C.J. Stroud has done it again. Well, C.J. wasn’t really to blame, he was just the primer. His adieu to Ohio State sparked our own argument in the newsroom about the greatest quarterbacks in Buckeye history.
It was a nice, friendly, fierce, unforgiving, knock-down, drag-out, bareknuckle brawl with one conclusion:
I get the last word.
If you’re looking for Stroud here, you won’t find him. He’s certainly a fine NFL prospect, and put up monster numbers at Ohio State, but back-to-back blowout losses to Michigan and a losing record against Top 10 teams (2-3) keeps him off my list.
For what it’s worth, I was a huge fan of Cornelius Greene, Rod Gerald, Mike Tomczak, Dwayne Haskins and Terrelle Pryor, but they didn’t make the cut either.
Sometimes it’s hard to put your finger on what makes a special QB. For me, winning is obviously key. I value leadership and toughness and really admire those who can get it done when thrown off their game.
If a quarterback can find a way to win, even when a quality foe has taken away his chief weapon(s), that’s special.
So, here’s my list. I’m glad to hear yours. Feel free to tell me where I went off the rails.
10. Joe Germaine
Joe Germaine’s three-year career (from 1996 through 1998) gave him the edge over Dwayne Haskins’ one brilliant season (in 2018) for the final spot on this list.
Germaine’s most famous moment came as a sophomore backup. He bounced off the bench to throw two touchdown passes, including the game-winner to freshman David Boston in the closing seconds of the 1997 Rose Bowl.
That pass capped a dramatic drive to stun undefeated and second-ranked Arizona State 20-17, and earned the Arizona native Rose Bowl MVP honors.
Germaine was John Cooper’s best quarterback. Yet he played second-fiddle for two years in an awkward QB rotation with Stan Jackson in 1996 and 1997. To Germaine’s credit, he never turned it into a public spat, and played the good soldier allowing Jackson to start ahead of him without nastiness.
When Germaine finally got control of the position, in 1998, the results were spectacular. A pure pocket passer, Germaine was 230-of-384 (60 percent) for 3,330 yards, 25 TDs and 7 INTs that year. He threw for 800 more yards than Troy Smith in the latter’s Heisman season, despite playing one less game.
The Buckeyes were No. 1 in the nation for much of 1998, before a ghastly five-turnover aberration against 24-point underdog Michigan State wrecked their national championship dreams.
Ohio State still won a share of the Big Ten title, beat Michigan 31-16 for the first time in four years, rolled over Texas A&M in the Sugar Bowl, and finished the season No. 2 in the final polls.
OSU played five ranked teams that year, and beat all of them by double digits. Germaine’s quiet nature probably worked against him in receiving national publicity, as he finished ninth in the Heisman voting.
Yet Ohio State fans have no problem recalling him, or that 1998 campaign.
9. Les Horvath
Single-wing quarterbacks are constantly overlooked in these lists. Horvath might have the most intriguing story of this bunch.
He was born in South Bend, Ind. (home of Notre Dame), but his family moved to Parma in his youth. Horvath came to Ohio State and played under Francis Schmidt in 1939 and 1940. He earned bit playing time as a junior for new coach Paul Brown in 1941.
As a senior in 1942, Horvath was the third wheel in a loaded backfield, but pocketed a national championship ring as the Buckeyes rolled to a 9-1 record boosted by a win over Michigan. Horvath figured his football career was over, and began his studies in dental school in 1943.
But the relaxed eligibility standards during World War II allowed for an extra season, a forerunner of the redshirt rule, and new coach Carroll Widdoes asked Horvath if he would return to the team at the coveted left halfback spot — the role of today’s quarterback — for a fifth season.
Horvath agreed, and then authored an outstanding campaign. He gained 669 yards rushing and accumulated 1,200 all-purpose yards for a 9-0 squad that finished No. 2 behind powerhouse Army for a national championship.
The crowning moment was a back-and-forth 18-14 victory over Michigan that featured five lead changes at Ohio Stadium. Horvath ran 33 times for 101 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Trailing 14-12 with nine minutes remaining, Horvath led his team on a 15-play, 52-yard, game-winning drive. Nearing the Wolverines’ goal line, Horvath (who called his team’s plays), dialed up a handoff to Dick Flanagan in an attempt to spread the glory — but the play was stopped.
A fellow Buckeye looked at Horvath in the huddle and said, “C’mon Les, just take it yourself!”
On the next snap, Horvath powered over for the game-winning score from the 1 with just 3:16 showing.
Nicknamed the “Player Coach,” Horvath was a first-team All-American, the Big Ten MVP and Ohio State’s initial Heisman Trophy winner after leading the school to its first perfect season in 28 years.
8. Vic Janowicz
Elyria’s Vic Janowicz was the most highly-recruited Ohio high school football prospect since Chic Harley. He could do it all, run, pass, and kick. Some historians consider him the greatest defensive back in school history, too.
Janowicz was one of the nation’s finest all-around athletes, and played two years for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball and two years for the Washington Redskins in the NFL.
At Ohio State he suffered an injury-plagued sophomore season that limited his playing time.
When he was on the field, his biggest plays came on defense, including two interceptions in the 1950 Rose Bowl against California. Janowicz’s third-quarter interception has frequently been categorized as a pick-six. It wasn’t, but he did return it 42 yards and turned the momentum of the game away from the undefeated and third-ranked Bears, who led 7-0 at halftime.
Janowicz’s second interception flipped field position for good, and set up the game-winning field goal in Ohio State’s 17-14 comeback win.
Finally healthy in his junior year, he became the de facto quarterback, and promptly won the 1950 Heisman Trophy. On Oct. 28 at Ohio Stadium, Janowicz put together the greatest all-around individual performance in school history — one that will never be duplicated.
