We are now one week away from Ohio State's 2014 season opener against Navy. Only 7 more days until the we get to sit in front of the electric glow of our televisions and watch the pixellated forms of our beloved Buckeyes. Since 1933, 24 players have worn No. 7 for Ohio State.

From what you will read below I think you will agree that No. 7 can arguably be considered the best jersey number for Ohio State. Especially the quality of players who have worn the number in the last 30 years.

Today's featured players are Cornelius Green, Sonny Gordon, Vinnie Clark, Joey Galloway, Joe Germaine, Chris Gamble and Ted Ginn Jr.

Go here to see a list of the 24 players to wear the No. 7 for Ohio State since 1933 and the 8 players who were selected in the NFL Draft.

 

Cornelius Green, QB (1973-1975)
Born: 1954
High School: Dunbar (Washington D.C.)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 31-3-1 with Green on the team.
1973 Big Ten Title.
1974 Big Ten Title.
1975 Big Ten Title.
1974 Defeated No. 7 USC 42-21 to win the Rose Bowl.
1973 tied No. 3 That Team 10-10.
1974 Defeated No. 4 That Team 12-10.
1975 Defeated No. 4 That Team 21-14.

Honors
1975 Big Ten MVP.
1975 Team MVP.
1975 All-Big Ten.
1974 All-Big Ten.
1998 Inducted into The Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Is his name Cornelius Greene or Cornelius Green?
From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 1976:

It’s official that the Seahawks’ other new receiver, Cornelius Green now spells his last name without a final e.

He explalined, “I have researched and found that some of my relatives  spelled it ‘Greene’ and others ‘Green’ and the latter is correct.” He is Cornelius Green.

Cornelius Green's Ohio State career per ohiostatebuckeyes.com:

The Buckeyes were 31-3-1 with Green at Quarterback.

Cornelius Greene was the Big Ten MVP in 1975. During his three years as starting quarterback, he led the team to a 31-3-1 record. He was a member of four Big Ten Championship teams. In 1973, Greene led Ohio State to an undefeated season and a second place finish in the polls. He was MVP of the 1974 Rose Bowl. Greene was a two-time all-Big Ten pick and led the conference in total offensive as a senior.

 

This article is from The Independent after the Rose Bowl victory over USC  in 1974:

Don't tell Cornelius Greene anything about adversity. He's faced it all his life. Being quarterback for Ohio State University, he spent most of his sophomore season handing the football to an armada of running backs.

Naturally, he was labelled a "poor passer." It was purely guilt by association.

Tuesday, Greene was asked to throw the ball to give the Buckeyes a chance to defeat Southern California in the Rose Bowl.

That opened a thrashing ground attack that pulverized the Trojans, 42-21. Greene added 45 yards afoot, scoring once more on one of his seven carries.Cornelius successfully found the seams in the Trojans' heretofore impregnable pass defense six limes in eight attempts for 129 yards.

His flashing feet mesmerized USC tacklers as he dashed and darted for important yardage on third-and-long scrambles.

WHEN THE BALLOTS were tallied, the red-thin signal-caller had won player of the game accolades, the 20th quarterback so honored in 60 Pasadena classics.

 

"This is a big thrill," he acknowledged outside the Buckeyes' dressing room. "I'm proud of winning it most for my family and my city."

Greene is a modest  young man of 19, who has been looking up all his life.

His father is blind.  He has four sisters and three brothers helping his mother in a Washington, D.C., ghetto.

"I guess my mother's prayers were answered today," he smiled, thinking of the victory which avenged last year's 42-17 loss to most of these same Trojans.

[...]

"I COMPLETED 188 PASSES in high school for over 1,400 yards and 25 TDs," said Corny, "so I wouldn't say I couldn't pass.

"When we're averaging 350 yards a game running and still scoring more than' 37 points, we don't need to pass. But today was different."

Greene ran for 116 yards and passed for 137 more in the spring game at Columbus, but began fall drills on the third team.

"I wasn't technically, sound when I came to Ohio State, but I never lost my confidence."

When the season began he had unseated senior incumbent and co-captain Greg Hare to become Ohio State's first black quarterback.

He accepted the pressure and the criticism all season more like a senior than a sophomore.

[...]

EIGHTY SCHOOLS SOUGHT his talents, but Ohio State was the first major college "and they wanted me as a student as much as an athlete."

