Ohio State's 2015 senior class has a chance to win its 50th game over a four-year period New Year's Day in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame. Before kickoff in their final collegiate game, Eleven Warriors will take a brief look back at each player's time in Columbus.
Where he's From
Joel Hale was an early-enrollee in Ohio State's 2011 recruiting class who came to play for the Buckeyes despite the sanctions looming from the infamous tattoo scandal.
A native of Greenwood, Indiana, Hale earned the state's Mr. Football award as a senior at Center Grove High School 2010. He was Indiana's fourth-rated prospect as a three-star defensive tackle — the position at which he started and finished his career at Ohio State, with a stop on the offensive line in between.
Top Moments
Hale did a bit of shuffling throughout his five years at Ohio State. He spent the 2014 season working with the offensive line after his first three years were spent on defense.
An injury, though, forced him to redshirt.
He moved back to defense to provide the Buckeyes with interior depth this past season and started when Tommy Schutt went down with a wrist injury after the Penn State game.
Hale's numbers are pedestrian at best; he has recorded just 32 tackles in his career. But his willingness to change positions and his ability to provide Ohio State with depth at difficult positions is what has made him a big part of the program.
“He’s one of my favorite players,” Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said of Hale earlier this season. “He’s a guy who loves Ohio State. He’s one of the toughest guys on the team. He’s a guy who is an inspiration, pushes guys, grinds guys."
Overarching Contribution to Program
Hale has always been looked at as one of Ohio State's best leaders, despite the fact he hasn't seen a large number of snaps throughout his career. Meyer has always lauded his leadership capabilities.
"He's a guy with some captain qualities," Meyer said earlier this season.
Joel Hale before Ohio State played Michigan. SPOILER: Everyone listened. https://t.co/20xCAG2mg4
— Ramzy Nasrallah (@ramzy) December 4, 2015
As a career backup, Hale's embraced his role and become one of Ohio State's more vocal players. His teammates listen to everything he says and he has the respect of everyone in the Buckeyes' locker room. That has come over a five-year career.
"I'm the old head around here," Hale said this season. "I've learned a whole lot from every single coach that I've had. It's almost a blessing in disguise. I get to learn different coaching techniques. I get to learn how to lead different kinds of people. It's exciting."
Where he's headed
Hale is not destined for a professional playing career, but he graduated in December of 2014 with a degree in family resource management.
Meyer hopes he goes into another field, though.
"I believe he should coach some day," Meyer said this season. "He knows how I feel about that. He certainly has a position here if he wants it, that’s how strong everyone feels about him here.”
More Joel Hale
- Buckeye Sports Bulletin's Jeff Svoboda with a strong column on why Hale decided to return for a fifth year instead of moving on.
- Joel Hale's fire mixtape cover.
