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Could the '17 Class Rival the Super Sophs as the Buckeyes' Best Ever?

+6 HS
buckeye phi's picture
February 2, 2017 at 5:18pm
42 Comments

OK, OK.  So - when it comes to comparing any class to the Super Sophs, the old-timers are going to cry, "sacrilege!"  And the millennials are going to ask, "who?"

But I noticed this article by Doug Lesmerises on cleveland.com - and it got me thinking about some of the all-time great classes in Ohio State football history.  Specifically, 1967. 

Yes.  Fifty years ago, the legendary Woody Hayes recruited what was to become the most successful class in Buckeye history (as far as winning championships is concerned).  In fact, two of Ohio State's eight national championships were won during their tenure.

The class that created the 1968 Super Sophs, who led the Buckeyes to the national championship that season and who over three seasons went 27-2, will be difficult for any group to top.

They came in with hype -- the group included 11 high school All-Americans -- and lived up to it. 

New Jersey defensive back Jack Tatum; Lancaster, Ohio quarterback Rex Kern; and defensive lineman Jim Stillwagon, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, would become College Football Hall of Famers. They were joined by three other members of the class -- fullback John Brockington, tight end Jan White and defensive back Mike Sensibaugh -- on Ohio State's All-Century team.

Brockington, Tatum, Tim Anderson and Leo Hayden were all picked in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft, among the 13 members of the 1967 recruiting class drafted that year. 

Not too shabby, eh?  Think about it:  OSU's leader in interceptions for a season and a career - even to this day - seemed like almost an afterthought in that listing.  They were that impressive.

Naturally, the recruiting ratings services we've all grown accustomed to didn't exist in those days.  But there can be little doubt Woody knew he had a special group coming in half a century ago. 

If our most recent recruiting class can achieve anything even approaching that kind of greatness - this will be one happy ol' Buckeye -

 

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