He spurned basketball offers (25-point average as senior) as well as a $25,000 bonus after being drafted by Baltimore.

"I was 30-2 as a pitcher and batted over .500. They wanted me as an infielder, but I wanted an education. 

 

Where is Cornelius now? Per Ken Gordon of The Dispatch:

Green was inducted into The Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998.

After Seattle released him, Cornelius briefly went to the Canadian Football league and then semi-pro ball in Columbus, Ohio before moving back to his hometown of Washington, DC in 1982. He lives there now, working for the city and managing a recreation center. He has two kids, one of which is playing basketball at the University of Vermont (Jason).

In 1998, he was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. He was the school's first black quarterback.

 

 

Denman "Sonny" Gordon, DB (1983-1986)
Born: 1965 (Lynn, MA)
High School: Middletown (Ohio)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 37-12 with Gordon on the team.
1984 Big Ten Title.
1986 Big Ten Title.
1984 Defeated Pitt 28-23 to win the Fiesa Bowl.
1985 Defeated No. 9 BYU 10-7 to win the Citrus Bowl.
1987 Defeated No. 8 Texas A&M 28-12 to win the Cotton Bowl.
1983 Defeated No. 2 Oklahoma 24-14 in Norman.
1985 Defeated No. 1 Iowa 22-13 in Columbus.
1984 Defeated That Team 21-6.

Honors
1986 Captain.
1986 All-Big Ten.

Gordon's most memorable play was this blocked punt and safety against No. 1 Iowa in 1985:

Ohio State won 22-13.

Gordon was selected by the Bengals in the sixth round of the 1987 NFL Draft.

Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide and fanbase.com

 

Vinnie Clark, CB (1988-1990)
Born: 1969 (Cincinnati)
High School: Cincinnati Academy of Physical Education

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 19-14-2 with Clark on the team.
1988 Came back to defeat No. 7 LSU 36-33.

Honors
1990 Captain.

Vinnie Clark was drafted in the first round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Packers.

Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide and Wikipedia

 

 

 

Joey Galloway, WR (1990-1994)
Born: 1971 (Bellaire, Ohio)
High School: Bellaire

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 33-12-3 with Galloway on the team.
1993 Big Ten Title.
1993 Defeated BYU 28-21 to win the Holiday Bowl.
1992 Tied That Team 13-13.

Honors
1994 Captain.
1994 Academic All-Big Ten.
1993 All-Big Ten.
1993 Academic All-Big Ten.
1991 Academic All-Big Ten.
 

Joey Galloway is one of my favorite Ohio State receivers. Every time he was on the field I anticipated a long touchdown catch and run. He led the team in receiving in 1993 and 1994.

When Galloway played I had never seen a player as fast as he was in a Buckeye uniform. He won the state track title in the 100 and 200 meter dash and his speed translated to the football field. I remember somebody saying that Galloway wasn't fast, he was crazy fast. That description has always stayed with me. Joey "Crazy Fast" Galloway is what I call him.

Geek Note:  Galloway was also a beast on Bill Walsh College Football '95 for SEGA.  Ohio State was unstoppable with Galloway, George, and Hoying.

The game was made easy. Throw the deep ball to No.7. Galloway was always lined up on the left and would always make the catch. 

 

Galloway's career per Wikipedia:

Galloway played college football at Ohio State University. While there he earned many honors and finished in the  top five all time  in many of  Ohio State's receiving records.

During his junior year he caught 47 passes for 946 yards and  tied Cris Carter with a school record 11 touchdowns. His great play earned him First-Team All-Big Ten Conference honors as a junior.
During his senior year he made 44 receptions for 669 yards and seven touchdowns, and earned Second-Team All-Big Ten Conference.

He finished his college career fourth in both career receptions with 108 and receiving yards with 1,894, and second in touchdown receptions behind Cris Carter with 19.

Galloway was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 1995  NFL Draft. He played in the NFL from 1995-2010.

For his NFL career he gained 10,950 yards and 77 touchdowns.
 

Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide and Wikipedia

 

Joe Germaine, QB (1995-1998)
Born: 1975 (Denver, CO)
High School: Mountain View (Mesa, AZ)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 43-7 with Germaine on the team.
1996 Big Ten Title.
1998 Big Ten Title.
1997 Defeated No. 4 Arizona State 20-17 to win the Rose Bowl.
1999 Defeated No. 8 Texas A&M 24-14 to win the Sugar Bowl.
1998 Defeated That Team 31-16.

