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Football
25 Years of Buckeye Icons
Installment three - 30 through 21
By Tony Gerdeman

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

Installment two - 40 -31

(30) Matt Wilhelm, MLB (All-American 2002)

Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey's sternum gets to know Matt Wilhelm
Photo by Jim Davidson

Ken Dorsey's sternum still wakes up screaming in the middle of the night because of Wilhelm. Doctors think it's acid reflux, but we know better. They keep trying to give him Prevacid, but he keeps asking for Xanax. A player who got nastier every year—just like you're supposed to. I still vaguely remember a semi-playful bet between him and Michael Doss about who would lead the team in tackles in 2002—Wilhem won, by the way.

(29) Michael Jenkins, WR

People probably feel like he's underrated on this list, but at least he made my list. He was never even voted first team All Big Ten. Regardless, he still remains Ohio State's all-time receiving yardage leader and is the last Buckeye to top the 1,000-yard mark. And that whole “Holy Buckeye” thing will never be forgotten, of course.

Michael Jenkins
Photo by Jim Davidson

(28) Na'il Diggs, LB (All-American 1999)

I'm assuming that he is the only All-American to ever make it to Ohio State because of somebody else's inability to send a fax.

(27) Jason Simmons, DE (All-Big Ten 1991)

By my count, Mike Vrabel holds or held six Ohio State defensive records. Five of those records used to belong to Simmons. However, Simmons is still tied with two others for most sacks in a game (4). If Matt Finkes was Robin to Mike Vrabel's Batman, then Simmons was Val Kilmer's Batman to Vrabel's Michael Keaton's. (Still with me?)

(26) Chris Gamble, CB

Chris Gamble
Photo by Jim Davidson

I still remember the start of Gamble's legend. It was the 2002 game against Cincinnati. The Bearcats threw the ball into the endzone late in the game, and a Buckeye came away with the interception. And then I saw the jersey number and was blown away to see that Gamble had intercepted the pass. I didn't even know he was playing defense at that point. He was a story unto himself in 2002, and was one of about ten players who were absolutely necessary for the Buckeyes to win the National Championship. He'd be higher on this list if he could have ever avoided tripping over his own feet while catching wide open passes down the field.

(25) Andy Katzenmoyer, MLB (All-American 1997; Butkus Award 1997)

My lasting memory of the Big Kat will be the Iowa game in 1997. Tavian Banks came in leading the nation in rushing—averaging close to 200 yards per game, and Katzenmoyer stopped him in the backfield on the first two plays from scrimmage. And that was about all it took to shut Iowa up in those days. Oh, and watching him run wild every single game in 1996 was pure violent joy. Like 'A Clockwork Scarlet and Gray'. In case you were wondering, Corby Jones has no lasting memories of Andy Katzenmoyer. I would love to see the Buckeyes approach the backfield aggression at middle linebacker that they showed in 1996.

(24) Korey Stringer, RT (All-American 1993, 1994)

The best right tackle that I ever saw at Ohio State. He gets overshadowed a bit because he played with Orlando Pace, but he was a two-time All-American just like Pace. Possibly the largest Buckeye ever (not named Zahn).

(23) Joey Galloway, WR (All-Big Ten 1993)

Ran a 4.2 and benched over 400 pounds. Mike Barwis could have turned him into the ultimate killing machine. I also think he was solely responsible for the rule about not taking your helmet off in celebration. Injuries and timing kept him from being an even more amazing player at Ohio State. Can you imagine if he had come to Ohio State just two years later?

Will Smith
Photo by Jim Davidson

(22) Will Smith, DE (All-American 2003)

Probably underrated by most. He was asked to do so many different things on defense, and succeeded at every single one of them. One of the best parting gifts John Cooper ever left for Jim Tressel. Didn't put up the sack numbers that most would expect from a guy rated this highly, but that's because he did other things. He dropped back into coverages, he played some mock linebacker, and he did it all very easily.

(21) Nate Clements, CB

I'm still not convinced he shouldn't be ahead of Shawn Springs. Unfortunately for Clements, he's too often remembered for his game against Ron Johnson and a semi-muffed punt. Regardless, we haven't seen too many of his talent around Columbus—and this is just about Cornerback Mecca here. A combination of Springs and Antoine Winfield, though not quite as good as either at doing what they did. I was a bit surprised to find out that he was never even first-team All-Big Ten, however.

Installment two - 40 -31

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