a running back. So he was a hybrid RB/WR back in the 70s.
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Woody would run a little wingback reverse play with Bauschnagel several times a year and that play almost always worked.
 
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The 74' squad in my opinion was one of woody's best. Consider the eventual NFL players on this team including Bob Brudzinski, Doug France, Doug Plank, Neal Colzie, Brian Baschnagel, Archie Griffin, Pete Johnson, Steve Luke, Tom Skladany, Kurt Schumacher and Tim Fox. Skladany came within two feet of winning the Rose Bowl and the NC.
 
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BLASKO;2151946; said:
The 74' squad in my opinion was one of woody's best. Consider the eventual NFL players on this team including Bob Brudzinski, Doug France, Doug Plank, Neal Colzie, Brian Baschnagel, Archie Griffin, Pete Johnson, Steve Luke, Tom Skladany, Kurt Schumacher and Tim Fox. Skladany came within two feet of winning the Rose Bowl and the NC.
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Yes. Such incredible memories. I used to listen to all the games on the radio with my dad. Amazingly, those are my earliest memories...sitting with Dad listening to the Bucks. Life was amazingly good back then.
 
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BLASKO;2151946; said:
The 74' squad in my opinion was one of woody's best. Consider the eventual NFL players on this team including Bob Brudzinski, Doug France, Doug Plank, Neal Colzie, Brian Baschnagel, Archie Griffin, Pete Johnson, Steve Luke, Tom Skladany, Kurt Schumacher and Tim Fox. Skladany came within two feet of winning the Rose Bowl and the NC.
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I didn't know Schumacher, Plank, or France personally, but every one of those other guys were "good folks". Approachable, friendly with other students. Never walking around like they thought that they were "all that". No "airs" or "graces". Really. They were decent people that everyone was pleased to know.
 
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Buckskin86;2162241; said:
Our Favorite Buckeyes: Brian Baschnagel
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I can't help but notice that this story was published almost exactly one month after mine here on BuckeyePlanet. Not that it makes any difference really.

Regardless, I see Brian on almost every trip to Chicago. He enjoys talking about his Buckeye days even more than his years with the Bears. He has been working for a family owned business now or many years.

This article didn't elaborate on the meeting he had with Ara Parseghian during his official visit to ND. Brian said that he couldn't wait to get the hell out of his office. Ara showed him his name on a chalk board and told him that he would be playing with the Irish the following year and that he was one of their top priorities.

This hard sell may have worked with other High School All American Catholic kids...

But not Brian.
 
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