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Digging Deeper: Players Who Wore No. 80

Matt Gutridge's picture
June 13, 2018 at 9:17am
6 Comments

Ohio State plays Oregon State to start the season in 80 days. Today, you will find the list of the 30 players who have worn the No. 80 for the Buckeyes. Cecil Souders, Jan White, Fred Pagac, Rickey Dudley and Brian Robiskie will be featured in today's piece.

Players Who Wore No. 80 At Ohio State
PLAYER WORN B1G MVP TEAM MVP AA CAPT. 1R NFL ALL B1G AC AA NFL DRAFT AC B1G LETTER
Edwin Bruckner 1941                   1941
Cecil Souders 1942-46   1946 1946     1946       1942-46
Donald Kay 1943                   1943
John Motejzik 1944                   1944
Carlton G. Kessler* 1945                   1945
Leslie Hague 1947-49               1950   1947-49
Robert Grimes 1950-52                   1950-52
Carl Brubaker 1953-54                   1953-54
Charles Zawacki 1955                   1955
Alan Fiers* 1959                   1959
Robert Milddleton 1960-62                   1960-62
Robert Stock 1964                   1964
Robert Johnson 1965-66                   1965-66
Jan White 1968-70     1970 1970       1971   1968-70
Fred Pagac 1971-73                   1971-73
Greg Storer 1975-77                   1975-77
James Houston Jr. 1978                   1978
Raymond Myers* 1980                   1980
Jeffery McCarthy 1981                    
Ed Taggart 1983-86           1986       1983-86
Chris Roy 1988-91                    
Eric Moss* 1992-93                    
Rickey Dudley 1994-95         1996 1995       1994-95
Mike Gurr* 1996                    
Reggie Germany 1997-00               2001   1997-00
Ryan Hamby 2001-05                   2002-05
Brian Robiskie* 2006-08       2008     2007, 2008 2009 2006, 2007, 2008 2006-08
Chris Fields 2009-13                   2010-13
Noah Brown 2014-16               2017    
C.J. Saunders* 2017-18                   2017

*Wore another number at Ohio State
Did not earn a varsity letter while wearing No. 80

Cecil Souders, End (1942-46)
Born: 
1921 (Bucyrus)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes went 32-12-2.
1942 National Champions and 2 Big Ten titles.

Honors
1946 All-American.
1946 All-Big Ten.
Inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame.

Miscellaneous
25th oldest living pro-football player.

Souders' career per wikipedia:

...a former American footballplayer in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions. He was born in Bucyrus, Ohio. He played college football at Ohio State Universitywhere he was a three-time All-American. He also played in two East - West games and one All Star game.

Souders is a member of the Ohio State Hall of Fame and was drafted in the 25th round of the 1945 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He served in the United States Navyduring World War II.

Jan White (1968-70)
Born:
 1948 (Harrisburg, PA)
High School: John Harris (PA)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 27-2 with White on the team.
1968 National Champion.
1970 National Champion.
Won 3 Big Ten titles (1968, 1969, 1970).

Honors
1970 Captain.
1970 All-American.

Jan White's bio from the 1970 Ohio State Team Guide:

6-2, 212 (pounds)...from Harrisburgh, PA...has started all 19 varsity games the past two seasons...caught 21 passes as a sophomore and 23 last season...can play either tight end or split end, but will start at tight end...has fine speed and is very strong...hard to bring down in the open field...caught five touchdown passes last season. 

Was an all-Pennsylvania end at John Harris High...high school coach was George Chaump, current Buckeye backfield coach...was named to the high school all-American track team as a hurdler

Co-captain on offense this year...is an excellent blocker...admires Bob Hayes and Gale Sayers...caught at least one pass in each game last year...when teamed with (Bruce) Jankowski, Ohio State has its best offensive ends ever.  

Miscellaneous
Jan White's story per miamivalleygolf.org:

Set goals and do the best you can.

That was the message delivered by Jan White, a member of The Ohio State University's 1968 National Championship winning football team, to the Mentors Matters group at Rollandia Golf Center on June 29.

