I have wanted to tell this story many times on this site and figured now was as good a time as any. Let me set the scene for you:

I was blessed to have been an employee at Ohio Stadium during what I consider to be the turning point in our program (1995-1996). Before these 2 seasons, it was not inaccurate or unfair to think of Ohio State as a typical midwestern team that relied on a bruising running game and stingy defense. That stereotype was finally put to rest when John Cooper decided to take a national approach to recruiting and started to bring on skill players from across the country. Because of this, I will always have enormous respect for what he was able to accomplish while here (I know, he was historically weak in the last 2 games each year). One such player Cooper convinced to come to Columbus was Eddie George. I do not need to state anything about his success. If you are reading this, you know him and his career. My story deals with the man you may not know.

In my position, I was part of a team tasked with handling many projects, repairs, and maintenance for all athletic facilities, not just Ohio Stadium. During game days, however, I was one of the lucky few who raised and lowered the nets for field goals and extra points. My view of the games came from a folding chair located 3 feet off the back line of the endzone. I can tell you, there is no better seat. TV sound does not remotely convey the amount of talk that happens on field. As a former player in high school, this was one of my favorite aspects. As a fan, the energy was amazing. In my opinion, it is 100% accurate to say players can feel the energy the crowd puts out.

The 1995 season was amazing for so many reasons. I will not go into all of them, but this season was truly transformative for our program. The main attraction was Eddie George. He was a bona fide superstar. I had never heard an Ohio Stadium crowd chant a player’s name prior to this year. It may have happened, but I honestly don’t remember it. The fans loved him. His teammates loved him. The coaches loved him. Even the media loved him. He was quickly gaining steam as a Heisman Trophy candidate, if not front runner. Only Tommy Frazier of Nebraska seemed poised to give him any competition. In Columbus, the man was ubiquitous. Almost daily there would be an article about this young man. His weekly exploits on the field were truly Homeric. He had that rare combination of speed and size that is unstoppable. Toss sweep left became a bludgeoning tool used by Cooper to wear down opponents to the point of surrender. Late in the year, it was apparent that this was Eddie’s Heisman to lose. He needed just one more solid performance to lock down the hardware. Thankfully for Ohio State, Illinois was next up on the schedule, Senior Day at that.

Google this game. Watch the highlights. It was the most impressive one-man performance I had ever seen. There have been more yards gained and more touchdowns scored, but I have not seen a man simply grind down a defense like he did that day. He even lined up at wideout and caught a toe-dragging touchdown pass that would impress Mike Thomas. Seriously…he did that! He set the Big Ten rushing record that day and locked up the Heisman Trophy. This was the moment where all the hard work Eddie had done throughout his life had come to its convergence. This was his moment. He earned it. He deserved it.

This is where my story comes in. After the games were over, I was usually one of the last people to leave Ohio Stadium. The staff would slowly filter out as fans, players, and other workers left for the night. I would usually wait until the press box lights went dark, meaning the press had left. To kill the time, a few of us would get together with a few employees of the scaffolding company that constructed and maintained the South stands. We would hang out under the stadium around gate 14, grilling food and enjoying celebratory beverages.  It was during this social time that one of the scaffolding company employee’s young son approached a group of us and told us that Eddie George was sitting in the stands. This would have been around 2 hours after the game. Curious, couple of us walked up the few stairs and turned around to see that he was not fibbing at all. There, showered and changed, sat Eddie George, looking out over the field, alone, taking it all in one last time. Several of us prodded this young man to go and say hi to Eddie, maybe get an autograph. He was hesitant, but his dad convinced him to approach. We saw Eddie greet this young man enthusiastically and motioned for him to sit next to him. We returned under the stadium to resume our festivities. About 20 minutes later, the youngster returned, a smile on his face. “Where have you been?” asked his dad. “Talking with Eddie” was his reply. “This whole time?” “Yeah.” He then went on to say that Eddie had told him how much he loved playing here and how he would miss it. He asked the boy about his interests and gave him encouragement to continue with what he loved. An autograph later, the two parted. We were stunned and excited for the boy. But here is the angle that sticks with me so many years later: while so many other players would have quickly showered, left, and met up with friends to celebrate in any manner of ways, Eddie wanted one more moment in Ohio Stadium. In that moment, Eddie decided to spend it talking to a young fan, giving that fan (and this writer), a memory that will last forever.

I have shared that story with a few friends over the years and, now, I share it with you. Thank you for letting me.