In three days, Ohio State will host Oregon State in the 2018 season opener. Below, you will find a list of the 26 players who have worn the No. 3 since 1932.
Today's featured players are do-it-all Mike Sensibaugh, Eleven Questions Interviewee Blair Conway, Dimitrious Stanley, Brandon Saine, and Michael Thomas.
| PLAYER | WORN | B1G MVP | TEAM MVP | AA | CAPT. | 1R NFL | ALL B1G | AC AA | NFL DRAFT | AC B1G | LETTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Vidis | 1932-33 | ||||||||||
| Wilson Stump* | 1934-35 | ||||||||||
| John Rabb | 1936-37, 1939 | 1936-37, 1939 | |||||||||
| Paul Sweeney* | 1940 | ||||||||||
| Mike Sensibaugh | 1968-70 | 1970 | 1969, 1970 | 1971 | 1970 | 1968-70 | |||||
| Randy Whately | 1971 | ||||||||||
| Blair Conway | 1972-73 | 1972-73 | |||||||||
| David Budd | 1976-77 | ||||||||||
| Ted Hall | 1978-79 | ||||||||||
| Scott Woolf* | 1981 | ||||||||||
| James Palmer | 1983 | 1983 | |||||||||
| Jeff Doty | 1984-85 | ||||||||||
| Greg Beatty | 1989, 1992 | 1989, 1992 | |||||||||
| Bret Powers | 1993 | 1993 | 1993 | ||||||||
| Dimitrious Stanley* | 1994-96 | 1994-96 | |||||||||
| Essex David Mitchell | 1997-2000 | 1997-2000 | |||||||||
| Andy Groom* | 1998-99 | ||||||||||
| Brandon "Boom" Childress | 2001-04 | 2001-04 | |||||||||
| Steven Moore* | 2002 | 2002 | 2002 | ||||||||
| Ira Guilford | 2003 | 2003 | |||||||||
| Jamario O'Neal | 2005-08 | 2005-08 | |||||||||
| Brandon Saine | 2007-10 | 2010 | 2008 | 2007-10 | |||||||
| Corey "Pittsburgh" Brown | 2010-13 | 2010-13 | |||||||||
| Khaleed Franklin* | 2014 | ||||||||||
| Michael Thomas* | 2014-15 | 2016 | 2014-15 | ||||||||
| Damon Arnette* | 2016-17 | 2016, 2017 |
*Wore another number at Ohio State
Did not earn a varsity letter while wearing No. 3
Mike Sensibaugh, S/P 1968-1970
Born: 1949 (Cincinnati)
High School: Lockland
Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 27-2 with Sensibaugh on the team.
1968 National Champion.
1971 National Champion.
1968 Big Ten Title.
1969 Big Ten Title.
1970 Big Ten Title.
1969 Defeated No. 2 USC 27-16 to win the Rose Bowl and National Championship.
1968 Defeated No. 1 Purdue 13-0 in Columbus.
1968 Defeated That Team 50-14.
1970 Defeated That Team 20-9.
Honors
1969 All-Big Ten.
1970 All-American.
1970 All-Big Ten.
1970 Academic All-Big Ten.
1997 Inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.
2000 Named to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team.
Sensibaugh's senior season per The Ohio State Team Guide:
6-0, 190...from Cincinnati...Has been the regular safety man the past two seasons...an excellent athlete who repeatedly makes the great play...intercepted five passes as a sophomore and nine last season...one of the top safety men in college football.
The regular punter for two years, averaging 37.2 in 1968 and 27.4 in 1969...played freshman basketball at Ohio State but has since concentrated on football.
Very durable and competitive...a jarring tackler...married and has an infant daughter...was an all-Ohio quarterback at Lockland High...captained his football and basketball teams...once had touchdown runs of 80, 40 and 50 yards in one quarter of a high school game.
I have a feeling that Mike Sensibaugh might be the most well-rounded Ohio State player some of you had never heard of.
Not only does he hold the Ohio State career record with 22 interceptions, but he was the punter and best punt returner on the team.
Sensibaugh's Ohio State career per ohiostatebuckeyes.com:
Mike Sensibaugh was a two-time all-Big Ten selection and a 1970 All-American. The three-year starter was a member of Ohio State's 1968 National Championship football team. In the 1969 Rose Bowl, Sensibaugh set a record with 319 punting yards. He also set the OSU record for single season (9) and career interceptions (22).
Owns the individual record for season interception yards with 125 (nine returns) in 1969, and for career interception yards with 248 (22 returns).
Blair Conway, K (1972-73)
Born: Cleveland
High School: Midpark (Middleburg Heights)
Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 19-2-1 during Conway's career.