White told the kids a story about a boy who loved to run. 

The child that White described had a mother who recognized her son's talent. She wanted him to be the first in her family to attend college, so she made a deal with the boy. If he worked hard at athletics, she would ensure that his grades remained in good standing so that maybe he could attend college on scholarship.

The boy agreed. Unfortunately, there was no track team at his junior high, so his mom encouraged him to play football until he went to high school.

The boy didn't like football, but decided to stick with it. While his mom was making sure he did his homework and went to class, the boy was excelling on the field and the track.

So, how good was this kid? He ended up becoming a high school All-American in both sports.

Football coaches across the nation took notice. This boy, who really didn't like football, was now being recruited to play the sport all across the county.

The same kid who had to be talked into playing football in junior high, was now going to college on a football scholarship. His successes on the gridiron also continued.

He had such a great career, he was drafted into the NFL as the 30th pick of the 1971 draft by the Buffalo Bills.

It was at this point in the story White revealed that the character he had been describing was actually him.

"I never have any trouble telling this story because it's my story," White said.

White said that whatever obstacles came his way, he met. Whether it was changing from a sprinter in the 100-meter dash, an event that he loved, to a hurdler, or from a wide receiver, to a tight end, at the request of Buckeye head coach Woody Hayes, or becoming the first in his family to graduate from college, he was determined to succeed, and do his best.

White also set goals beyond football. After retiring from the Buffalo Bulls in 1973, White pursued his graduate degree in a field where he could work with children. He now works in the Greene County juvenile court system as a Court Administrator.

Fred Pagac, TE (1971-73), Asst. Coach (1982-2000)
Born:
 1952 (Brownsville, PA)
High School: Beth-Center (PA)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes were 25-6-1 with Pagac on the team.
Won 2 Big Ten titles (1972 and 1973).
Defeated USC 42-21 in the 1974 Rose Bowl.

Coaching Career
1982-1995 Linebackers coach at Ohio State.
1996-1999 Ohio State's defensive coordinator.
2000 Assistant head coach for Ohio State.
2001-03 Linebackers coach for the Oakland Raiders.
2004-05 Linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs.
2006-09 Linebackers coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
2010-12 Defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
2013 Linebackers coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
2014-Present Linebackers coach for the Buffalo Bills.

Fred Pagac's bio from the 1973 Ohio State Team Guide:

6-1, 210 (pounds)...from Richeyville, PA...played in all 11 games last year for a total of 191 minutes...was a starting tight end most of the year...the top blocker among tight ends...third in pass receiving in 1972.

Was an all-Pennsylvania fullback-linebacker at Beth-Center High...very competitive and works hard in practice...admires Dick Butkus and Dave Osborn...captained his high school football, basketball and baseball teams.

Rickey Dudley, TE (1994-95)
Born:
1972 (Henderson, TX)
High School: Henderson

Ohio State
46 receptions, 681 yards and 9 touchdowns.
The Buckeyes were 20-6 when Dudley was on the team.
Ended Ohio State career tied for first with 9 touchdowns as a tight end (now second).
10th on the tight end all-time list with 681 receiving yards.

Miscellaneous
Played on the Ohio State Basketball team from 1991-95.
Michael Citro's Flashbuck on Ricky Dudley.

Rickey Dudley's senior season per 11W:

All Dudley did in 1995 was put together one of the most outstanding seasons by a tight end in Ohio State history. He caught at least one pass in each of Ohio State’s 13 games that year, finishing with 37 catches for 575 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 15.5 yards per reception. He was third in receptions behind Terry Glenn (64) and Eddie George (47), and second in receiving yards and touchdowns to Glenn (1,411/17).

Rickey caught five passes for 97 yards against No. 12 Penn State, including a 32-yarder that set up Ohio State’s winning touchdown in a 28-25 victory on Oct. 7. The Buckeyes climbed to No. 2 in the country that season before falling 31-23 at No. 18 Michigan. Dudley caught five more balls in that game.

