Our Honor Defend

Bucknuts is featuring a story about Dawawn Whitner — Glenville product and younger brother of Donte Whitner — saying that Dawawn plans on joining Ohio State after all. Unlike brother Donte, who came to Ohio State out of Glenville with scholarship, Dawawn plans to enroll at Columbus State Community College in the fall and join the Buckeyes in 2009. If you remember, Dawawn was not offered a scholarship with the Bucks for reasons that I’ve only seen described in two words: “test scores”. What exactly that entails (other than something being “bad” academically) was never made explicit to me, but it made OSU reticent to offer that scholarship they were holding for him.

Given Dawawn’s bloodlines and Glenville connection, OSU was the clear leader for Dawawn. However, Illinois was the clear leader for Dawawn among schools that offered him a scholarship. When Shawntell Rowell was offered, and accepted, a scholarship in early 2008, I just assumed that any chance of Dawawn being a Buckeye was over. Instead, Whitner didn’t relent and opted to pursue other means of joining Ohio State before too long. Of course, I just think that’s too neat. So here’s to “better” test scores and seeing Dawawn in Ohio Stadium on Saturdays before too long.

A junior year highlight film of Dawawn can be seen here, which shows a kid with a great motor and who is explosive off the line of scrimmage.  Congrats to Dawawn, of course, for finding another way of living his dream with the Scarlet and Gray.