Patrick Gurd has been raised to be a Buckeye from the day he was born.
Gurd’s father, Andy, was a linebacker at Ohio State from 1987-91. As such, Ohio State football has always been a part of Gurd’s life, as he and his family regularly made trips to Ohio Stadium to attend Buckeye games throughout his childhood.
“I think from early on, there were probably some onesies that were OSU football attire when he was very young, I'm sure,” Andy Gurd told Eleven Warriors.
That made it all the more special for the Gurd family when Ohio State offered Patrick the opportunity to join the Buckeyes as a preferred walk-on. Gurd was also recruited by several MAC schools, but the opportunity to play for the school he’s always known was one he couldn’t pass up.
“Growing up a Buckeye fan, I always loved it, I was always going to the games here,” Patrick Gurd said this week. “When I got the opportunity to, I just felt like it was the right choice due to the football here and then also the academics.”
Given his family’s Ohio State roots, just being a member of the Ohio State football team was meaningful in itself for Gurd. But that opportunity has become even more meaningful this season as Gurd has become a notable on-field contributor.
“It's always been a dream of mine to play for Ohio State,” Gurd said. “I just know it makes my family proud that I'm here and able to wear scarlet and gray. And showing them I can do it, and then being able to play on the field as well, show them that I’ve taken that next step, it's really cool for me.”
The fourth-year tight end from nearby New Albany, Ohio, saw the most significant action of his Ohio State career to date last weekend against Rutgers. With Cade Stover sidelined by a knee injury, Gurd played 14 snaps as the Buckeyes’ No. 2 tight end behind Gee Scott Jr. He was on the field for two of the Buckeyes’ four touchdowns, including a 9-yard touchdown run by TreVeyon Henderson, which he said was his favorite moment of the game.
“I got to hit someone pretty good on that play,” Gurd said.
TreVeyon Henderson is making plays again this week. @TreVeyonH4 x @OhioStateFB
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 4, 2023
: CBS pic.twitter.com/CPKMla6DRy
Gurd has seen playing time in six of Ohio State’s nine games so far this season, playing a total of 28 offensive snaps while also contributing on the kickoff return and punt return teams. That playing time has come partially out of necessity; Joe Royer has battled injuries, Bennett Christian was suspended for the season after testing positive for a banned substance and Jelani Thurman is still a true freshman learning how to play the position at the collegiate level. But Ryan Day said it’s also a testament to all the hard work Gurd has put in since he arrived at Ohio State in 2020.
“It starts with just showing up every day with no expectations other than trying to get better. And some days you wake up and you find yourself on the field,” Day said. “This is somebody who came in, non-scholarship, and he's earned his way on the field. Certainly when you're in a walk-on situation, you have to earn everything you get, and he's done that. And he's earned the respect of the guys on the team. And he's a physical guy, he's a tough guy, and no-nonsense. And when you play that position, it takes time to learn all the job descriptions, and so it’s good to see him on the field and good to see him participating and certainly making an impact on the offense.”
Gurd has shown his teammates he deserves the opportunity to play.
“He's the type of guy who I wouldn't be surprised if he got a scholarship after the season,” said defensive end Jack Sawyer. “I think he's earned everything, he's a great guy, and I'm just super happy for him.”
Gurd didn’t know if that opportunity to play would ever come when he started his Ohio State career in 2020. His freshman year was challenging, he said, as he acclimated to life as a Buckeye in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of his sophomore year, however, Gurd started to feel like he had a chance to become a contributor. Once he started earning playing time on special teams last year, Gurd gained more confidence in his potential to help the team.
“There’s definitely been some days where it's been harder. But I mean, if you don’t have those days and if you can't move past those days, then you're gonna get stuck. And it just kind of helped shape me into who I am today, and I'm grateful for those days,” Gurd said.
Gurd’s “big brother” on the team when he started his Ohio State career was Mitch Rossi, who also started his Ohio State career as a walk-on but went on to become a substantial contributor for the Buckeyes as a tight end/fullback. Rossi’s success as a Buckeye inspired Gurd to believe he could earn a role in Ohio State’s offense, too.
“Seeing that Mitch had that role on special teams my freshman year here, and then him getting the roles with (former offensive coordinator) Kevin Wilson here and being able to help the team out at tight end, I knew like, ‘If he can do it, I can do it,’” Gurd said.
“He's the type of guy who I wouldn't be surprised if he got a scholarship after the season.”– Jack Sawyer on Patrick Gurd
It also helped that Gurd could lean on his father, who knows all about what it takes to be a Buckeye. Andy Gurd was a 10-game starter during his own Ohio State career, recording 91 total tackles in 28 career games. And it’s clear the lessons Andy Gurd taught his son growing up are still resonating with Patrick to this day; Patrick said Wednesday that the biggest thing he’s learned from his father is that attitude and effort are the two things one can always control, and that’s exactly what Andy told Eleven Warriors on Thursday when asked how he helped Patrick work through the challenging times early in his Ohio State career.
Andy Gurd says he’d be proud of his son even if Patrick wasn’t playing any snaps for the Buckeyes, as he’s even more proud of the person Patrick has become than he is of his son’s football accomplishments. But it certainly brings a smile to the elder Gurd’s face to see his son on the field wearing the same No. 49 that he wore for Ohio State himself.
“As you might imagine, it's terrific,” Andy Gurd said. “We're blessed in so many ways. And to see our son out there and contributing, it's a really nice feeling. It's a great feeling to see the hard work and the dedication that he's put into it paying off.
“My wife and I would be incredibly proud of him if he didn't see the field, just with what he's put into this, and his passion for the brotherhood, for his teammates, for his unitmates at tight end, for the coaches. I mean, he admires and loves them all. They are a family, and they take care of each other. And I think that having that experience in life is invaluable. But to put on top of that, earning your way to be able to get time on the field, is the cherry on top.”
“I just know it makes my family proud that I'm here and able to wear scarlet and gray. And showing them I can do it, and then being able to play on the field as well, show them that I’ve taken that next step, it's really cool for me.”– Patrick Gurd on playing for the Buckeyes
Whether Patrick’s increased playing time against Rutgers will lead to a continued role on offense when Stover returns to action remains uncertain. He’s shown to be a solid run blocker when he’s been on the field – an unsurprising strength of his game considering he played in a Wing-T offense in high school – which gives him a case to be in the tight end rotation, at least in multi-tight end formations.
Gurd says he just wants to help the team win in any way he can.
“I feel like I've been able to show myself and show that I can help my team when needed. And it's just good to be able to get on the field and help the guys out,” Gurd said.
