Our Honor Defend

This edition of a YouTube update takes into consideration the Buckeye dad. Naturally, because I am ogling for Earle Bruce to notice this blog, the clips provided are all from games under his tenure. Indeed, though, some of the plays should be appreciated by Buckeye dads young and old alike. Of course, what follows is just some rambling over what significance I think these clips hold. You can bypass all of this and head over to YouTube-o-visionâ„¢ to get your fill. Since alot of these clips are grainy by nature, you might want to do that just so you can see the clips in high quality

First up: I think this is the second best clip I have, behind the Terry Glenn 82yd catch and run that everyone has probably seen already. If there’s one thing your old man has probably told you about football, it should be that the linemen are the most important part of the play. I know my dad made sure I knew about that. This clip comes from the Colorado game in 1985 and it should be a clip every Buckeye dad can appreciate because it features something always enjoyable: lineman-on-secondary violence. Bob Maggs, Center for the Buckeyes, pulls out on the sprint pass and stampedes two Colorado defensive backs, allowing John Wooldridge access to the endzone.

Maggs’ manner of bulldozing is an example of true excellence: Not only did he plant those two defensive backs on the ground, but he stacked them too. Further, when you can get Paul Warfield (former Buckeye great who is doing color commentary in the clip) to giggle over what you did on the field, you know you done good.

This next clip is near and dear to my old man’s heart because he was there. Ohio State went on the road in 1979 to take on the Bruins in Los Angeles after dispatching Syracuse, Minnesota and Wazzu before them. UCLA had several opportunities to put away the Buckeyes, chiefly in the form of chipshot field goals. However, UCLA’s kicker missed both opportunities. The second miss gave the Buckeyes the ball at the Ohio State 20yd line with 2:21 left to play in the fourth quarter and the Buckeyes trailing 13-10. Art Schlichter essentially turned the drive into the 1970s-era football equivalent of a fast break, storming down the field and winding up at the Bruins 3yd line after a pass to Gary Williams. On second down and goal, Schlichter found his tight end (and converted fullback) in the end zone for the go-ahead TD. For those unaware of what this drive meant to the 1979 season, there are a few good explanations out there for you to consider. Simply put: this game defined the 1979 season after early season struggles against the Gophers and the Gator Bowl nightmare the year earlier. The Buckeyes blitzed through the Big Ten and took a no. 1 ranking and undefeated season into the Rose Bowl. Sadly, they lost and the national title for the year ultimately went to Alabama. To this day, I still begrudge Charles White for his performance that game. Though I wasn’t alive for it, I should note that I carry weird grudges.

My dad was there and even has the game program to prove it. I remember thumbing through it a Christmas or two ago. Pete Carroll was an assistant coach and I think Dustin Fox and Mike D’Andrea had fathers (or relatives) playing for Bruce that year. My mom was also there, just as a matter of coincidence. However, she was on the Bruins sideline before converting to The Ohio State University fandom after meeting my dad. My old man has stories about this game, but you would have to ask him about them.

With no further anecdotes for stalling, you can watch the full drive below, including the missed FG that set up the glorified “fast break” and the INT that sealed the deal with 4 seconds left to play. And yes, that’s Mike Guess doing the “White Shoes” boogie, if you will. Calvin Murray did a similar dance after his touchdown in that game. It’s amazing (and awesome) that they didn’t flag these things like they would do now. You’ll especially see what I’m talking about in the 1984 Fiesta Bowl clips.

Next up, I provide two clips of the 1984 Fiesta Bowl, which was probably Earle Bruce’s best bowl win. The Buckeyes had a touchdown cushion between themselves and the Panthers for most of the game. However, a Pitt fumble recovery (on offense) in the endzone tied the game at 14. After the TD, Pitt was set for a kickoff where Keith Byars was eager to receive. In his words:

“They were kicking off, and I was like, ‘I hope they kick it to me, so I can make something big happen.”

Indeed the Panthers kicked in his direction. Indeed, he did make something big happen. The 99yd kickoff return stands in the Fiesta Bowl record books as the second longest return in the game’s history, second only to a 100yd return from the 1972 game between Mizzou and the Sun Devils. The score put the Buckeyes up 21-14 in the fourth quarter.  This clip should also appeal to the Buckeye mom… or at least my mom. She loved Keith Byars.

However, the Panthers rattled off 9 unanswered points, culminating in a FG to give the Panthers the lead with 2:39 remaining. If the Buckeyes were to get in position for a gamewinning Spangler FG, they would need to drive down the field starting from their own 11yd line. John Frank bailed them out in a huge way on a fourth down reception on this drive that was arguably the most telegraphed play I had seen this side of fourth-and-10 and down 7 in the first overtime in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Fortune smiled on the Buckeyes, however, as they didn’t need Spangler for a last second kick. Thad Jemison broke loose for a 39yd touchdown catch to take the lead with 39 seconds left. Jemison tied a Fiesta Bowl record that game with 8 catches and 131 yards.