jcollingsworth
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Making The List: The Big Guy Goes At #1
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Making The List is turning into a journey to sensibly seek out the greatest Buckeyes ever in history. Often such a search is purely based on one’s opinion. There are so many that arguably are deserving of mention. To fit them in where they belong again rides into the category of one’s opinion.
Not to repeat myself over and over as I have the last few weeks – but to assure we all stay on the same page – I will. It is football season, so let’s remain in that category for as long as it seems appropriate to do so – unless I have an epiphany which will change the rules.
In Football as Buckeyes without question we all think Woody Hayes first and foremost. The mention of any player, I feel Archie Griffin is more than deserving to be the first. My pick # 3, Art Schlichter, may have raised a brow or two, but I stand by it explaining last week why. This week I feel a need to be conservatively logical.
Allow me to explain.
The anchor of any offense is not the great arm or brilliant on-field decision making of the quarterback. It isn’t the speed or power of the running back either. Though these are the names we always associate with an efficient and dominant offense. The anchor is in fact the offensive line and their ability to control the line of scrimmage for even that short moment that allows the running back to capitalize and display his talent, or the quarterback to sit in the pocket and read downfield. Those seconds, the more the better, allows for better decisions which often permit more effective results.
Making The List this week we will go towards the Offensive Line.
There have been many offensive linemen in The Ohio State University’s fabled history that shines brilliantly in their accomplishments. But there is one that outshines them all.
Orlando Pace.
His story all derives from Sandusky, Ohio. There the 6’6” 330 lbs. Pace quickly became a recruiting gem that everyone wanted. The Ohio State University won the battle for his services at left tackle over the likes of TTUN, USC, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Penn State, and even Alabama.
Ohio State had generated a stat that was purposely for Orlando. It was called the “pancake block”. This is where the blocker (Pace) would put the opponent on his back. Orlando had done it 80 times in his Sophomore year when he tallied up at #4 on the Heisman Trophy balloting.
Other accomplishments for the big man are near unending. Pace was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 1994. He would be the Big Ten Offensive Lineman in 1995 & 96. He was also a finalist for the 1996 Maxwell Award. In 1996 his fellow Buckeye teammates would vote him Ohio State’s MVP. In 1995 he would make college history by becoming the first sophomore to win the Lombardi Award. Again history would come the following year, his Junior year, by becoming the first two-time winner of the Award. The same year he’d win the Outland Trophy.
All this by the time he was but a Junior.
In 1995 he led the way for Eddie George’s Heisman year. Lest we forget!
So what else was there for him to do?
He left school early.
The St. Louis Rams made him the #1 overall pick in the 1997 NFL draft. He would help them win a Super Bowl in 1999. And as a pro he’d be voted to seven Pro Bowls.
Orlando Lamar Pace is in fact the greatest offensive lineman to wear the Scarlet & Gray uniform for The Ohio State University. Whenever we begin the process of compiling a list we often divulge our attention into the search of the glamour names – naively dismissing that a ship will drift aimlessly without its anchor. In this case – In Making The List – Orlando Pace is that most precious anchor.
The post Making The List: The Big Guy Goes At #1 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Making The List is turning into a journey to sensibly seek out the greatest Buckeyes ever in history. Often such a search is purely based on one’s opinion. There are so many that arguably are deserving of mention. To fit them in where they belong again rides into the category of one’s opinion.
Not to repeat myself over and over as I have the last few weeks – but to assure we all stay on the same page – I will. It is football season, so let’s remain in that category for as long as it seems appropriate to do so – unless I have an epiphany which will change the rules.
In Football as Buckeyes without question we all think Woody Hayes first and foremost. The mention of any player, I feel Archie Griffin is more than deserving to be the first. My pick # 3, Art Schlichter, may have raised a brow or two, but I stand by it explaining last week why. This week I feel a need to be conservatively logical.
Allow me to explain.
The anchor of any offense is not the great arm or brilliant on-field decision making of the quarterback. It isn’t the speed or power of the running back either. Though these are the names we always associate with an efficient and dominant offense. The anchor is in fact the offensive line and their ability to control the line of scrimmage for even that short moment that allows the running back to capitalize and display his talent, or the quarterback to sit in the pocket and read downfield. Those seconds, the more the better, allows for better decisions which often permit more effective results.
Making The List this week we will go towards the Offensive Line.
There have been many offensive linemen in The Ohio State University’s fabled history that shines brilliantly in their accomplishments. But there is one that outshines them all.
Orlando Pace.
His story all derives from Sandusky, Ohio. There the 6’6” 330 lbs. Pace quickly became a recruiting gem that everyone wanted. The Ohio State University won the battle for his services at left tackle over the likes of TTUN, USC, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Penn State, and even Alabama.
Ohio State had generated a stat that was purposely for Orlando. It was called the “pancake block”. This is where the blocker (Pace) would put the opponent on his back. Orlando had done it 80 times in his Sophomore year when he tallied up at #4 on the Heisman Trophy balloting.
Other accomplishments for the big man are near unending. Pace was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 1994. He would be the Big Ten Offensive Lineman in 1995 & 96. He was also a finalist for the 1996 Maxwell Award. In 1996 his fellow Buckeye teammates would vote him Ohio State’s MVP. In 1995 he would make college history by becoming the first sophomore to win the Lombardi Award. Again history would come the following year, his Junior year, by becoming the first two-time winner of the Award. The same year he’d win the Outland Trophy.
All this by the time he was but a Junior.
In 1995 he led the way for Eddie George’s Heisman year. Lest we forget!
So what else was there for him to do?
He left school early.
The St. Louis Rams made him the #1 overall pick in the 1997 NFL draft. He would help them win a Super Bowl in 1999. And as a pro he’d be voted to seven Pro Bowls.
Orlando Lamar Pace is in fact the greatest offensive lineman to wear the Scarlet & Gray uniform for The Ohio State University. Whenever we begin the process of compiling a list we often divulge our attention into the search of the glamour names – naively dismissing that a ship will drift aimlessly without its anchor. In this case – In Making The List – Orlando Pace is that most precious anchor.
The post Making The List: The Big Guy Goes At #1 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...