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Top Ten Buckeyes Eligible for the PFHOF not in the PFHOF

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UniotoTank55's picture
February 10, 2016 at 5:18pm
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Not too long ago I posted a forum on the ten buckeyes in the Professional Football Hall of Fame.  However, there are a number of great buckeyes not in the hall that had very successful pro careers, and some of them probably deserve to be in the hall of fame.  So here they are, ten to one:

10. Eddie George, RB, 1996-2004

The way my career ended had an impact on me the first few years because I had no idea what to do next. It wasn't really until about 3-4 years ago when I really started to turn around and become more responsible about where I was and not being in this funk, in this depression and so forth.

Eddie George on what football meant to him, he has since found a purpose on Broadway

I doubt I need to go in depth about the only offensive skill player on this list, whose awards include a heisman trophy.  Eddie is arguably the second best running back in a history of great running backs at the Ohio State University.

The entirety of his nine season pro career was with the Tennessee Titans.  George was a workhorse back, totalling 2,865 career rushing attempts (14th all time for the NFL).  In these attempts, he racked up 10,441 yards (27th) and 68 TDs (34th).  He was named the 1996 NFL offensive rookie of the year, and made four pro bowls with one first team all-pro in his stint with the Titans.

The primary problem for George when looking at his career is his yards/carry average.  He averaged only 3.6 yards for each rush on his career.  The worst in the PFHOF is Jerome Bettis with 3.9.  True, his offensive line wasn’t that good, but his career is not of hall of fame caliber, unfortunately.

9. Jim Lachey, OT, 1985-1995

We were never going to help Jim Lachey, whether it be against Lawrence Taylor, Bruce Smith, Clyde Simmons, Pat Swilling. General Manager said. In his heyday, Jim Lachey was going to block one man -- by himself. He did it during the years he played for us as well as anybody did it in the National Football League.

Former Redskins GM Charley Casserly

As a Buckeye, Lachey was an all-american and the main highway clearer for Keith Byars.

As a pro, his career existed in three phases.  After being drafted to the San Diego Chargers with the twelfth pick in 1985, his first three seasons were fairly productive.  He reached his first of three pro bowls in 1987.  

After the 1987 season, he was traded away to the Washington Redskins, where for the next five seasons he was one of the best left tackles in professional football.  In the span of those five seasons, he was selected to two additional pro bowls and was named first team all-pro three times.  An anchor of the line nicknamed “the hogs”, Lachey captured a super bowl ring with Washington in 1991.  During that same 1990 season, he was selected as Week 13 NFC offensive player of the week, a rare honor for an offensive lineman.

The third and final phase was after his ankle injury that caused him to miss the 1993 season.  He was the starter in 1994 and 1995, but just wasn’t the same.  He retired following 1995, as the nagging injury had become bad enough that he would no longer be the starter.

Lachey’s career is a great one, but not enough for the hall in my book.  If he doesn’t get that ankle injury he probably would be in right now..  The article I glanced at even went so far as to say he would have been a shoo-in and that he could have gone down as one of the best in pro history (Richman).

8. Jim Houston, LB, DE, 1960-1972

Coach Collier needed more talent at the position, and I bought into it. The position change meant all I had to do was stay over the tight end if he was on my side. If he wasn't, I pretty much had free reign. If the tight end was on my side, I'd pretty much beat him up and then go get the running back. That was more fun [compared to defensive end].
Houston on the switch from defensive end to linebacker.

Jim Houston was one of many, many great former buckeyes who played under coach Woody Hayes to have a successful career with the Cleveland Browns in the pros.  After becoming a two time all-american, two time team MVP, and 1959 team captain at Ohio State playing end Houston was picked up by the Browns with selection number eight of the 1960 pro draft.

Starting as a defensive end under Paul Brown for his first three seasons, it was after Blanton Collier took the helm as the Browns head coach that Houston was noted for his speed and moved to linebacker, where he found his home at the pro level.  He was known for his ability to cover tight ends, intercepting 14 passes (3 returned for a touchdown) in an era when offenses were run first.  He was the key cog of the 1964 Browns defense that shut out a Colts team led by Johnny Unitas and four other hall of fame offensive players in the NFL championship (Wright).  Accolades for Houston include four pro bowl appearances.  
While Houston had a very solid thirteen-year career in Cleveland, he didn’t do quite enough for me to say he deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  It could certainly be said that he had a successful and productive professional career, however.

7. Bob Vogel, OT, 1963-1972

I had never pass blocked before I got to the NFL. Now not only do I have to pass block, I have to pass block for Johnny Unitas. You want to talk about pressure? That was pressure.

Bob Vogel showing us that Woody did not pass

Bob is one of the hardest working, conscientious players that I had during my 33 years of being a head coach in the NFL.

