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Football
25 Years of Buckeye Icons
Part Five of Five
By Tony Gerdeman

[Editor's Note: This is part five of a five-part series in which Tony Gerdeman will count down the top-50 Buckeye football Icons of the last 25 years.]

Part four - 20 through 11.

(10) Cris Carter, WR (All-American 1986)

The single-best pair of hands to ever find their way to a football field. Growing up, we all pretended to be Cris Carter when catching anything. We would dirty our jeans making “sideline” catches and falling “out of bounds”. And every one-hand catch was a “Cris Carter”.

(9 ) David Boston, WR (All-American 1998)

The prototype. The type of wide receiver God would make if he cared about football. Undefendable at times. Had some of the best sideline moves I've ever seen. He's still the best wide receiver of all-time at Ohio State in my opinion, though Terry Glenn is higher on this list because at his best, he was better than Boston. He just didn't have a long enough college career. The first time I saw Boston on the field, I thought he was a tight end because he was so big. I will always be jealous of him because he got to punch Charles Woodson and I never did.

Troy Smith
Photo by Jim Davidsion

(8) Troy Smith, QB (All-American 2006; Heisman Trophy Winner 2006; Walter Camp Award 2006; Davey O'Brien Award 2006)

The best quarterback I ever saw at Ohio State. Still too harshly remembered for the Debacle in the Desert—though he pretty much brought it upon himself. The ultimate Wolverine killer. The monster in every Michigan fan's closet. In complete control during the entire 2006 regular season. Though his $500 handshake cost the Buckeyes appearances in back-to-back BCS Championship games. But still, he's in my top ten.

(7) Eddie George, RB (All-American 1995; Heisman Trophy Winner 1995; Maxwell Award Winner 1995; Walter Camp Award)

His first year as a starter in 1994 was my freshman year at Ohio State. Following the season, I told everybody I could to watch out for Eddie George and the Heisman in 1995. He rushed for 3,500 yards in two seasons as a starter. I was at his 314-yard game against Illinois after being at the 1994 game where the Illini came into the game predicting victory and delivered. Vengeance poured like wine on that day. One of the greatest leaders I've ever seen.

Donte Whitner
Photo by Jim Davidson

(6) Donte Whitner, SS (All-American 2005)

If Antoine Winfield was about 15 pounds heavier and played strong safety, he would have looked like Donte Whitner. Nobody blew up screens like Whitner. A complete defensive weapon and perhaps the most underrated Buckeye of the last 25 years. I realize that it's sacrilege for some to see Whitner ahead of Michael Doss on this list, but Whitner was better in coverage and just as good (if not better) against the run.

(5) Dan Wilkinson, DT (All-American 1993)

Dominated games without even making a tackle. The game against Washington was nothing but one-upsmanship between he and D'Marco Farr. Had an inherent ability to know the snap count and get into the backfield. Looked like he ran a 4.6 in pads.

(4) Terry Glenn, WR (All-American 1995; Biletnikoff Award Winner 1995)

Completely unstoppable. One of the most dominating one-hit wonders in college football history. The most explosive player on the 1995 team—a team which also happened to feature a Heisman winner. I still remember John Cooper telling people that Glenn would make people forget Joey Galloway. He was right. The 82-yard touchdown catch and run against Notre Dame in 1995 was the only thing that has ever shut Regis Philbin up. For that, he will always be loved. One of my favorite memories of Glenn came off the field. During the college football awards ceremony following the 1995 season—as they were going over the finalists for the Biletnikoff Awards, right before they announced the winner, Keyshawn Johnson started to stand up, only to have to sit right back down as Terry Glenn was announced as the winner.

(3) Chris Spielman, ILB (All-American 1986, 1987; Lombardi Award 1987)

As much a legend as he was a player when I was growing up. He WAS Ohio State for me as a kid. Like a mascot, but one with an awesome mustache. He is the linebacker that all other Buckeye linebackers since are compared to.

(2) Antoine Winfield, CB (All-American 1997, 1998; Thorpe Award Winner 1998)

The best tackler I've ever seen in football. College or pro. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to watch him. Won the Thorpe Award without recording a single interception. As effective against the run as a linebacker—and hit like one too. He may have only been 5'8” or so, but 3'7” of that was heart and the other 2'1” was punch-you-in-the-mouth-so-hard-your-momma-loses-a-tooth.

(1) Orlando Pace, LT (All-American 1995, 1996; Lombardi Award 1995, 1996; Outland Trophy 1996)

The most dominating player I have ever seen in college football. In an unheard of strategy of fear and deference, former Iowa coach Hayden Fry wouldn't even line anybody over him at times. The matchup against All-American Derrick Rodgers in the Rose Bowl was an epic beatdown. The fact that he didn't win the Heisman in 1996 is still a travesty. A travesty!! He was single-handedly responsible for the emergence of pancakes as more than just a breakfast item.

Part four - 20 through 11.

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