Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
Ohio State football backup Nate Oliver has no regrets about becoming a Buckeye after career at St. Edward High School
Published: Thursday, September 08, 2011
By Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer
Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer
Fifth-year senior Nate Oliver is a special teams contributor for the Buckeyes
COLUMBUS, Ohio ? Though he moved from safety to linebacker for Ohio State this season as a fifth-year senior, Nate Oliver's primary position didn't really change.
"Teammate" is probably the best way to describe Oliver's role with the Buckeyes, though they don't usually list that on the roster. He reached 100 on-field minutes for his OSU career last week in the opener against Akron, and you will see his No. 20 on the field with the Buckeyes' special teams against Toledo on Saturday.
But it's as a bridge between a Super Bowl champ like Malcolm Jenkins, who mentored a young Oliver, and a potential star like freshman Curtis Grant, whom Oliver has taken under his wing, where he will leave his mark. A high school star at St. Edward and the first commit in Ohio State's 2007 recruiting class, Oliver hasn't reached the on-field goals he, and others, may have expected. But if he wasn't here now, the Buckeyes would know it.
"One thing I can say about Nate, he takes his relationships with everyone here very seriously," OSU senior special teams player Nate Ebner said.
"He's a great friend to everybody on this team. Everyone on the team would have nothing but good things to say about him. I know he would do anything for me."
Oliver's move to linebacker reflected that. The Buckeyes are stacked in the secondary with young talent but a little thin at linebacker. Oliver joked that he played at a "starving" 217 pounds at safety, so he feels more natural playing as an undersized 225-pound linebacker. In the end, the coaches were looking for a way to get a guy who did his job more of a shot.
"He seemed like he was a good leader in the off-season with lifting and running and those sorts of things, so we wanted to try to find a spot where he could take on a little bit of a leadership role," defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said. "He's done a good job with that."
Cont...
Meet a Buckeye: DB Nate Oliver
The Columbus Dispatch Friday October 28, 2011DEFENSIVE BACK // NATE OLIVER
Age: 23
Year: Redshirt senior
Vitals: 6-0, 215
Hometown: Cleveland (St. Edward)
Major: Sport Leadership and Sport Humanities
By Tim May
e
BROOKE LaVALLEY | Dispatch
Q: You were the first recruit in your class of 2007. You committed as a junior. Why so early?
A: I always knew I wanted to go to Ohio State ever since I was little. My dad always pointed out that Ohio State was always a good school. Back then, it was Ohio State and Michigan, but he always said, ?If you go to Michigan, I don?t know if I can really talk to you.? He always said it was my decision. But I always wanted to go to Ohio State.
Q: Committing so early, did you help with the recruiting of other guys?
A: I tried to. I always talked to Boom (Herron) when we were in high school. We?d always play them in the playoffs or the regular season. Me and (Michael) Brewster used to talk way, way back when.
Q: Even though he was in Florida?
A: Yeah, on Facebook. No, back then, it was myspace. That?s how old I am.
cont...