Friday YouTubes remembers Kirk Herbstreit
Yes, before embarking on a successful career of drawing the wrath of Cornhuskers fans everywhere for not thinking of their 1995 team as the greatest of all time1, Kirk Herbstreit actually did things.
Not a lot of things, but still, things… things of the “stuff” variety.
Among these things was a five year stint with the Buckeyes. Herbstreit was one of Cooper’s prized recruits and was, as many may not know, actually an option QB under a wishbone system at his Centerville HS. Hyped coming in, Herbstreit spent time behind Greg Frey and Kent Graham, capped off with leading the Buckeyes tie against the Wolvereenies in 1992. Though Herbstreit set a record for pass completions in that game, the tie forever prohibited Herbstreit from a pair of gold pants.
Herbstreit may have had his finest moment in mop-up duty, actually. Against Minnesota in 1991, Herbstreit was subbed in to pollute game tapes for opposing defensive coordinators in upcoming games against Indiana (who were actually pretty good that year) and Michigan (eventually spanking us by a wide margin, going to the Rose Bowl and losing to the Huskies).
4 plays later, Herbstreit goes all Tommie Frazier on the Gophers. Epic tackling fail followed.
In hindsight, I think that’s why Herbstreit isn’t impressed with the 1995 Huskers. I think he thinks he’s the prototype to Tommie Frazier.
- whatever. 1945 Army FTW [↩]
Another great video Vico, hopefully your co-workers didn’t see you uploading it! I loved the high step and little dance move Herbie did when he reached the endzone.
Has Minnesota ever tackled? Ever? Geez.
It’s amazing to think that he was a super, super, super-hyped recruit coming out of Centerville. Both he and Pargo were the two first, big catches of Cooper’s tenure, and neither did much of anything at OSU.
Definitely a great run but he’s still one of my least favorite Buckeyes. That little strut in the endzone is a great metaphor for how I feel he comes across on radio/tv. A little pompous.
Actually, by the grace of God, I got a new hard drive installed, so I did this one last night.
But on Herbstreit, I’m a little torn. If Herbstreit were from any other school, I think I would be a little annoyed with him, but not a lot, and not nearly to the degree of a Mark May, whose boorishness and obnoxious is on a Jim Rome level. But since he is a Buckeye, I’m amused to have this love-hate character of ours on TV. And he is ours. We own him.
On Cooper: I’ve watched 3 games now from the beginning of his tenure: Northwestern 1989, Iowa 1990 and Minnesota 1991 (I plan on getting around to Washington 1993 when I can find time). “Uninspired” would be the key word. Injury-raddled Carlos Snow looked like the only one putting in any effort. Everyone else was just running plays. And the quarterbacks? Oh dear God. I don’t know just how good a guy like Herbstreit was coming out of HS, but guys like him, Frey and Graham could not have gotten much better under Cooper’s tutelage (and, of course, the offensive coordinator and QB coach and so on). Things picked up some with Hoying, and post contract-extension (1994) Cooper players played with much more gusto, but really… P-u. If the talent was there in the early Cooper years, the ambition wasn’t, and the ambition led to some really uninspiring game efforts.
great video guys, keep up the good work
How about some love for Butler By’not’e for that block?
I hear you, Vico. I would never compare Herbie to a Mark May. I don’t hate him - he’s just a ‘least favorite’. He did where the S&G so it would take a lot for me to hate. Hell, I still love Mo because regardless of the aftermath, we’d have never won the title without him.
make that “wear” the s&g…
I did not need to be reminded about that 1991 game against michigan, Vic. I know you were only 6 or 7 (or in utero, whatever… you young turks don’t know the early 90s), but that game still sucks with the fury of a thousand sucks. I’ll never forgive Desmond Howard for that (or for the singing The Victors on top of Ohio Stadium, for that matter) until a Buckeye Heisman hopeful can go into that hole in the ground, do the same damn thing after a big play and ruin that moment for michigan fans everywhere.