Ohio State Football: Buckeyes don’t need Urban Meyer to stay relevant
By John Scimeca
3. Ohio State is one of few truly elite programs
Ohio State is a college football institution unlike few other schools in the sport. The Buckeyes have won 10 or more games in 15 of the 17 seasons. In that stretch since 2002, Ohio State has won seven Big Ten championships and two national titles, one under Jim Tressel and one under Meyer.
Ohio State has competed with some of the game’s brightest stars and is one of the most recognizable brands in college football. For recruits, this represents a proven pathway to NFL stardom — consider that Ohio State is one of the leaders in NFL draft picks with 26 players chosen in the last three seasons. Ten of those players were first-round selections, including the likes of Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa, Saints corner Marshon Lattimore, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot, and Giants corner Eli Apple.
Ohio State includes eight national championships and seven Heisman Trophy winners in its pantheon of winners in addition to an all-time winning percentage of .727 with 910 wins. Meyer had his impact, to be sure, but his feats line up with those before him, like Tressel and Woody Hayes.