He finished his OSU career with a five-catch, 106-yard performance in the Citrus Bowl against Tennessee. He was Ohio State’s MVP for the game and scored on a 32-yard pass from Bobby Hoying to tie the game at 14 in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the Vols tacked on two Jeff Hall field goals to win, 20-14.

Brian Robiskie, WR (2006-08)
Born:
  1987 (Los Angeles)
High School: Chagrin Falls (Ohio)

Ohio State
127 receptions, 1,866 yards and 24 touchdowns. 
Led the team in receptions in 2007 and 2008.
The Buckeyes were 33-6 when Robiskie was on the team.
3 Big Ten titles.
3-0 against That Team.

Honors
2008 Captain.
Academic All-American in 2007 and 2008.
Academic All-B1G in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Miscellaneous
Caught winning touchdown against That Team in 2006.
Currently playing for the Tennessee Titans.

Robiskie's career per cbssports.com:

As a sophomore, he forced his way into the lineup for five games before finally getting his opportunity as a full-time starter during his junior and senior campaigns. Blessed with what scouts feel are some of the best hands in the collegiate ranks, he went on to haul in 127 passes, the eighth-best career total by a Buckeye. His 1,866 yards receiving also put him on Ohio State's Top 10 List.

It was the importance of those catches that made Robiskie stand out, as 24 of his receptions were good for touchdowns, the fourth-highest total in school history. In addition to his exploits on the football field, he did just as well in the classroom, becoming a Draddy Award finalist, earning an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation.

At Chagrin Falls High School, Robiskie earned first-team All-Ohio honors as a senior. He set school career receiving records with 118 catches for 1,885 yards and 34 touchdowns. As a senior, he snatched 47 passes for 754 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also scored on a 95-yard punt return and an interception return and averaged 14.9 yards per punt return, leading the squad to a 9-3 overall record and the conference championship in 2004.

Robiskie was used mostly on special teams during his first year at Ohio State, playing in all 12 contests. On his only reception for the season, he showed the greatness to come, catching the ball in a crowd and then knifing through a pair of would-be tacklers on a 13-yard grab.

Patiently waiting for his chance to play on offense, Robiskie shared split end duties with Roy Hall in 2006, where he was part of a receiving corps that featured future NFL first-rounders, Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez. He finished third on the squad with 29 receptions for 383 yards (13.2 avg) and five touchdowns.

With Hall also off to the National Football League, Robiskie became the team's featured receiver in 2007, starting all 13 games at split end. He earned Academic All-American honors and despite being a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award and a finalist for the Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar Award, the team's Paul Warfield Award winner (given to the outstanding receiver) received just one first-team All-Big Ten Conference honor, coming from The NFL Draft Report (Rivals.com named him to the second-team).

That year, the junior led the Buckeyes with 55 receptions for 935 yards (17.0 avg) and 11 touchdowns. His receptions placed him on the OSU season Top 10 List, while his receiving yardage ranks 11th on annual charts and his scoring grabs were good for fourth on the Buckeyes single-season record list. He also tried his hand as a punt returner, gaining 60 yards on seven attempts (8.6 avg).

With a freshman quarterback at the helm, receiving opportunities were limited for Robiskie and the rest of the receiving unit in 2008. The two-time Academic All-American and Paul Warfield Award winner was named an All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention. He led the team again, pulling down 42 passes for 535 yards and eight touchdowns. On special teams action, he had an 11-yard kickoff return and 17 yards on four punt returns (4.2 avg).

No. 80 In The NFL Draft
NAME YEAR ROUND PICK POS TEAM
CECIL SOUDERS 1945 25 259 END REDSKINS
CARL BRUBAKER 1955 15 170 END CARDINALS
JAN WHITE 1971 2 29 TE BILLS
RICKEY DUDLEY 1996 1 9 TE RAIDERS
REGGIE GERMANY 2001 7 214 WR BILLS
BRIAN ROBISKIE 2009 2 36 WR BROWNS
NOAH BROWN 2017 7 239 WR COWBOYS

 

Previous Numbers
99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90
89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80

163 days until The Game and That Team still sucks.

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