The All-Tressel era Poll - Defensive Back, Punter & Kick Return

[Muck]

Part III of the All-Tressel era Poll - The defensive back four, punters & kick off return...

In case you missed the first two polls:
Part I - The defensive front seven can be found HERE.
Part II - Offensive Line, Tight End & Kicker can be found HERE.

All starters listed in the official Ohio State record book are listed. I've also added any awards they received during their playing time and where they were drafted by the NFL.

This poll covers defensive backs (safeties & cornerbacks), punters & kick-off return team. The final poll for offensive skill players is coming up.

For this poll vote for the following:
Two Safeties
Two Cornerbacks
One Punter
Two Kick-Off Return Men

That means you should cast a total of 7 votes.

Some players are listed at multiple positions due to being starters at different spots during their careers.

Players are listed alphabetically by last time.

Players who only spent one year under Coach Tressel are NOT included (so no LeChuck, Tyson Walter, Derek Ross, Jonathon Wells, Darnell Sanders, Jamar Martin, Courtland Bullard or Steve Bellisari). That same criteria will be in placed for the previous eras as well (So no Jeff Uhlenhake or Vince Workman for Coop ).

Links to the original All-Tressel era polls as well as those for the Earle Bruce & John Cooper eras can be found at:
Master Thread - All (Insert Coach's Name Here) Consensus Team Polls.

So without further adieu, the nominees:

Safety
Will Allen: 1 year starter, 4 year letterman - 4th round draft pick (111)
All American
All Big 10
#1 Interception Return Yards, Game (100)

*Kurt Coleman: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 7th round draft pick (244)
All American
All Big 10
Team MVP
Team Captain
#2 Interception Return Yards, Game (89)
#3 Interception Return Yards, Season (129)

Mike Doss: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 2nd round draft pick (58)
3x All American
3x All Big 10
Team Captain
#10 Total Tackles, Career (331)
#5 Solo Tackles, Career (228)
#21 Tackles For Loss, Season (13)
#11 TFL, Career (33)

Tyler Everett: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman

*Jermale Hines: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman - 5th round draft pick (158)
All Big 10

*Orhian Johnson: 1 year starter, 3 year letterman

Brandon Mitchell: 1 year starter, 4 year letterman
#1 Interceptions Returned for TD, Career (2)

Donnie Nickey: 4 year starter, 4 year letterman - 5th round draft pick (154)
Team Captain

Jamario O'Neal: 1 year starter, 4 year letterman

*Anderson Russell: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman

Nate Salley: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 4th round draft pick (121)
All Big 10
Team Captain

Donte Whitner: 1 year starter, 3 year letterman - 1st round draft pick (8)
All Big 10


Corner Back
*Chimdi Chekwa: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 4th round draft pick (113)
All Big 10
All American

Tyler Everett: 2 year starter, 4 year letterman

Dustin Fox: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (80)
Team Captain

Chris Gamble: 2 year starter, 3 year letterman - 1st round draft pick (28)
2x All Big 10
Team MVP

Willie "Cie" Grant: 1 year starter (Also started 1 year at LB), 4 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (86)

*Malcolm Jenkins: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman - 1st round draft pick (14)
All American
Thorpe Award
3x All Big 10
Team Captain

Antonio Smith: 1 year starter, 3 year letterman
All Big 10

*Devon Torrence: 2 year starter, 3 year letterman

*Donald Washington: 1 year starter, 3 year letterman - 2nd round draft pick (102)

Ashton Youboty: 2 year starter, 3 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (70)
All Big 10


Punter
Ben Buchanan: 2 year starter, 3 year letterman
#4 Punt Yards, Season (2,889)
#8 Punt Avg, Career (41.2)

Andy Groom: 2 year starter, 3 year letterman
All American
#6 Punt Yards, Season (2,697)
#1 Punt Avg, Career (45.0)
#4 Punt Avg, Game (50.2)

B.J. Sander: 1 year starter, 2 year letterman - 3rd round draft pick (87)
All American
Ray Guy Award
#1 Punt Yards, Season (3,553)
#5 Punt Avg, Career (42.2)
#5 & #7 Punt Avg, Game (49.4 & 49.1)

A.J. Trapasso: 3 year starter, 4 year letterman
#3 Punt Yards, Season (8,317)
#3 Punt Avg, Game (50.8)
#9 Punt Avg, Career (41.0)
#5 Longest Punt (76 yds)

Kyle Turano: 1 year starter, 1 year letterman
#4 Punt Yards, Season (2,780)
#3 Punt Avg, Career (42.8)


Kick Returnman
Jaamal Berry: 1 year letterman
#3 KO Return Yards, Season (534)
#6 KO Return Season (21)
#7 KO Return YPA, Career (25.4)