Don Shula

Evidently this tackle was renowned as a master of technique.

Vogel doesn’t have much credit to his buckeye name, other than being a member of the 1961 national title team and being a team captain in 1962.

The Baltimore Colts drafted him with the fifth selection of the 1963 draft, and he would stay in Baltimore for all ten of his seasons.  He made five pro bowls and one first team all-pro.  Vogel also anchored the 1970 Colts line that blocked its way to a Super Bowl ring.

The primary reasoning for the lack of consideration Vogel has received is that he really wasn’t a strong, bruising mover like most of the tackles in the Hall of Fame.  He was a tremendous technique guy and awesome at doing what needed to be done blocking wise, but he was not laying anyone out on a run block or stonewalling defensive ends on the pass.

6. Chris Spielman, LB, 1988-1997

Football is a direct reflection of life.  There are wins, there are losses; you get knocked down, you get back up.

Chris Spielman on a belief that I have always preached.

There’s a story about Earle Bruce having to sign a petition to get Chris on the Wheaties cereal box in exchange for Chris signing on at The Ohio State University.  It was well worth it.

A two time all-american, team captain, and Lombardi award winner is what he got in exchange.  Not to mention perhaps the best individual performance against the skunk weasels we’ve ever had from a player.

After being taken by the Lions with the twenty-ninth pick of the 1988 draft, Spielman launched a career in which he was known for piling up tackles, with (unofficially) 1,181 of them in his career.  He was named to four pro bowls and a first-team all-pro selection.  He forced 13 fumbles and recovered 19 more.

While some players with Spielman’s credentials may garner some attention from the PFHOF, none has been given to Chris.  The tragic part is that he would be more qualified if he had not had a career-ending neck injury in the middle of 1997, when he was not nearly ready to retire (Cleveland).

5. Jim Marshall, DE, 1960-1979

Many times people ask coaches who their greatest player was.  It’s normally very hard to choose, but I don’t hesitate to say Jim Marshall.

Jim’s coach for most of his career, Hall of Famer Bud Grant, saying Marshall is better than Randall Mcdaniel, Ron Yary, and Paul Krause

As a Tackle at Ohio State, Marshall lettered on the 1957 championship team and was selected an all-american his junior season in 1958 before leaving a year early for the CFL.  After one year there, he switched to defense and was drafted in the fourth round of the 1959 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.  The Browns traded him away after his rookie season, a big mistake.

The Vikings scooped Jim up in the deal and he played nineteen seasons for them, making 282 consecutive starts, an NFL record at that time.  All this time he was playing on some of the best defensive lines in pro history… they were nicknamed the “Purple People Eaters” for a reason.  He also recovered a Vikings record 29 fumbles while playing for them (30 total in his career, which is twenty-fourth all-time in the NFL).  His biggest honor, however, was having his number seventy retired by the Vikings in 1999.  This is an honor a number of Vikings Hall of Famers have not received.  

Two things, from what I can tell, are keeping Marshall out of the PFHOF.  First, he has a strong lack of awards in his career, making just two pro bowls and never being first team all-pro.  Second, he is most remembered for one of the most boneheaded plays in football history, in which he picked up a fumble and ran it the wrong way into the end zone for a safety.

All that aside, Marshall deserves to be in the PFHOF.  

4. Dick Schafrath, OT, 1959-1971

The gentle giant known as Dick Schafrath was a favorite lineman of Woody Hayes.  He was never even selected first-team all Big Ten, but he did do enough to get selected in the second round of the 1959 draft by Cleveland.

In a thirteen year career with the Browns, Schafrath was known as the main road paver for backs like Jim Brown.  He made six pro bowls and was four time first-team all-pro.  He is on pro football reference’s all-1960s first team.

Of the ten players on this list, Schafrath is one of three that I really can’t see any reason why he is excluded from the hall of fame.  His charitable life after football should only contribute to his qualifications.  The only explanation I can offer is that perhaps as an older player he gets overlooked, and the backs that he blocked so well for perhaps overshadow his career.

3. Jack “The Assassin” Tatum, FS, 1971-1980

I like to believe that my best hits border on felonious assault.

Jack Tatum

As many big plays as Jack made, it let you know this guy knew where to be when the chips were down. Guys didn't want to come across the middle because getting hit by him was like getting hit by a truck. He was devastating with his timing and his angles of contact.

George Atkinson, safety who played alongside Tatum in the Raiders’ “Soul Patrol”

Tatum is arguably the hardest hitter in buckeye history.  Defensive player of the year in 1970, Tatum was an all-american that year in addition with 1969 and was three time first-team all Big Ten.

