Border crossings: The best Ohio State players from Michigan, and vice versa | Rob Oller
The Michigan to Ohio State football pipeline may not carry as much crude talent as the OSU to UM conduit, but that doesn’t mean it’s totally dry.
With The Game upon us, what better time to select the best five players to cross the Ohio-Michigan border and swear allegiance to TTUN and TTDS?
The Buckeye State is known for having supplied the Wolverines with a world of riches, including two Heisman Trophy winners. But high school talent from Michigan has provided Ohio State with a handful of top-level starters, including a BCS national championship quarterback.
Best 5 Ohio State football players from Michigan
Craig Krenzel
Position: QuarterbackYears at OSU: 2000-2003Hometown: Sterling HeightsHigh School: Henry Ford II
The skinny: Fittingly, Krenzel got his first start against Michigan, when in 2001 he led the Buckeyes to their first win in Ann Arbor since 1987. In 2002 the two-time Academic All-American earned his spot in Buckeyes lore by guiding OSU to a 14-0 record and BCS national championship. In the 2003 Fiesta Bowl title game, Krenzel rushed for a team-high 81 yards and two touchdowns to be named offensive MVP.
Thomas “Pepper” Johnson
Position: LinebackerYears at OSU: 1982-85Hometown: DetroitHigh school: Mackenzie.
The skinny: Johnson led Ohio State in tackles in 1984-85 and made the coaches All-America team in 1985, ending his career with 379 tackles, five sacks and 12 tackles for loss. A team captain in 1985, he remains one of the more underappreciated defensive players in school history. As a pro, Johnson won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. In 13 NFL seasons he recorded 983 tackles, 25½ sacks, 14 interceptions and 12 forced fumbles.
Vernon Gholston
Position: Defensive endYears at OSU: 2005-07Hometown: DetroitHigh School: Cass Tech
The skinny: Few Ohio State players have experienced the single-season success enjoyed by Gholston, who in 2007 set the school record with 14 sacks in 13 games, a feat that earned him the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award. In just two seasons of regular playing time for the Buckeyes, Gholston recorded 86 total tackles, 30½ tackles for loss and 22½ sacks. One of his biggest moments came on the biggest stage. In the 2007 Michigan game Gholston had three sacks and four tackles for loss in OSU’s 14-3 road win.
Johnathan Hankins
Position: Defensive tackleYears at OSU: 2010-12Hometown: Dearborn HeightsHigh school: Southeastern
The skinny: Well, not exactly skinny. Hankins arrived at OSU weighing 355 pounds before shedding 30 pounds to become less large but still in charge of a defensive line that helped the 2012 Buckeyes go 12-0. Earning first team All-Big Ten honors as a junior, he completed his career with five sacks and 16½ tackles for loss. The New York Giants selected him in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.
Michael Jordan
Position: Guard/CenterYears at OSU: 2016-18Hometown: CantonHigh school: Plymouth.
The skinny: Jordan was the first true OSU freshman to start on the offensive line in 23 years, since Orlando Pace in 1994, and went on to start all 41 games he played in before declaring for the draft after his junior year. During his career the Buckeyes won back-to-back Big Ten championships, led the conference in rushing three times and went 3-0 against Michigan. Ohio State also won the 2017 Cotton Bowl against Southern California and the 2019 Rose Bowl against Washington.
Honorable mention: Mike Weber, tailback, Detroit Cass Tech; Damon Webb, defensive back; Detroit Cass Tech; Ryan Miller, linebacker; Allen Park
Best 5 Michigan football players from Ohio
Charles Woodson
Position: CornerbackYears at UM: 1995-97Hometown: FremontHigh school: Ross
The skinny: The only defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy, Woodson not only is the best Ohioan to play for the Wolverines, but probably the best player ever to wear the Maize and Blue. Three plays stand out, all coming during Michigan’s 1997 national championship season: 1. A one-handed interception against Michigan State; 2. The punt return for a touchdown against Ohio State, which clinched the Heisman; 3. The interception in the back of the end zone against Washington State in the Rose Bowl that helped secure the national title.
Desmond Howard
Position: WR/Special teamsYears at UM: 1988-91Hometown: ClevelandHigh school: St. Joseph
The skinny: Maybe you have heard of The Pose? Long before Howard angered Ohio State fans with his ESPN on-air antics, the northern Ohioan stuck it to Buckeye Nation in the 1991 OSU-UM game when he struck the Heisman pose after scoring on a 93-yard punt return in the Wolverines’ 31-3 win. Three weeks later he won the Heisman, having set or tied five NCAA and 12 UM records over his career. In 1991 he caught 62 passes for 985 yards, scored 23 touchdowns and rushed for 180 yards, while gaining 694 yards on punt and kickoff returns.
Dan Dierdorf
Position: Offensive tackleYears at UM: 1967-70Hometown: CantonHigh school: Glenwood (now GlenOak)
The skinny: Clearly, Dierdorf belongs on this list, having started at tackle as a sophomore when tailback Ron Johnson rushed for an NCAA-record 347 yards against Wisconsin. Bo Schembechler found only one fault with his 6-foot-4 hoss, joking that Dierdorf’s feet were so big it was hard to find shoes that fit him. The Ohioan went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and spent more than three decades in the broadcast booth.
Bob Chappuis
Position: Quarterback/halfbackYears at UM: 1942, 1946-47Hometown: ToledoHigh school: DeVilbiss
The skinny: After playing one season for the Wolverines, Chappuis’ football career was interrupted by World War II, during which he flew 21 missions on B-25 bombers. Upon returning to Ann Arbor after the war, he broke the conference record for total offense in 1946, then broke his own record in 1947 while finishing second in the Heisman voting and leading The “Mad Magicians” to an undefeated season, including a 49-0 win against Southern California in the Rose Bowl.
Benny Friedman
Position: Quarterback/defensive backYears at UM: 1923-26Hometown: ClevelandHigh school: Glenville
The skinny: A multi-position standout, Friedman played in the offensive and defensive backfields as well as kicked and returned kicks. In 1926 he was named first team AP All-American at quarterback. During a 63-0 win against Indiana in 1925, Friedman threw for five touchdowns, ran 55 yards for another, kicked two field goals and eight extra points. Over eight NFL seasons Friedman became the career leader in passing yardage, a record that stood until Sammy Baugh broke it in 1947. Upon retirement, he also held the league record with 66 touchdown passes.
Honorable mention: Dave Brown, defensive back, Akron Garfield; Rob Lytle, tailback, Fremont Ross; Mike Hammerstein, defensive line, Wapakoneta; Jim Mandich, tight end, Solon; Elvis Grbac, quarterback, Cleveland St. Joseph; Thom Darden, defensive back, Sandusky; John Kolesar, receiver, Westlake.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football stars from Michigan
