"Man that 2020 Michigan game is going to be great!
"The rest of the slate sucks, but at least we'll get this one for our last home game as students."
-David Wertheim, 2019.
The first game I saw in the Horseshoe as a student was in 2017. Ohio State took a 3-3 tie into the locker room but got dominated in the second half and lost to Oklahoma 31-16. Then Baker Mayfield planted a flag.
Thankfully, Ohio State did not lose a game in that building for the remainder of my time as a student.
I arrived at Ohio State in August 2017, just a few months after some guys named Okudah, Young, Wade, and Martell.
The 2017 class was a smorgasbord. Young and Okudah were drafted in the top-five, with J.K. Dobbins joining them a few picks later. Tate Martell transferred and switched positions. Amir Riep was dismissed from the university. Trevon Grimes and Brendon White moved on to new schools and have enjoyed some success.
But. Some are still here.
Shaun Wade and Wyatt Davis both opted out and back in. Josh Myers and Thayer Munford are anchoring a strong offensive line. Pete Werner, Haskell Garrett, and Shaun Wade lead their respective defensive units.
To @petewerner23: Your growth as a football player & as a man has been remarkable to watch. Your future is incredibly bright. Thank you for all you have given to our program. #BuckeyeSeniorDay #GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/mBQiYP2X1v
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 12, 2020
They have been through a lot. A heartbreaking playoff snub in 2017 followed by a crushing loss to Purdue and Urban Meyer's retirement at the end of the season. An undefeated campaign in 2019 came to a crashing halt against Clemson while this season has been overshadowed by COVID-19 concerns.
And it has been really hard to watch this season. It's really not fair. For all the talk that the 2020 graduating seniors got because their college career was abruptly ended. Well what about the class of 2021? About 31% of my college experience has now taken place virtually. I missed out on a whole year of watching games in the 'Shoe, playing intramural basketball, and even going to the Scott Traditions all-you-can-eat buffet. But nobody cares.
I remember my first college class. It was a history course that focused on the prophets in the Bible. The professor had a doctorate from Harvard and was tenured. I'm sure you all know how that class went.
To @TMunford75: All you have ever done is proved people wrong. Your success on & off the field is the result of immense dedication & hard work, but it is only the beginning of all you have coming your way. #BuckeyeSeniorDay #GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/xgVuSyslDm
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 12, 2020
It was a stark contrast to my German marketing professor from last semester, my penultimate semester, who wore a collared shirt, said "right?" after every sentence, and canceled our final exam. And my history professor from Dayton, who really taught me how to compose a paper (always in past tense!).
People grow up at Ohio State in different ways. It means something a little different to everyone.
That is certainly the case on the football team, where Justin Hilliard spent six seasons grinding in preparation for his role this year, when he finally, in his final season, is playing big minutes and making key plays.
It's different for Jonathon Cooper, who sat out and watched his teammates play in another Big Ten Championship game and College Football Playoff, just so he would be eligible this year.
To @JonathonCooper7: What can we possibly say? You've made this team better. You've made your community better. You've made all of us better for having known you.
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 12, 2020
Thank you for your perseverance. Thank you for your legacy. Its a real one. #BuckeyeSeniorDay #GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/faoeccLtws
It's different for Haskell Garrett, another 2017 kid who is one of college football's best stories this year, recovering after being shot in the face just a few weeks before the season started to lead Ohio State's defensive line unit.
And it's different for me, a 2017 kid who was on academic probation after his first semester and will leave on the Dean's List.
This day wasn't supposed to be about me. It's supposed to celebrate the men who left their heart and soul on the football field. Scholarships, or walk-ons. But in 2019, against Penn State, I made it a point to watch the Senior Day festivities and I'm glad I did.
I sat through the ovations and cheers, noting that, hey, "Next year this will be you." Of course I'll never get to run onto a field surrounded by 100,000 people standing and cheering for my accomplishments, but I didn't make big plays on Saturday, unless you count Fan Takes, so that's fine. But for a second, I'd be able to think about the guys who came in with me in 2017, guys who seemed larger-than-life to a kid growing up in Cincinnati, and be proud that I got to be a part of some incredible traditions.
So what's the point here?
There really isn't one. Take from this what you will. But Senior Day can mean a lot to those who aren't even on the team.
To @josh_myers71: What you see is what you get, and what we have seen is nothing but an authentic, relentless, driven man. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your toughness. Thank you for everything. #BuckeyeSeniorDay #GoBuckeyes pic.twitter.com/vgUtdPfQst
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 12, 2020
