16 college football greats who’d lead their former team to the 2017 title
By Zach Bigalke
If there is one place where Ohio State could use some help next season, it is the defensive backfield. The team lost both starting cornerbacks, Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley, in the first round of the NFL Draft. Perhaps more impactful, though, will be the loss of another first-round pick. In his only season as a Buckeyes starter, safety Malik Hooker was dominant in a way that will be hard to replicate.
Hooker racked up seven interceptions, returning the picks for 181 total yards while scoring three times. The performance earned him a spot with the San Francisco 49ers. What if Urban Meyer could replace his departed star with a former great who also made his professional name in the Bay Area?
That great, of course, is Jack Tatum. The Oakland Raiders star finished in the top 10 in Heisman voting in both 1969 and 1970 before moving on to the NFL. Originally recruited as a running back, Tatum moved to the defense as a freshman and never looked back.
As a national champion in 1968, a vintage Tatum would provide the veteran leadership his alma mater needs to get over the hump to win a national title in 2017.