His NFL career doesn’t have that many physical accolades, as he was a pro bowler just three times and never named first-team all-pro.  But Tatum was known for flat-out laying the wood.  There are fewer players that hit harder in their careers in the NFL, as NFL films indicated by placing Tatum number six on their most feared hitters list.  Eight of the other nine players on that list are either in the HOF or likely going to be in the HOF.

The biggest reason why Tatum lacks a spot in the hall is because of one hit that went too far.  A hit most people know about who have some knowledge about Tatum.  The hit that paralyzed Darryl Stingley.

2. Jim Tyrer, OT, 1961-1974

Has been a Chiefs starter ever since his rookie year, 14 seasons ago . . . Named to two straight AFC-NFC Pro Bowls, '70 and '71 . . . Regarded as one of the finest offensive tackles in the game . . . Named consensus All-Pro in 1970 . . . Selected as AFL's offensive lineman of the year by National Football League Players Association in '69 . . . Has been selected to All-AFL team and has participated in Pro Bowl nine times . . . Was co-captain of team in '70, '71 and '72 . . . College all-American at Ohio State . . . President of his own company, Pro Forma, a merchandising firm and representative for various professional athletes in commercial ventures . . . Married, four children.

Kansas City Chiefs Press Release, 1974

I’ll admit I’ve never heard of Tyrer before I wrote this article.  His career at Ohio State was solid but not the stuff of legend, a captain in 1960 and first team all Big Ten the same year.  But some say he might be the best lineman in AFL history.

Known for brute strength, Tyrer had many accomplishments at the pro level, if you can’t tell from the quote above.  Nine pro bowls.  Six time first team all-pro.  180 consecutive games played.  O-lineman of the year in 1969, and first team AFL all-1960s team.

What’s keeping him out?  His life after football.  Out of money and out of options, Tyrer fell into a state of mental breakdown soon after his athletic career.  And on September 15th, 1980, he shot his wife before turning the gun on himself (Denlinger).

1. Randy Gradishar, LB, 1974-1983

He was as good a linebacker as I have ever been around, and I have been around some great ones. He was a leader without question of our defense while I was with Denver. He was an exceptional football player.

Dan Reeves, former Denver head coach whom Gradishar played under.

If you ask me to name the five best linebackers I played against, or had a chance to cover in my broadcasting career, Randy Gradishar would be on that list... there is no question about his credentials; Randy Gradishar belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Legendary defensive tackle and broadcaster Merlin Olsen

Of all the linebackers to come from linebacker U, Gradishar is one of the best.  In a storied career with the Buckeyes, Randy was named an all-american twice and anchored the legendary 1973 defense that allowed just 43 points in ten regular season games (4.3 ppg) and had four shutouts.

Gradishar made his great athleticism known at the pro level as well.  He was the primary starter nine out of the ten seasons that he played with the Broncos, making the pro bowl seven times.  Two of these appearances he was named a first-team all pro.  His career spanned over 145 games, 133 of which he started.  He was named the AP NFL defensive player of the year in 1978.

Tackles were not kept on record for the majority of Gradishar’s career, but in his ten seasons as a linebacker he had twenty interceptions with three being returned for touchdown.  He also recovered thirteen fumbles with a scoop n’ score.

In all honesty, it’s a travesty Gradishar isn’t in the hall of fame.  Former Pro Football Weekly scout Joel Buchsbaum sheds some light on the subject in a writing on players that should be in the hall of fame: “There are quite a few scouts who will tell you that former Broncos ILB Randy Gradishar was almost as good, even as good, as Jack Lambert" and "unlike Lambert, Gradishar was not a flashy headhunter, just a great anticipator who was a deadly tackler and great short-yardage defender.”

 

Bibliography

Buchsbaum, Joel. “Will Canton be Calling?” Pro Football Weekly. Web. February 10, 2015.

“Cleveland’s Spielman Retires after Neck Injury.” Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. August 31, 1999. Web. February 10, 2016.

Denlinger, Ken. “Tyrer Tragedy: No Coping with Mortality.” The Washington Post. September 21, 1980. Web. February 10, 2015.

Richman, Mike. “Redskins Legacy: Shroeder for Jim Lachey.” Washington Redskins. September 29, 2013. Web. February 10, 2016.

“Top Ten most-feared Tacklers in NFL History.” NFL Films. July 26, 2012. Web. February 10, 2016.

Wright, Branson. “Cleveland Browns 1964 Championship Season: LB Jim Houston.” Cleveland.com. November 28, 2014. Web. February 10, 2016.

Additional credit to pro-football-reference.com and buckeyefansonly.com for statistics and awards.

This is a forum post from a site member. It does not represent the views of Eleven Warriors unless otherwise noted.

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