FIGHT TO THE END: OHIO STATE'S FIRST NATIONAL AWARD WINNER SINCE 2008, CENTER PAT ELFLEIN
Ohio State's 2016 senior class has a chance to win its second national championship in three years with two more victories this season. Before kickoff against Clemson in the College Football Playoff, Eleven Warriors will take a brief look back at each player's time in Columbus.
WHERE HE'S FROM
It only makes sense to wrap up our 2016 Fight to the End series with arguably the most important piece on Ohio State's offense.
Pat Elflein is the ultimate definition of a Buckeye. Raised in Pickerington, Ohio, about 20 minutes southeast of downtown Columbus, Elflein waited forever to get a scholarship offer from the school he grew up cheering for every Saturday in the fall.
“I waited and waited, didn't care how it happened as long as it happened,” Elflein said recently of getting an offer from Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.
It happened late in the 2012 recruiting cycle and Elflein didn't waste too much time before he committed to his hometown school. After a stellar career as a two-way player at Pickerington North, Elflein had to earn his way to an offer by showing out at Ohio State's summer camps.
He committed as the lowest-ranked player in the class according to 247Sports, destined for a redshirt year. Elflein's first start didn't come until the Big Ten Championship Game in 2013, thrust into the fold a week earlier after officials ejected Marcus Hall for fighting during the Michigan game. Elflein performed admirably in both games and started full time once the 2014 season began. He played guard that year and the next before switching in 2016 to center.
“I can't give an adjective to over emphasize his value to our program, and I've done this 29 years,” Meyer said ahead of Elflein's last home game, a 30-27 double overtime win over Michigan. “He's as good a player, person, leader as I've ever been around.”
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