Chris Gamble: 2 year starter - 1st round draft pick (28)
2x All Big 10
Team MVP

Ted Ginn Jr.: 2 year starter - 1st round draft pick (9)
All Big 10
#2 Longest KO Return (100)
#5 KO Return Yards, Career (1,012)
#4 & #13 KO Return Yards, Season (532, 440)
#12(x2) KO Return Season (18, 18)
#6 KO Return Career (38)
#1 KO Return for TD, Career (2)
#4 KO Return YPA, Season (29.6)
#6 KO Return YPA, Career (26.6)

Anthony Gonzalez: 2 year starter - 1st round draft pick (32)
All Big 10

Jordan Hall: 3 year letterman (one year eligibility remaining)
#1, #7 & #14 KO Return Yards, Season (683, 503 & 434)
#1 KO Return Yards, Career (1,642)
#3 KO Return Yards, Career (1,186)
#2 & #12 KO Return Season (26, 18)
#4 KO Return Career (44)
#6 KO Return YPA, Season (27.9)
#5 KO Return YPA, Career (27.0)

Maurice Hall: 4 year letterman
#1 KO Return Yards, Career (1,642)
#5 & #9 KO Return Yards, Season (523 & 487)
#3 & #7(x2) KO Return Season (24, 19 & 19)
#1 KO Return Career (72)

Santonio Holmes: 2 year starter - 1st round draft pick (25)
All Big 10

Ray Small: 3 year letterman
#9 KO Return Yards, Career (715)
#5 KO Return Season (22)
#8 KO Return Career (34)
#8 KO Return YPA, Season (27.0)

Lamaar Thomas: 2 year letterman
#8 KO Return Yards, Career (721)
#8 KO Return Career (34)
#12 KO Return Season (18)

 

[muffler dragon]

Safeties:
Coleman
Doss

Corners:
Gamble
Jenkins

Punter:
Sander

Kick Returners:
Ginn
J. Hall

 

[Muck]

I remember recently someone stated that Safety was a position of weakness during the Tressel dynasty.

3 All Americans (Donte Whitner not being one of them) and 3 additional All-Big Ten selections (one of them being Donte Whitner) ain't bad.

 

[BuckTwenty]

S: Doss & Whitner (absolutely hate having to leave Allen & Coleman off)

CB: Jenkins & Gamble

P: Groom

KR: Ginn & Mo Hall

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

S: Doss & Whitner (absolutely hate having to leave Allen & Coleman off)

CB: Jenkins & Gamble

P: Groom

KR: Ginn & Mo Hall

Only difference from this and mine is I had Jordan over Maurice for KR2.

 

[RugbyBuck]

Why can't I vote for Fox as a safety?

 

[BIATCHabutuka]

s: mike doss and will allen. tough call with coleman and whitner being left off. nate salley was pretty decent too but comes in fifth in this group. yea safety was far from weak under tressel

cb: chris gamble and malcolm jenkins. pretty easy there despite some serious talent at the position. gamble is why we won the NC and jenkins was totally bad ass.

punter: andy boom

kick returner: teddy ginn and i went for chris gamble. gamble from what i hazily recall was a better punt returner but that is probably just the dominance of the 2002 defense giving up only 2 or 3 kick return opportunities clouding my memory and not the seagrams.

 

[MSURacerDT55]

No Dustin Fox?


Safety: Mike Doss, Will Allen

Corner: Mike Jenkins, Antonio Smith (I love his story of perseverance and hard work)

Punter: Sander

KR: Ginn

 

[brodybuck21]

s: mike doss and will allen. tough call with coleman and whitner being left off. nate salley was pretty decent too but comes in fifth in this group. yea safety was far from weak under tressel

cb: chris gamble and malcolm jenkins. pretty easy there despite some serious talent at the position. gamble is why we won the NC and jenkins was totally bad ass.

punter: andy boom

kick returner: teddy ginn and i went for chris gamble. gamble from what i hazily recall was a better punt returner but that is probably just the dominance of the 2002 defense giving up only 2 or 3 kick return opportunities clouding my memory and not the seagrams.

My picks were the same so great list VG!

IMO you have to pick Doss and Allen at Safety. Integral parts why we won a National Title in 2002 and Allen's big plays also helped us win 11 games in 2003 with ZERO offense

 

[Muck]

No Dustin Fox?

He's listed.

 

[lvbuckeye]

voting in these polls is freaking hard. Chekwa should probably be in there due to his being an AA.
but NO FREAKING WAY does he get the vote ahead of Gamble, even though Gamble doesn't have a tree.
Jenkins in a no-brainer.