We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.
No. 75 Orlando Pace
OT Orlando Pace
1994-1996
b. Nov. 4, 1975 (Sandusky, Ohio)
- Big Ten Freshman of the Year (1994)
- B1G Offensive Player of the Year (1996)
- Unanimous All-American (1995, '96)
- Lombardi Award (1995, '96)
- Outland Trophy (1996)
- UPI Lineman of the Year (1996)
- College Football Hall of Fame (2013)
Orlando Pace was the easiest choice of this entire project.
Pace earned a starting position on Ohio State's offensive line on his first day of preseason camp and went on to start every game for the next three years.
Pace, the inventor of the pancake block in 1996 — in which an offensive lineman puts a defensive lineman on his back — did not allow a sack during the '95 and '96 seasons while showcasing a devastating downfield blocking ability.
Pace finished his junior campaign fourth in Heisman voting, which was the best finish for a Buckeye lineman since John Hicks placed second in 1973.
Pace earned consensus All-Big Ten and unanimous All-American honors in 1995 and '96, as well as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and the Chicago Tribune's Silver Football in 1996.
The St. Louis Rams selected Pace with the first overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft. He started on the 1999 Super Bowl championship team.
Taken by the St. Louis Rams as first overall pick in the 1997 NFL draft, Pace was a member of the the 1999 Super Bowl championship team. He is a member of the College Football and NFL Halls of Fame.
His 1996 Heisman commercial can be seen below:
