The Ohio State Football All-Decade Teams Face Off: 1990s vs. 2000s vs. 2010s
Two National Championships. Ten BCS Bowl games. Three National College Football Playoffs. 14 Big Ten Championships. Three Rose Bowls. A 19-10-1 record against Michigan.
These are the stats over 30 years of Ohio State football that encompassed the coaching tenures of John Cooper, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer, and the beginning of Ryan Day, with a faint splash of Luke Fickell. The teams also encompassed starpower: 63 different players named All-Americans nearly 100 times overall in this span. The talent comprised different strengths and talents at different times throughout this stretch, but never experienced any significant dropoff for more than a year or so.
With this glut of talent at OSU over the last three decades, how would one compare the best players of the three decades individually. It got us interested in evaluating the All-Decade teams from each. So here is our comparison between the All-Decade Ohio State Football teams from the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s:
Quarterback:
All-Americans:
1990s: None
2000s: Troy Smith
2010s: None
Other significant players;
1990s: Joe Germaine, Bobby Hoying, Kent Graham
2000s: Terrelle Pryor, Craig Krenzel, Todd Boeckman
2010s: Dwayne Haskins, Braxton Miller, Justin Fields, JT Barrett
It’s hard to compare across eras at QB, but the 50 touchdowns of Dwayne Haskins, the athleticism of Braxton Miller, the TD-to-interception ratio of Justin Fields, and the longevity of JT Barrett give the 2010s the edge over the 2000s as a unit. While Troy Smith was Ohio State’s one quarterback All-American over the three decades, and its lone QB Heisman winner, the 2010s are the only decade that saw four Ohio State quarterbacks finish in the top five in the Heisman voting.
Winner: 2010s; Second place: 2000s
Overall best player: Troy Smith
Running Back:
All-Americans:
1990s: Eddie George
2000s: None
2010s: Ezekiel Elliott
Other significant players:
1990s: Robert Smith, Pepe Pearson, Michael Wiley, Raymont Harris
2000s: Chris “Beanie” Wells, Maurice Clarrett, Antonio Pittman, Jonathan Wells
2010s: JK Dobbins, Carlos Hyde, Dan Herron
Based on the starters alone, this is a nearly impossible decision. Eddie George’s 1995 season was the best in school history. Zeke’s run in 2014 and 2015 was the best two-year stretch since Archie Griffin. And Beanie Wells may have eclipsed even that had he not been hurt for most of 2008. Even at the second string this is a close race: Maurice Clarrett, had he stayed healthy, might have been an all-timer, and JK Dobbins has been beastly of late.
Winner: 2010s; Second place: 2000s
Overall best player: Ezekiel Elliott
Wide receiver:
All-Americans:
1990s: Joey Galloway, Terry Glenn, David Boston, Jeff Graham
2000s: Ted Ginn
2010s: Curtis Samuel
Other significant players:
1990s: Ken Yon Rambo, Dee Miller, Dimitrious Stanley
2000s: Santonio Holmes, Michael Jenkins, Devier Posey, Dane Sanzenbacher, Brian Robiske, Brian Hartline, Anthony Gonzalez
2010s: Michael Thomas, Devin Smith, KJ Hill, Parris Campbell, Philly Brown, Terry McLaurin, Ben Victor
While Michael Thomas is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL today, the 2010s receivers’ corps is one of the most flawed groups on this list. Curtis Samuel’s 2016 season was impressive, Devin Smith’s emergence as a deep threat in 2014 was transformational, and KJ Hill’s longevity allowed him to set the all-time Ohio State receiving record in a pass-happy era. Still, the top-end talent of receivers in the earlier eras was even stronger. The athleticism of Galloway, Glenn, and David Boston that anchored the John Cooper teams of the 1990s is hard to beat, though a combination of Ted Ginn, Santonio Holmes, and Michael Jenkins, flanked by the reliability of workmanlike receivers like Brian Hartline and Anthony Gonzalez makes the 2000s group quite a deep corps in its own right.
Winner: 1990s; Second: 2000s
Best overall player: Ted Ginn
Tight End:
All-Americans: None
Other significant players:
1990s: John Lumpkin
2000s: Jake Stoneburner, Ben Hartsock, Ryan Hamby
2010s: Jeff Heuerman, Nick Vannett, Marcus Baugh
Tight end has been a consistently serviceable, but overall weak position at Ohio State for a long time. There haven’t been many OSU superstar tight ends. The 2014 National Title team featured the tandem of Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett, but the best overall tight end on the list might have been Jake Stoneburner, a Tressel recruit.
