Ohio State football mourns the unfortunate passing of Jim Stillwagon, a defensive tackle for the 1968 and 1970 national champion Buckeyes. Ohio State officials confirmed his passing this afternoon during the Ohio State men's basketball game against Illinois at Value City Arena. He was 68 years old.
Official cause of his passing has not been released, but Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch cited heart issues that Stillwagon was having later in his life.
Ohio State fans will remember Jim Stillwagon was part of the "super sophomores" that propelled Ohio State to an undefeated national championship season in 1968. Alongside legendary classmates like Rex Kern, Jack Tatum, Leo Hayden, Mike Sensibaugh, Jan White, and Bruce Jankowski, Stillwagon was a force in Ohio State's interior defensive line during a stretch in which the Buckeyes lost only two games in three years.
His contributions were not lost on those closest to the team during his time there. Ohio State's defensive coordinator at that time, Lon McCullough, told United Press International in 1970 that Stillwagon was the team's best defensive player. Stillwagon commanded double and triple teams on a defense that allowed players like Jack Tatum and Mike Sensibaugh to shine in the defensive backfield.
His dominance resulted in numerous accolades as a junior and senior. He was a two-time All-American in 1969 and 1970. He won the Outland Trophy and UPI Lineman of the Year honors in 1970. He was also the first-ever winner of the Lombardi Award given annually to the best linebacker or lineman in college football. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991.
Stillwagon was drafted in the fifth round of the 1971 NFL Draft but his professional glory came in Canada. Hie played for the Toronto Argonauts from 1971 to 1975. He was an all-star in 1971, 1972, and 1974. The Argonauts named him an "All-Time Argo" in 2009.
Stillwagon left quite the legacy at Ohio State as a pivotal contributor to one of Ohio State's best ever four-year classes. Without his contributions to the defensive line, the "Super Sophomores" would not be what we herald them as today.
Our thoughts are with Stillwagon's family and friends as they mourn his passing.
