My Favorite Buckeye

As proud supporters of our beloved Alma Mater, it is easy to get caught up in the fervor of our excellence in athletics. At the age of 29, I have memories of many great Buckeyes in both football and basketball. The first dominating force in basketball that I remember as a kid was "Jimmy J", none other than All-American Jim Jackson. In football, the first mega star of my lifetime was Eddie George. I treasure the memories I have of watching both of them play. I remember Jim Jackson leading a very talented Buckeyes squad to 2 near-Final Four appearances. My very first Buckeye Game I ever attended was 1995's Illinois-Ohio State match up when Eddie George rushed for 314 yards on his way to the Heisman Trophy.

While I have watched many great athletes and great performances in my life as a Buckeye, my favorite Buckeye is one I was not alive to see play.

If you see me around on Saturdays in Autumn, you will see me sporting a scarlet jersey with the number "10" and the name "KERN" on the back, for Ohio State's legendary quarterback of 1968 until 1970. The first time I learned about Rex was when I was no more than 10 years old. Growing up in north central Ohio, I had "Buckeye Nuts" for parents and watched a lot of football videos. I watched "The 10 Year War" with my Dad where I learned about the gridiron feats of Rex Kern. He was the complete package; he was a smooth passer and a nimble runner. He rushed for over 500 yards each of his three seasons while throwing for over 2,400 yards in his career. Most of all, he won. During his three seasons at Ohio State, he led the Buckeyes to a 27-2 record that included the 1968 National Championship and National Football Foundation-recognized 1970 National Championship.

While we treasure all of our Buckeyes, do you have a favorite?

Post it in the comments!

Scott '05