Winner: 2010s; Second place: 2000s
Best overall player: Jake Stoneburner
Fullback:
All-Americans: None
Other significant players:
1990s: Matt Keller
2000s: Jamar Martin, Brandon Joe
2010s: Justin Boren
There's not much to say about the Ohio State fullbacks, but for the fact that Urban Meyer all but eliminated the position at Ohio State. The 1990s and 2000s brought some good blockers at the position.
Winner: 1990s; Second place: 2000s
Best overall player: Matt Keller
Offensive Line:
All-Americans:
1990s: Orlando Pace, Korey Stringer, Rob Murphy
2000s: Nick Mangold, LeCharles Bentley, Alex Stepanavich, Alex Boone, Kirk Barton, Mike Brewster
2010s: Jack Mewhort, Taylor Decker, Pat Elflein, Billy Price, Michael Jordan
Offensive line has been a strong position for Ohio State over the last three decades. The lines under Urban Meyer have been deep and consistent with several strong NFL players. The lines of the 2000s were spotty at times, but produced a boatload of All-Americans. And the lines of the 1990s included the greatest offensive lineman of all time, Orlando Pace.
Winner: 1990s; Second place: 2010s
Best overall player: Orlando Pace
Special teams:
All-Americans:
1990s: None
2000s: Andy Groom, Mike Nugent
2010s: None
Other significant players:
1990s: Dan Stultz, Josh Jackson
2000s: Ryan Pretorius, Devin Barclay, Josh Huston, BJ Sander,
2010s: Drew Basil, Sean Neurnberger
Ohio State’s special teams play peaked in the Jim Tressel era, with the strongest collection of kickers, punters, and returners of any era on this list.
Winners: 2000s; Second place: 2010s
Best overall player: Mike Nugent
Defensive Ends:
All-Americans:
1990s: Mike Vrabel, Matt Finkes
2000s: Vernon Gholston, Will Smith
2010s: Joey Bosa, Chase Young, Nick Bosa
Other significant players:
1990s: Jason Simmons, Rodney Bailey
2000s: David Thompson, Jay Richardson
2010s: Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, John Simon, Noah Spence
Ohio State’s defensive line play was good in the 1990s, great in the 2000s, and has been on another plane of excellence in the 2010s. The edge rushers of the Urban Meyer era have been high-speed dominant forces, led at the top by the powerful trio of Joey and Nick Bosa and Chase Young, flanked by other superstars like Sam Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis.
Winner: 2010s; Second place: 2000s
Best overall player: Joey Bosa
Interior Defensive Linemen:
All-Americans:
1990s: Dan Wilkinson,
2000s: Tim Anderson, Quinn Pitcock
2010s: Jonathan Hankins, Michael Bennett, Adolphus Washington, Dre’mont Jones
Other significant players:
1990s: Winfield Garnett, Luke Fickell
2000s: Kenny Peterson, Cameron Heyward, Thaddeus Gibson
2010s:
Ohio State’s interior defensive line elevated from a strength in the 2000s to a game-changing force in the 2010s. Strong, fast players like Jonathan Hankins, Michael Bennett, and Dre’mont Jones have changed the face of the position over the last several years:
Winner: 2010s; Second place: 2000s
Best overall player: Dan Wilkinson
Linebackers:
All-Americans:
1990s: Andy Katzenmoyer, Na’il Diggs, Steve Tovar
2000s: AJ Hawk, James Laurinaitis, Matt Wilhelm
2010s: Ryan Shazier, Raekwon McMillan
Other significant players:
1990s: Ryan Miller
2000s: Bobby Carpenter, Brian Rolle, Joe Cooper, Marcus Freeman
2010s: Jerome Baker
Andy Katzenmoyer was a generational talent, but the strongest linebacking collective was the continuum of dominance under Matt Wilhelm, AJ Hawk, James Laurinaitis, and Brian Rolle in the 2000s. The linebackers have been weak over the last decade, perhaps the weakest position group of the Urban Meyer era.