Honors
1998 Captain.
1998 Big Ten MVP.
1998 Team MVP.
1998 All-Big Ten.

Joe Germaine's path to Ohio State per Wikipedia:

Germaine was recruited by Northern Arizona University (NAU) out of high school, but NAU was wary of his intention to serve a two-year Mormon mission, and thus did not offer him a scholarship.

After concluding his service as a missionary for his church, Germaine played one season (1995) at Scottsdale Community College in Arizona before transferring to Ohio State.

Joe Germaine's Ohio State career per The Ohio State Media Guide:

Joe Germaine proved in two seasons as a backup that he was a fine quarterback. But it was 1998, his senior year as the starter and team co-captain, when  he set 11 school records  while throwing for 3,330 yards and 25 touchdowns, that separated him from other OSU quarterbacks.

He was the Chicago Tribune’s Silver Football Award winner  as the  Big Ten MVP  that year and he led OSU to the No. 1 national ranking for a then-school-record 10 consecutive weeks. He also was named by the conference coaches as the  Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year.

No Ohio State fan will ever forget his  heroics in the 1997 Rose Bowl  as he calmly directed the Buckeyes 65 yards in 12 plays in the final 1:40 for the winning touchdown (a five-yard touchdown pass to David Boston with 19 seconds left). Germaine threw for 6,370 yards and 56 touchdowns in three seasons. The Mesa, Arizona, product played five seasons in the NFL.
 

Joe Germaine's Career Statistics

Year	GP	Att.	Comp.	Yards	TDs	Int.
1996	12	147	80	1,193	15	4
1997	13	210	129	1,847	16	9
1998	12	384	230	3,330	25	7
Total	37	741	439	6,370	56	20

Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide and Wikipedia

Chris Gamble, CB/WR (2000-2003)
Born: 1983 (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
High School: Nova (Davie, FL)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 37-11 with Gamble on the team.
2002 National Champion.
2002 Big Ten Title.
2003 Defeated No. 1 Miami 31-24 in 2OT to win the Fiesta Bowl National Championship Game.
2004 Defeated No. 8 Kansas State 35-28 to win the Fiesta Bowl.
2001 Defeated That Team 26-20.
2002 Defeated That Team 14-9.

Honors
2002 Team MVP.
2002 All-Big Ten.
2003 All-Big Ten.

To say that Chris Gamble was a special player is an understatement. He started his Ohio State career as a wide receiver and return man. He finished his career as both a starter at receiver and corner back.

Gamble's ability to play both sides of the ball at an exceptional level was a key to Ohio State's national championship in 2002. I find it hard to believe that Gamble did not earn All-American honors.

Chris Gamble's senior season per ohiostatebuckeyes.com:

Gamble enjoyed an equally spectacular year. After starting the first eight games at flanker, he also started the last five at cornerback, becoming the first two-way regular for the Buckeyes in nearly 40 years. In three of the Buckeyes final four games, the 6-2, 180-pound Gamble took part in more than 100 plays, including 128 in the overtime victory at Illinois.

In addition to being on the receiving end of 29 passes in his role as a flanker, Gamble, a product of Sunrise, Fla., also picked off a team-high 4 interceptions, broke up 6 passes and was in on 19 tackles.

All four of Gamble's interceptions were game savers, including his 40-yard touchdown return against Penn State that accounted for Ohio State's only TD in a 13-7 victory. Two of his picks came in the end zone.

The versatile Gamble, who was named to a first-team All-Big Ten berth, also led the team in punt returns and was second in kickoff returns.

 

Gamble's highlights from the Penn State game in 2002 per Wikipedia:

The game featured Chris Gamble starting on both offense and defense (which had last occurred for Ohio State in 1963) and playing  89 of the game's 138 plays  (51 on defense, 31 on offense, and 7 on punt returns). (Lindy's p. 50)  After Krenzel's fumble, Gamble caught the Penn State defender from behind at the OSU 41, preventing a touchdown return, and two plays later A.J. Hawk ended the threat with his second interception of the year.

The key play of the game, however, came on the first series of the 3rd quarter with Penn State in possession and having the lead, 7–3. Gamble  "jumped the route"  of the Penn State receiver, intercepted the ball at the Nittany Lion 40, and  returned it down the sideline for a touchdown,the only one scored by Ohio State in the game.

