Today marks a new decade in the number countdown...the 60s. Groovy man. Although I was born in the year of our nation's bicentennial, I feel as if I lived a part of my life in the '60s due to all of the movies and music I have been influenced by.

We are now 69 days away from Ohio State's season opener against Oregon State. Below you will find a list of the 30 players to wear the No. 69 for Ohio State. Today's article will feature Rodney Foster and Glen Mason.

Today's Trivia Questions

How many Buckeyes wearing No. 69 have been selected in the NFL Draft?

Glen Mason and Jim Tressel were assistant coaches at Ohio State at the same time. What years did they coach together for the Buckeyes?

*Wore another number at Ohio State
Did not earn a varsity letter while wearing No. 69

Rodney Foster, G (1960-62)
High School: Glenville (Cleveland)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes went 21-5-1 with Foster on the team.
Won the 1961 National Championship.
Won the 1961 Big Ten Title.
Went 3-0 against That Team and outscored them 85-20.

Foster's bio per the Ohio State Team Guide: 

6-0, 228...from Cleveland...after a disappointing sophomore year, Foster came into his own last season...started all nine games last year for a total of 233.5 minutes of action, nearly all on offense...called by Coach Woody Hayes, "one of (the) finest blocking guards in college football"...is very quick and a good technician...proved very durable last season, playing 21 or more minutes in each game.

An honor student in pre-dentistry...played tackle in high school...from a family of five...member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity...wears glasses of the field...repairs bicycles during the summer...captained his high school football team...admires Jim Parker. 

Miscellaneous
Foster was selected by the Redskins in the 10th round of the 1963 NFL Draft.

Glen Mason, LB (1970)
Born: 1950 (Colonia, NJ)
High School: Colonia (NJ)

Ohio State
The Buckeyes went 9-1 with Mason on the team.
Won the 1970 National Championship.
Won the 1970 Big Ten Title.
Was listed behind Randy Gradishar,Stan White, Vic Koegel, Arnie Jones, and Rick Middleton on the depth chart.
Went 1-0 against That Team.

Coaching Career
123-121-1 overall record.
5-4 in bowl games.
The Buckeyes were 72-23-1 with Mason as an assistant coach.
Won 3 Big Ten Titles with Ohio State.

Head Coach 
Kent State (1986–1987) 
Kansas (1988–1996)
Minnesota (1997-2006)

Assistant Coach 
Ball State, GA (1972)
Allegheny, DC (1973) 
Ball State, DL (1974) 
Iowa State, OL/TE (1975-76) 
Illinois, OL (1977)
Ohio State, OC/OL/LB (1978-85)

Mason's bio from The Ohio State Team Guide:

6-2, 210...was an all-New Jersey lineman at Colonia Senior High, playing offensive guard and defensive linbacker...made fine progress in spring drills when moved to middle guard.

Father works with the Newark News...a physical education major...was a football captain in high school...loads trucks during the summer...top grid thrill came in high school when he scored on an interception.

Mason the head coach at Georgia? Per Wikipedia:

Mason was head coach for Kent State University in 1986 and 1987 and the University of Kansas from 1988 to 1996. In 1995, as Kansas prepared for the Aloha Bowl against UCLA, Mason accepted the head coaching position at the University of Georgia.

Mason had a change of heart and stayed with the Jayhawks, but left for the University of Minnesota one season later. His first game with Minnesota in 1997 was against Hawaiʻi, at Aloha Stadiumwhere the Aloha Bowl's successor, the Hawai'i Bowl is played.

Mason was a candidate to succeed John Cooper for the head coaching position at Ohio State. At the time I thought Mason was the best choice. It's a good thing I don't hire for the Buckeyes.

So, what if Ohio State hired Glen Mason instead of Jim Tressel? Michael Rand of the Star Tribune tackled that scenario in August, 2011:

Nationally speaking, maybe Mason's arrival at Ohio State negates the entire Buckeyes scandal that is happening right now. Would Mason have been bold or bright enough to put the kibosh on the reported tattoo and vehicle shenanigans that eventually cost Tressel his job and put OSU in hot water with the NCAA? It's entirely possible he handles things differently. But perhaps Ohio State also would have suffered the same types of maddening losses the Gophers regularly suffered in the early-to-mid-2000s.

MISSING FASHION STATEMENT

A near-certainty: Sweater vest sales in Columbus, Ohio, would not have been nearly as lucrative for the past decade.

Today's Trivia Question

How many Buckeyes wearing No. 69 have been selected in the NFL Draft?

Answer: One, Rodney Foster to the Redskins in 1963.

Glen Mason and Jim Tressel were assistant coaches at Ohio State at the same time. What years did they coach together for the Buckeyes?

Answer: Mason and Tressel were assistants at Ohio State from 1983-1985. 

152 days until The Game.