The state of Ohio has long produced some of the nation's premier high school talent, and other Big Ten schools continue to use this to their advantage; especially our rivals to the north.
It's certainly not uncommon to look at the University of Michigan football roster and see some familiar names from the Buckeye State. The same can be said about players on Ohio State's roster and the state of Michigan. However, because Ohio typically sees a higher number of touted high school football recruits, the Wolverines traditionally have to focus on Ohio more than the Buckeyes do on their rival state.
Saturday in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines will start seven players from the state of Ohio. For comparison's sake, the Buckeyes won't be starting a single player from their northern neighbor. Before getting into some of the current players, let's look at a few of the (in)famous players from the rivalry's past.
In the late 80's, it was a pair of teammates from Cleveland who elected to flee the Buckeye State. Quarterback Elvis Grbac probably would have ended up in Columbus had it not been for the firing of Earle Bruce. Instead, he and his do-everything high school teammate Desmond Howard remained teammates at the college level.
Grbac would go on to become a four-year starter at the University of Michigan, leading them to four Big Ten Titles and finishing his career as the school's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. Grbac also played a big part in Howard's 1991 Heisman campaign. Having played running back in high school, Howard was ultimately moved to wide receiver and would find the endzone 23 times as a junior. Grbac and Howard also connected for the game-clinching touchdown against the Irish in 1991; a play that has become known simply as "The Catch."
Depending on your age, there's a decent chance that Charles Woodson is one of your all-time top football villains. After winning Ohio's coveted "Mr. Football" award as a senior at Fremont Ross, Woodson elected to join Lloyd Carr in his first season as Michigan's head coach. The Wolverines were one of the few schools looking at Woodson as a defensive back rather than a tailback. As noted by The Newark Advocate, the Ohio standout had no plans of staying in the state.
Fulfilling his goal, he was named Ohio’s Mr. Football in a landslide. However, he had no intention of staying in-state; Woodson’s older brother, Terry Carter, was a Michigan fan, and Woodson followed suit.
Woodson at Fremont Ross High School, via
After serving in a backup role for his first two games, Woodson would then solidify himself as starting cornerback and would go on to be named the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year. Throughout his time in Ann Arbor, he would also see time on special teams and at wide receiver. Woodson seemed to be everywhere and had a knack for making the big, seemingly impossible play.
After beating out Peyton Manning for the 1997 Heisman Trophy, the former Fremont star was drafted fourth overall by the Oakland Raiders. It's easy for Buckeye fans to scoff at former Wolverines, but Charles Woodson has consistently been one of the best defensive players in the NFL; even today at the age of 39.
There have been several other noteworthy Ohioans who have found themselves playing for the Wolverines. Warren's Prescott Burgess and Massillon's Shawn Crable were two of the state's top prospects back in 2003. Crable is perhaps best known for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Troy Smith back in 2006. An illegal hit that helped the Buckeyes capture the game and secure a berth in the BCS National Championship Game.
In 2005, Mario Manningham was the No. 3 ranked player in Ohio before heading to Michigan. Pickerington's Justin Boren played for the Wolverines but saw the light after Lloyd Carr's departure and headed back to Columbus to play for the Buckeyes. Trotwood's Michael Shaw signed with the Wolverines in 2008 and proved to be a real tough guy while going 1-3 against the Buckeyes.
The 2015 Wolverine roster features 22 players from the Buckeye State. While many of them never received a scholarship offer from Ohio State, that hasn't stopped them from excelling in Ann Arbor.
Cincinnati's Joe Bolden (Colerain) signed with the Wolverines in 2012 and now finds himself as the team's top tackler and defensive captain. As the nation's No. 7 outside linebacker, Bolden had offers from Penn State, Tennessee, Miami and others. Cleveland's Willie Henry also signed with Brady Hoke in 2012. Coming from the Glenville pipeline, Henry had offers from Louisville, Pittsburgh, and a number of MAC schools. Defensive end Chris Wormley was a player the Buckeyes really wanted. Instead, the Toledo native chose to make the short trip to Ann Arbor. Both Wormley and Henry will be manning the trenches on Saturday.
Joe Bolden receiving his Under Armour All-American jersey.
Starting tailback De'Veon Smith did hold an Ohio State offer before electing to sign with the Wolverines. It can certainly be argued that the Buckeyes weren't exactly pushing for the Warren, Ohio star who pledged to Michigan nearly a year before 2013's signing day. Things worked out fine for both squads as the Buckeyes would ultimately land Ezekiel Elliott.
The Kyle Kalis saga is a familiar one for fans on both sides of the rivalry. The state's top prospect for the 2012 class, Kalis committed to Ohio State in September of 2010; stating that there was never any doubt that Columbus was where he wanted to be.
"I pretty much knew when I started playing football, I knew in my heart that's where I wanted to go," Kalis said. "Everyone was telling me to take all five of my visits and see all the schools, then the offer came and I knew I didn't want to go anywhere else."
After Jim Tressel's resignation, Kalis took a visit to Ann Arbor and pledged to the Wolverines in July of 2011. After committing to Michigan, Kalis then went on to proclaim that there would be "blood on the field" when he faces the Buckeyes. The Wolverines' starting guard is now 0-3 against Ohio State and will have one last shot to get a win and produce the blood that he promised us all way back in 2012.
"There will be blood on the field and it won't be mine. … Quote it. Let them know."
Pickerington's Jake Butt committed to Brady Hoke's Wolverines in February of 2012. The nation's No. 8 tight end for the 2013 class, Butt held offers from Stanford, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and others. Notably absent was an offer from his hometown Buckeyes who would go on to sign the country's No. 6 tight end, Marcus Baugh.
Now a junior, Butt has put together an impressive career in Ann Arbor. So far this season, he has 43 receptions for 566 yards and three scores. Butt has now topped 1,000 yards for his career.
Some other Ohioans suiting up for the Wolverines on Saturday include Alliance's Dymonte Thomas (DB), Trotwood's Mike McCray (LB), Akron's Jarrod Wilson (DB), and another former Pickerington standout—defensive end Taco Charlton.
Looking forward to the future of the Harbaugh/Meyer era, it's interesting to note that the Wolverines currently don't have a single Ohio prospect committed in their 2016 class. It will be interesting to see how much Jim Harbaugh attempts to recruit Ohio. With this summer's satellite camps, it became pretty obvious that the Wolverines' new head coach is trying to cast a wider net for Michigan's recruiting efforts.
There are some 2017 Ohioans who are being targeted by both the Wolverines and Buckeyes. Some names to keep an eye on are Cleveland wide receiver Jaylen Harris and Cincinnati tight end Matt Dotson. Michigan has also offered Mansfield athlete Tyrell Ajian, but with an already loaded 2017 defensive back class, Ohio State has yet to follow suit.