The Pick-Six:

Ohio State defeated Penn State 13-7.

Gamble's Ohio State career per Wikipedia:

 

While Gamble only played three years at Ohio State,  he was an integral part of the 2002 National Championship team, which went 14-0. Gamble played all 3 ways at Ohio State, earning 1st Team All-Big Ten honors, and 3rd Team All-America honors for cornerback.

Gamble had 4 interceptions for the 2002 season, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Gamble was known for his game-breaking ability in all facets of the game, including defense, offense, and kick returning.

In 38 games, he started 18 times on defense and 12 times on offense  (started on both offense and defense in five contests in 2002).  Recorded 65 tackles (51 solos) with three stops behind the line of scrimmage,  seven interceptions and 21 pass deflections.

He also caught 40 passes for 609 yards (15.2 avg.), rushed six times for 68 yards (11.3 avg.) with a touchdown, returned 60 punts for 467 yards (7.8 avg.) and had 18 kickoff returns for 384 yards (21.3 avg.).

Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide, ohiostatebuckeyes.com and Wikipedia

 

Ted Ginn, Jr., WR (2004-06)
Born: 1985 (Cleveland)
High School: Glenville

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 30-7 with Ginn on the team.
2005 Big Ten Title.
2006 Big Ten Title.
2004 Defeated Oklahoma State 33-7 to win the Alamo Bowl.
2006 Defeated No. 5 Notre Dame 34-20 to win the Fiesta Bowl.
2006 Defeated No. 2 Texas 24-7 in Austin.
2004 Defeated That Team 37-21.
2005 Defeated That Team 25-21.
2006 Defeated That Team 42-39.

Honors
2006 All-American.
2006 All-Big Ten.
2005 Academic All-Big Ten.

 

Ted Ginn, Jr. was an electric wide receiver and return specialist. In his senior year in high school Ginn was named USA Today's and SuperPrep Nationals Defensive Player of the year. Many thought Ginn was going to be a stud at cornerback. However, he made his mark on offense and special teams.

Ginn holds the following return records for Ohio State: 4 punt return touchdowns for a season (2004), 6 punt return touchdowns for a career, highest punt return yards per attempt in  a season (25.6, 2004) and most kickoff returns for a career (2).

Ginn's speed and and receiving skills put many of Ohio State's opponents in a bind. The Buckeyes liked to come out in the "Ted Ginn formation" where Ginn would be lined up as the lone receiver to the wide side of the field. This would either give Ginn single coverage or require the defense to shade a another defensive player to his side. This would give Smith the option of throwing to Ginn in single coverage, find the other open receiver or audible to a run. Either way Ginn's presence on the field made Ohio State's offense a defenses' nightmare.

In my opinion, Ted Ginn, Jr. is the only Ohio State player faster than Joey Galloway.

"Ted Ginn, Ted Ginn, Ted Ginn does everything." I remember hearing a song that had those lyrics during Ginn's Ohio State playing days. Ginn's speed made it possible for him to do everything. In fact, it was his speed that had him being recruited to Ohio State, but not for football.

Ginn's Ohio State career per Wikipedia:

Ginn finished his career at Ohio State with 125 receptions for 1,943 yards and 15 touchdowns in 37 games. He also rushed for 213 yards, returned 38 kickoffs for 1,012 yards, and gained 900 yards on 64 punt returns, the second highest total in Ohio State history. Overall, he gained 4,068 total yards and scored 26 touchdowns.

He set a Big Ten record for most career punt return touchdowns with 6.

Ginn earned a spot as the Buckeyes Starting receiver his sophomore year in 2005. He finished the season with 51 receptions for 803 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned 18 kickoffs for 532 yards, along with 25 punts for 250 yards.

Ginn did it to ND as well.

Entering the 2006 season, Ginn was considered by many to be a preseason candidate for the Heisman Trophy and the Biletnikoff Award. He was a second team All-American selection and finished as the Buckeyes top receiver with 59 catches for 781 yards, while adding another 706 yards and two touchdowns on special teams. Ginn returned the opening kickoff of the 2007 BCS National Championship Game for 92 yards and a touchdown. Ginn sprained his left foot when fellow Buckeye Roy Hall slid into him during the celebration following the touchdown and sat on his foot. He left the game soon after and didn't return.

 

 

An Eleven Warriors article about Ted Ginn Sr. and his biggest victory.

Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide and Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

97 days until The Game.