TE Jake Ballard (Super Bowl Champion)

[buckeyemania11]

Ballard, Buckeyes take Rose Bowl - NYPOST.com

PASADENA, Calif. -- Some players get their chance once a game. Others get it once a season.

And the Jake Ballards of the world, the hard-working guys who have trouble explaining even to themselves why they don't get their moment to be a star until the fourth quarter of the last game of their college careers . . . well, they get to walk off the Rose Bowl field with a grin as big as the San Gabriel Mountains.

It was Ballard who arguably made the biggest play in Ohio State's 26-17 defeat of Oregon in the Rose Bowl -- a 24-yard, reach-for-the-stars catch that set up a 17-yard touchdown pass to DeVier Posey that secured the Buckeyes' first bowl win since the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.

Faced with a third-and-13 and clinging to a 19-17 lead, Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor lofted a pass that fluttered in the cool California night like a kite.

A trio of Oregon defenders fixed their greedy eyes on the ball. But so did Ballard, a 6-foot-6, 256-pound "blocking" tight end.

"I could be a very talented receiving tight end, but they asked me to block and we've been winning a bunch of ball games with me blocking, so I'm not complaining about anything," said Ballard.

No, guys like Jake Ballard of Springboro, Ohio, don't complain. They just seize the moment when it presents.

So with Ducks flailing all over and around him, Ballard had one of those Zen moments:

"There was no sound," he said, even though there were 93,963 fans waiting to exhale. He wasn't aware of anything other than the football, which was up in the air.

"It felt like forever," said Ballard. "I felt like I reached a point, but then I just kept going. I didn't think anything else except, 'I have to make this catch. There is no other choice.' "

With no other choice, Ballard made the catch, Ohio State's version of David Tyree's helmet-grab for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

It was good for 24 yards, Ballard's longest reception of the season by 5 yards. Of course, as a "blocking" tight end, he only had 13 receptions.

Maybe he's more than just a blocking tight end.

"I've been thinking that for four years," he said.

Ballard, of course, was not the primary receiver on the play, "64 Cam." His role was to check down in the flat in be Pryor's safety valve. He drifted downfield when the play broke down.

The Ducks had Pryor moving backwards and he never should have thrown the pass. But this was Pryor's day as much as Ballard's -- not to mention an Ohio State defense that held Oregon's potent spread offense to just 260 yards.

Five plays later, Posey, who finished with 101 receiving yards, gave the Buckeyes breathing room with 7:02 left.

Pryor, who sprained his knee in the Buckeyes' Oct. 31 win over New Mexico State, completed 23-of-37 passes for 266 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He ran for 72 yards and was named Offensive Player of the Game.

"When I saw him in high school, he was a man among boys," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said of Pryor, who was the nation's top prep quarterback prospect two years ago. "And at times tonight he looked like a man among boys."

Oregon (10-3) failed in its attempt to win its first Rose Bowl since 1917. Ohio State (11-2) ended the Big Ten's woes of not winning a Rose Bowl since 1991.

Ballard is hoping to get invited to an all-star game or two. With a good performance there and his one-catch highlight DVD, he could be making catches on Sunday.

Ballard had no idea it was longest catch of the season.

"It felt like 10 yards," he said.

It was 24 yards -- and a memory for a lifetime.

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[Meyer]

That's so sweet man..

"I have to make this catch. There is no other choice"

-Jake Ballard

 

[7 Heismans]

Have to admit, I had flashbacks of Gonzo in The Game in '05.

I clicked on this thread with the intent on making the same comment. You beat me to it!

 

[BUCKYLE]

How did we not throw more jump balls to him all year once we were in the redzone?

Tress saved it for the Rose Bowl.

 

[matcar]

Rose Bowl Champion, Jake Ballard. Well done sir.

 

[RB07OSU]

As Dryden said, this catch reminded me of "The Catch" by Gonzo. What a way to cap of a career, awesome job Jake.

 

[Mac]

Thank you Jake for everything these past 4 years bro. In the classroom it was a blast, and watching you on the field. Awesome stuff man!! Congrats, do big things in the NFL bro!!

 

[MuckFighigan]

Here is another great pic...

but my favorite pic has to be this...

Or

 

[diehardbuckeye]

As a Springboro alum I can say that I was over come with Boro Pride when he made that catch. Even more importantly though it over shadows the former achievement of a past alum of fumbling the opening kickoff for the Bills in the Super Bowl.

 

[Yertle]

Pyror... slips away... throws it..... CAUGHT!!! And there's our man Ballard!


Second greatest thing that man has said (behind "Holy Buckeye!")

 

[bukIpower]

Kevin Boss anyone? I think he can be utilized big time in the NFL. Maybe not down the field all the time but I always thought he was underrated and never got the chance to show what he could do. When we threw him the ball simply he made the catch. Shoe string catch against Iowa (maybe different team), makes great catch against PSU in 2007, and now this catch in the Rose Bowl to get us in position to score. His catches always counted it seemed.

 

[Zippercat]

Seems like nearly every catch Jake made was incredible. Would love to see a highlight vid of all his catches!

 

[Gothmog8]

As a Springboro alum I can say that I was over come with Boro Pride when he made that catch. Even more importantly though it over shadows the former achievement of a past alum of fumbling the opening kickoff for the Bills in the Super Bowl.

I had totally forgotten that...all is well now though.

 

[mattynokes]

Ballard really impresses me and I think he has MUCH better hands than most of America knows. With his size and receiving ability he'll be a great steal in the draft for someone. I remember watching the play below and thinking "how did he keep his balance to score!?" Just an amazing catch.

Ohio State-Michigan State Video
Ballard's catch at 0:20

 

[Steve19]

This guy was a soldier. He played a secondary role in an offense that somehow forgot to throw to the tight end. So, he blocked to the best of his ability and did the things he was asked to do. You could listen to the interviews with this guy and know he has the right stuff to be a success in life.

And here's what I like. He had that catch, an epic catch, in the game that will now define his senior class, the game in which they grabbed the respect so long denied.

He'll have that photo and his own mental images of it for his entire life. What a well-deserved memory it is that he will carry with him!


Whether he goes into the pros or whatever, I hope he has much success and happiness.