1972 Big Ten Title.
1973 Big Ten Title.
1974 Defeated No. 7 USC 42-21 to win the Rose Bowl.
Went 1-0-1 against That Team.
1972 Defeated No. 3 That Team 14-11.
Records
- Conway led the Big Ten in scoring in 1973.
- Set an all-time OSU record for most extra points made in a season (45) in 1973.
- Made 8 extra points against Minnesota in 1973. At the time it was the second most made in a game in Ohio State history.
- Attempted 9 extra points against Northwestern in 1973. At the time it was the second most attempts in Ohio State history.
- Conway finished his career with 90 attempted extra points which was the most in Ohio State history at the time. Today that total ranks 10th all-time.
Conway's senior bio per the Ohio State Team Guide:
5-7, 157...from Middleburg Heights...Was the regular extra point kicker and field goal specialist last season...made 26 of 35 conversions and five of nine field goals in 1972...improved range by mid-season...made a 39 yard field goal against California and a 44 yarder against Michigan State...was used some for kickoffs in 1972.
Smallest man on the squad...attended Ashland College the first two years.
An interview with Mr. Conway from 2014.
Dimitrious Stanley, WR (1993-96)
High School: Thomas Worthington
Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 41-8-1 with Stanley on the team.
1993 Big Ten Title.
1996 Big Ten Title.
1993 Defeated BYU 28-21 to win the Holiday Bowl.
1997 Defeated No. 4 Arizona State 20-17 to win the Rose Bowl.
1996 Defeated No. 5 Notre Dame 29-16 in South Bend.
1994 Defeated That Team 22-6.
Dimitrious had many fine plays during his Ohio State career, but I will always remember him for his performance in the 1997 Rose Bowl; Per dieharddevil.com:
Stanley's senior bio per The Ohio State Team Guide:
5-10, 181...from Worthington, Ohio...Played behind All-American Terry Glenn last year and hopes to take over as the starter this year...spent time at both flanker and split end in the spring and will probably play both in the fall...runs precise routes, adjusts well to the ball, has good hands and quickness and is an elusive runner after he catches the ball.
His TD grab just before halftime against Notre Dame (on which he made a great adjustment while the ball was in the air) ranks as one of the most memorable plays of the season and gave Ohio State a shot of adrenaline going into the locker room.
Made an equally important, but much less publicized, play at Penn State when he fielded a punt on the dead run and returned it eight yards to set up the Buckeyes' winning touchdown (had he let the ball bounce, the Buckeyes would have started from deep in their own territory instead of the OSU 42).
First team all-Ohio as a senior in high school...averaged 6.2 yards per carry and scored 16 touchdowns...rushed for more than 2,600 yards his last two years...his father, Wayne, was an assistant coach at Ohio State between 1979 and 1983 for Earle Bruce and also played for Bruce at Iowa State...his younger brother, DeMale, a freshman player at Pittsburgh, suffered a broken neck in spring drills last March.
Stanley had many fine plays during his Ohio State career, but I will always remember him for his performance in the 1997 Rose Bowl; Per dieharddevil.com:
Then, reserve quarterback Joe Germaine was called off the bench to provide a boost to the stagnant Buckeyes offense. Germaine, born and raised in Arizona, grew up as a Sun Devils' fan but turned down a scholarship offer because the ASU coaching staff wanted him to play defensive back. Cooper's insertion of Germaine proved to be a shrewd move, because the sophomore quickly hooked up with senior flanker Demetrious Stanley for one of the biggest plays of the game.
It was a simple post route," says Stanley. "Germaine threw it right on the money. I caught it, saw the defender fall out of the corner of my eye, and all I saw was green grass ahead of me."
Rudzinski adds, "That was a huge momentum builder. When Demetrious scored, we started to feel like we were the superior team and we were going to win this game."
The 72-yard score set a record for the longest Ohio State TD pass in a bowl game.
After his Ohio State days, Stanley played in the NFL, CFL and AFL. He also was a host on WSYX's Buckeye Football Fever and was on 97.1 The Fan.
Stanley's 72-yard Rose Bowl TD. You'll hear Dick Vermeil say "I would have stayed with Stanley Jackson.":
Stanley set the tone with the opening kickoff against Notre Dame in 1996:
Ohio State did not invent football, but they've owned Notre Dame
the last four times they have played:
1995, 45-26
1996, 29-16
2006, 34-20
2016, 44-28
Brandon Saine, RB (2007-2010)
Born: 1988 (Piqua, Ohio)
High School: Piqua
Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 44-8 with Saine on the team.