Winner: 2000s; Second place: 1990s
Best overall player: Andy Katzenmoyer
Cornerbacks:
All-Americans:
1990s: Shawn Springs, Antoine Winfield
2000s: Nate Clements, Malcolm Jenkins, Chimdi Chekwa
2010s: Bradley Roby, Denzel Ward
Other significant players:
1990s: Ahmed Plummer
2000s: Derek Ross, Chris Gamble
2010s: Jeff Okudah, Eli Apple, Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley
The top-end talent of Shawn Springs and Antoine Winfield anchored a dominant group of defensive backs in the 1990s, however the 2010s group has produced a broad and deep group of NFL talents.
Winner: 2010s; Second place: 1990s
Best overall player: Shawn Springs
Safeties:
All-Americans:
1990s: Damon Moore
2000s: Mike Doss, Will Allen, Donte Whitner, Kurt Coleman
2010s: Malik Hooker, Vonn Bell, Sean Wade
No position encompasses the differences between Ohio State’s style of defense between the 2000s and 2010s better than safety. Malik Hooker was a dominant sideline-to-sideline force in pass protection, while Mike Doss was the best safety against the run in school history.
Winner: 2000s; Second place: 2010s
Best overall player: Malik Hooker
Total points tally:
1990s: 13
2000s: 23
2010s: 24
So who would win if the three starting lineups faced each other?
1990s:
Offense:
QB Joe Germaine
RB Eddie George
WR Terry Glenn
WR David Boston
WR Joey Galloway
TE John Lumpkin
OL Orlando Pace
OL LeShun Daniels
C Kurt Murphy
OL Korey Stringer
OL Tyson Walter
Defense:
DE: Mike Vrabel
DE: Matt Finkes
DL: Dan Wilkinson
DL: Luke Fickell
LB: Andy Katzenmoyer
LB: Na’il Diggs
LB: Steve Tovar
DB: Shawn Springs
DB: Antoine Winfield
S: Damon Moore
S: Gary Berry
The 1990s team looks tremendously strong on offense, top to bottom. Only one offensive line spot would require even considering a non-generational talent to fill. Defensively the team would be weaker, with strong top-end talent but a few modest holes relative to the later teams at one spot each at defensive end, linebacker, and safety. The cornerbacks would be a strength.
2000s:
Offense:
QB Troy Smith
RB Chris “Beanie” Wells
WR Ted Ginn Jr.
WR Santonio Holmes
WR Michael Jenkins
TE Jake Stoneburner
OL Alex Stepanavich
OL LeCharles Bentley
C Nick Mangold
OL Kirk Barton
OL Mike Brewster
Defense:
DE: Will Smith
DE: Vernon Gholston
DL: Tim Anderson
DL: Quinn Pitcock
LB: James Laurinaitis
LB: AJ Hawk
LB: Matt Wilhelm
CB: Nate Clements
CB: Malcolm Jenkins
S: Mike Doss
S: Donte Whitner
The 2000s team would be strong top-to-bottom on offense, with a moderately weaker offensive line the only possible cause for concern. On defense the 2000s team is solid if not exceptional at every position except linebacker, its strongest top-to-bottom unit.
2010s:
Offense:
QB Dwayne Haskins
RB Ezekiel Elliott
WR Michael Thomas
WR Devin Smith
WR Curtis Samuel
TE Jeff Heuerman
OL Jack Mewhort
OL Taylor Decker
C Billy Price
OL Pat Elflein
OL Michael Jordan
Defense:
DE Joey Bosa
DE Chase Young
DT Jonathan Hankins
DT Dre’mont Jones
LB Ryan Shazier
LB Raekwon McMillan
LB Jerome Baker
CB: Denzel Ward
CB: Marshon Lattimore
S: Malik Hooker
S: Vonn Bell
The 2010s team is tremendously strong on offense, with receiver the only group that could conceivably be questioned relative to the earlier teams. The defensive line would be a major anchor, with a strong defensive backfield, while the linebacking core would be the weakest top-to-bottom unit of any of the three teams.
So who would win? It could be close. The 2000s team would be solid and steady, while the 2010s and 1990s would each be dynamic in its own way. Both would give up some points to the other. A three-way game might yield a score of something in the neighborhood of 2010s 31, 2000s 27, 1990s 24.
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