DDN
Buckeyes' Michigan memories never fade
By
Tom Archdeacon
Staff Writer
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Jim Lachey remembers the exact moment the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry became crystal clear for him.
It wasn't in one of those four games he played against the Wolverines during his OSU career. It occurred when he was at St. Henry High ? being recruited by both schools ? and was visiting Ann Arbor.
"Michigan was playing South Carolina, who had George Rogers, and I wanted to see him play. The Big House was packed and as I'm there in the middle of all that, I hear them announce the OSU score. Ohio State was winning and I got real excited and it hit me. My heart wasn't in Michigan.
"I was a Buckeye."
He ended up an All-American Buckeye.
So did Keith Byars, the Roth High graduate who became one of college football's greatest running backs. Jan White was another OSU All-American. The starting tight end on two national title teams, he's now a Greene County Juvenile Court administrator.
Wednesday, White spoke by phone from Xenia, Lachey from Columbus and Byars from his home in Florida. While far apart, they all stood together on Ohio State versus Michigan.
"The greatest rivalry in college football," Byars said.
The three talked about what they expect Saturday when No. 1 OSU hosts No. 2 Michigan, and they recalled past games.
That's when Lachey remembered another crystallizing moment.
Junior season ? when UM won that 1983 game, 24-21 ? he told how the OSU team bus got "stuck" in Ann Arbor traffic and didn't get to the stadium until 70 minutes before kickoff:
"We got to the dressing room and the floor was all wet. There was water everywhere. And to sit on, there were like, old crates."
He started to laugh: "Now I'm not saying it was on purpose, but ..."
He got the message.
He was a Buckeye.
OSU coach Hayes fueled rivalry
It's one of the most talked about, controversial and quirky plays in what, arguably, is the grandest rivalry in college football ? and Jan White was right in the middle of it.
With Jim Otis' fourth touchdown of the day, Ohio State ? which would end the 1968 season as unbeaten national champs ? upped its lead to 50-14 on Michigan.
White, the sophomore tight end and an All-American two years later, trotted off the field with the OSU offense only to have Coach Woody Hayes shove them all back onto the field.
"I remember we were all in the huddle wondering what's going on and Rex (quarterback Rex Kern) gives us a crazy look and says, 'He wants us to go for two!' "
The memory made White laugh: "We didn't get it and when we came off the field, Woody was mad at us."
Later, when asked why he'd gone for two in the rout, Hayes snorted that famous line: "Because I couldn't go for three."
When Ohio State meets Michigan, there may be more sportsmanship, but there's never, ever any love lost.
"It's the greatest rivalry in college football," said Keith Byars, the Roth High product who was the Bucks' All-American running back in the mid-'80s before his long NFL career.
"I know Army-Navy is big. So is Alabama-Auburn and UCLA-USC, but those games don't compare."
Especially this Saturday at Ohio Stadium when the No. 1 Bucks and No. 2 Michigan ? both 11-0 ? meet for, as White put it, "the real national championship."
Game makes memories every year
The game is getting Super Bowl-type hype, but Jim Lachey ? the All-American offensive tackle out of St. Henry and later an All Pro NFL lineman ? said it's just a case of "the other 48 states finally catching on to what the other two know and experience every year."
And what is that?
"This is not one of those gray-area games," Byars said. "There's no straddling the fence. You're either for this side or that."
White ? now a Greene County Juvenile Court administrator, but originally from Pennsylvania ? said, thanks to Woody, it didn't take long to figure that out:
"From the first time we got to summer camp, we were practicing for Michigan. It went unspoken, but Michigan was always there."
Growing up in Dayton, Byars knew all about the rivalry but still was surprised by the intensity once he became a Buck:
"Freshman year each week was so big, you wondered how anything possibly could be bigger. Then came Michigan and it was overwhelming.
"I remember pictures of Bo Schembechler on the lockers and each one came with one of his 'quotes.' Actually, the quotes were fake, but when you're a freshman, you don't know.
"So on Tim Spencer's locker was Bo saying something like 'There were three great running back prospects. We got the best one and it wasn't Tim Spencer.' "
Lachey recalled his wide-eyed debut against Michigan:
"I was on special teams for the opening kickoff and it was electric. And it seems like the next thing I know, (Art) Schlichter's running into the end zone and we're going nuts.
"We'd already lost three games that year, but when we got back to High Street after beating Michigan we were champs again."
Byars remembers Coach Earle Bruce telling him: "This is the biggest game you'll ever play in. Any yards you get have extra value. Everything's double. So a two-yard gain is worth four. Five is 10 and losing five is like losing 10.
"It is the season's hardest-hitting game, but it's also the cleanest. I don't remember 15-yard penalties. Guys on both sides had too much respect for each other.
"Sure it's 'I hate you' and 'You hate me,' but we weren't dirty. Just knock a guy down, help him up, then knock him down again.
"These days some teams don't get it. So they stomp on the other team's logo, stuff like that, and that's not what a great rivalry is about."
While Woody was obsessed about Michigan and sometimes went to extremes, he also got tweaked now and then.
No one did it better than Kern, the brash, red-headed quarterback with the sweet face and gunslinger's arm.
"He was a character and kept us loose," White said. "Woody ran the offense and sent in plays, but Rex had his own mind.
"He'd get the play and wave back over to Woody as if to say, 'great play.' But then he'd lean into the huddle and say, 'We aren't running that. It didn't get two yards last time.'
"Then he'd smile and wave to Woody again before calling his own play. He drove the old man nuts."
Former stars eager for Saturday
All three of the former All-Americans will be at the game Saturday. Lachey's the color commentator for the radio broadcast crew. Byars may be in the press box, and White ? after stops at the Skull Session and a reunion-like visit to the Varsity O room ? will be in the stands.
First, though, he'll join former players on the field as they form the Tunnel of Pride, the human passageway for current Bucks headed to battle.
"Basically, all us old guys try to stay out of the way and not get stepped on," White said with a laugh. "These kids are so much bigger than when we played. But I'll tell you, when we get out there, our knees don't ache, our hips don't hurt as much. The enthusiasm transforms you.
"And this year, with everything on the line, I think it's the greatest matchup ever. It's going to be something. I can't wait.
"I just can't wait."