2007 Big Ten Title.
2008 Big Ten Title.
2009 Big Ten Title.
2010 Defeated No. 7 Oregon 26-17 to win the Rose Bowl.
2011 Defeated No. 8 Arkansas 31-26 to win the Sugar Bowl.
2007 Defeated That Team 14-3.
2008 Defeated That Team 42-7
2009 Defeated That Team 21-10.
2010 Defeated That Team 37-7.
Honors
2010 Captain.
2009 Rex Kern Award for outstanding back from Ohio State coaches.
2008 Academic All-Big Ten.
Saine's senior bio per The Ohio State Team Guide:
6-1, 219...from Piqua, Ohio...Talented offensive threat with a combination of break-away speed and power...also a capable receiver...1,071 career rushing yards...stalwart contributor who will be a leader on the Ohio State offense.
Ohio's 2006 Mr. Football after rushing for 1,895 yards and 27 touchdowns on 259 carries and totaling 412 yards on 30 pass receptions as a senior...Parade All-American...runs a 4.35 40-yard dash...rated as the No. 2 overall prospect in Ohio...garnered all-state, all-conference and conference player of the year honors as a junior and senior.
Rushed for 240 yards on 30 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead Piqua to the 2006 Division II state championship...100 and 400-meter Division I state track champion.
Saine's high school and Ohio State careers per Wikipedia:
He played high school football and ran track for the Piqua Indians. Saine was compared to Reggie Bush while entering his Freshman year at Ohio State, due to his ability to be a jack of all trades, running, blocking and even spending time in the slot as a WR. Saine has been officially timed at 4.4 seconds in the forty yard dash, although he has been unofficially timed at 4.25 seconds.
He had speed to burn:
Saine also lettered in track at Piqua and currently holds the Ohio Division I record in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 10.38, which he set in 2006. He had four state track titles and a national championship in the 60-meter dash.
Imagine if Saine had played for Urban Meyer and company.
Saine's Ohio State highlight film:
Michael Thomas, WR (2012-2015)
High School: Northmont (Dayton, Ohio)
Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 50-4 with Thomas on the team.
2012 Undefeated Season.
2012 Big Ten Leaders Title.
2013 Big Ten Leaders Title.
2014 National Champion.
2014 Big Ten Title.
2014 Big Ten East Title.
2015 Big Ten East Title.
2016 Big Ten East Title.
Defeated No. 1 Alabama 42-35 to win the 2015 Sugar Bowl.
Defeated No. 2 Oregon 42-20 to win the 2015 CFP National Championship.
Defeated No. 8 Notre Dame 44-28 to win the 2016 Fiesta Bowl.
Went 4-0 against That Team.
Thomas' junior season bio per the Ohio State Team Guide:
6-3, 212...from Los Angeles, CA...Michael Thomas has size, speed, leverage, great hands and tremendous athleticism to go along with dedication and determination to be the best receiver he can be...he is always working on improving his skills and, as a result, expect this fourth-year junior who led the Buckeyes in receiving last year to be a leader once again and one of the top receivers in the nation in 2015.
Thomas has become a go-to and throw-to receiver with 57 career receptions for 821 yards, a 14.4-yards-per catch average and nine touchdowns...he makes big plays, with five touchdowns over 25 yards and three over 50 yards...he has a current streak of at least one reception in 16 consecutive games...has at least two receptions in 14 of his last 15 games.
Thomas produced a highlight reel of a 2010 senior season at Woodland Hills Taft HS, located in the San Fernando Valley...he caught 86 passes for a state-leading 1,656 yards and 21 touchdowns and was called the most improved player "by a landslide" in Southern California in November 2010 by the Los Angeles Times.
Named first-team all-city as a senior, and the No. 98 receiver nationally by Scout...attended Fork Union Military Academy in Fall of 2011 and roomed with Cardale Jones...Thomas is the son of Michael Thomas, Sr., and he is a nephew to former NFL star Keyshawn Johnson.
| NAME | YEAR | ROUND | PICK | POSITION | TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIKE SENSIBAUGH | 1971 | 8 | 191 | DB | CHIEFS |
| MICHAEL THOMAS | 2016 | 2 | 47 | WR | SAINTS |
| 99 | 98 | 97 | 96 | 95 | 94 | 93 | 92 | 91 | 90 |
| 89 | 88 | 87 | 86 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 80 |
| 79 | 78 | 77 | 76 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 71 | 70 |
| 69 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 65 | 64 | 63 | 62 | 61 | 60 |
| 59 | 58 | 57 | 56 | 55 | 54 | 53 | 52 | 51 | 50 |
| 49 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 42 | 41 | 40 |
| 39 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 30 |
| 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 |
| 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
86 days until The Game.
