The College Football Hall of Fame could welcome three more Buckeyes soon.
Thursday, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced the ballot for the 2018 class. It includes former Ohio State greats Keith Byars, Jim Otis, and Chris Ward. Only three nominees a year per school can advance past the screening committee.
KEITH BYARS
Ranks seventh at Ohio State in career rushing yards with 3,200, sixth with 4,369 all-purpose yards and second with 50 touchdowns scored ... he was a unanimous All-American and Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1984 when he led the nation in rushing with a then-school record 1,764 yards, in all-purpose yards (a still-standing school record of 2,441 yards) and in scoring (144 points).
JIM OTIS
A member of the 1968 national championship team and a consensus All-American in 1968 ... he is one of only four Buckeyes to lead the team in rushing for three seasons ... ranks 15th at Ohio State in rushing with 2,542 career yards.
CHRIS WARD
Helped Ohio State win four consecutive Big Ten Conference championships ... a two-time All-American, including consensus honors in 1976 and unanimous honors in 1977 ... named first-team all-Big Ten Conference three times ... helped pave the way for Archie Griffin's second Heisman Trophy season.
The announcement of the 2018 class will occur Jan. 8 in Atlanta.
Current Buckeyes in the Hall:
| PLAYER | POSITION | YEARS | INDUCTED |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHIC HARLEY | HB | 1916-17, 19 | 1951 |
| G. STINCHCOMB | HB | 1917-20 | 1973 |
| WES FESLER | E | 1928-30 | 1954 |
| GOMER JONES | C | 1934-1935 | 1978 |
| GUST ZARNAS | G | 1935-1937 | 1975 |
| BILL WILLIS | T | 1942-44 | 1971 |
| LES HORVATH | QB | 1940-42, 44 | 1969 |
| WARREN AMLING | G/T | 1944-46 | 1984 |
| JIM DANIEL | T | 1939-41 | 1977 |
| VIC JANOWICZ | HB | 1949-51 | 1976 |
| H. CASSADY | HB | 1952-55 | 1979 |
| JIM PARKER | G | 1943-46 | 1974 |
| A. THOMAS | G | 1955-1957 | 1989 |
| ARCHIE GRIFFIN | TB | 1972-75 | 1986 |
| JIM STILLWAGON | MG | 1968-70 | 1991 |
| BOB FERGUSON | FB | 1959-61 | 1996 |
| RANDY GRADISHAR | LB | 1971-73 | 1998 |
| JOHN HICKS | T | 1970, '72-72 | 2001 |
| JACK TATUM | DB | 1968-70 | 2004 |
| JIM HOUSTON | E | 1957-58 | 2005 |
| REX KERN | QB | 1968-70 | 2007 |
| CHRIS SPIELMAN | LB | 1984-87 | 2009 |
| EDDIE GEORGE | RB | 1992-95 | 2012 |
| ORLANDO PACE | LT | 1994-96 | 2014 |
| TOM COUSINEAU | LB | 1975-78 | 2016 |