Iowa was the hapless victim of an 83-21 beating thanks to Janowicz. He completed 5-of-6 passes for 133 yards and four touchdowns. He ran for two more scores and returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown.
On defense, he pounced on two fumbles. He also kicked 10 PATs, was responsible for 46 points, punted twice for a 42-yard average and consistently boomed kickoffs out of the end zone — splitting the uprights on one and bouncing a ball off an upright on another.
In the 9-3 Snow Bowl loss to Michigan, Janowicz’s 37-yard field goal through a blizzard was considered one of the greatest achievements in the first 50 years of college football. He was also the Big Ten MVP that season.
As a senior, Janowicz endured a number of off-field issues that put his 1951 eligibility in jeopardy. It was also Woody Hayes’s first year, and the new coach brought in his own offense, a Split-T formation. That change, combined with Janowicz’s late start to training camp, limited his offensive contributions dramatically.
Still, Hayes knew what he was missing that year.
“He was not only a great runner, but also passed, was a placekicker and punter, played safety on defense and was an outstanding blocker. Janowicz epitomized the ‘triple-threat’ football player,” Hayes said.
Janowicz is probably second only to the immortal Harley as the greatest all-around player in OSU football.
7. Braxton Miller
Miller just might be the least-appreciated two-time Big Ten MVP ever. He led Ohio State to a 12-0 record in 2012 when he was virtually the team’s lone offensive threat — perhaps the most remarkable feat for any QB on this list.
Urban Meyer came aboard in 2012 and inherited a 6-7 team saddled with NCAA probation from the Jim Tressel scandal, a postseason ban, and nine scholarship losses on a team bereft of offensive talent.
One of college football’s greatest-ever coaches looked at his roster and decided he would start with the plucky sophomore and build from there. Smart move.
Miller, a dual-threat dynamo, immediately rewarded his coach’s trust by completing 148-of-254 passes (.583) for 2,039 yards, 15 TDs and 4 INTs. He was even more lethal with his feet, running for 1,271 yards (5.6 avg.) and 13 scores.
Miller was selected Big Ten MVP and fifth in the Heisman voting after leading his squad to one of just six perfect seasons in Ohio State history — and the only one since 2002.
In 2013, he hit 162-of-255 passes (.635) for 2,094 yards, 24 TDs and 7 INTs. He also ran for 1,068 yards (6.2 avg.) and 12 touchdowns to again win Big Ten MVP honors and was ninth in the Heisman voting. The Buckeyes won the first 24 games under Meyer to reach initial Big Ten championship game in 2013, where they fell to Michigan State.
An injury to Miller’s throwing shoulder wiped out his 2014 campaign, which ironically included a national championship run. When he returned in 2015, Miller made the move to receiver with mixed results.
But fans should remember what he accomplished at quarterback. The quick-silver standout got Meyer’s tenure off to a spectacular start in Columbus, and the Buckeyes have been a consistent presence in the top 10 ever since.
6. J.T. Barrett
J.T. Barrett had the best individual career at the quarterback position in school history. It’s not debatable. He remains the only four-time, first-team All-Big Ten QB in conference annals and still has the Ohio State record for most wins by a starting quarterback, 37.
A broken ankle in the fourth quarter of the 2014 Michigan game cost him a ride to the national title. Still, Barrett is the one who piloted the team through an unbeaten conference season (including a monster 49-37 win at No. 8 Michigan State) and he was fifth in the Heisman voting that season, his redshirt freshman year.
He split time with teammate Cardale Jones in 2015, but the Buckeyes took off in the final two games with Barrett at QB, blasting No. 10 Michigan (42-13 at Ann Arbor) and No. 8 Notre Dame (44-28 in the Fiesta Bowl).
In 2016, Barrett guided the youngest team in the nation to the college football playoffs. That campaign was punctuated by his 4 TD passes to outduel Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma (45-24) as well as wins over No. 8 Wisconsin (30-23) and No. 10 Nebraska (62-3). Then he authored a spectacular offensive rally in the fourth quarter and both overtimes to clinch a thrilling 30-27 decision over No. 3 Michigan.
Unfortunately, some Ohio State fans focus exclusively on the 38-0 loss to No. 2 Clemson in the college football playoffs, and completely blank on the rest of a superb campaign. No one of weight remembers it that way, as Barrett was selected the Big Ten’s co-MVP.
In 2017, his best performance was a memorable fourth-quarter rally against undefeated and 2nd-ranked Penn State — when he connected on 16 straight passes to lead the Buckeyes to a stunning 39-38 comeback win.
Ohio State won the Big Ten championship and Barrett was chosen MVP of the Cotton Bowl after a 24-7 beating of 8th-ranked USC.
It’s hard to imagine anyone coming close to Barrett’s 9-3 record against Top 10 teams. Rex Kern is runner-up with 5 Top-10 wins. For more perspective, C.J. Stroud went 2-3 against Top 10 teams.
Barrett’s collegiate totals included 9,434 passing yards, 3,263 rushing yards and 147 TDs. He finished with 39 career records at Ohio State and in the Big Ten combined. Oh by the way, Barrett also went 4-0 against Michigan, including a pair of Top-10 wins.
5. Troy Smith
A checkered past followed Troy Smith to Ohio State, and he was constantly involved in off-field difficulties — even to the point of impacting his eligibility. Coach Jim Tressel really didn’t know what to do with him, on or off the field.
Smith started as a kick returner, dabbled at running back, and finally moved to quarterback as a sophomore during a lost season in 2004. A breakout game against Michigan in a 37-21 upset cemented his role as the Buckeyes’ starter at the position.
Smith’s ineligibility led to Ohio State’s uneven start in 2005. But he and his teammates found their stride in the final two games of the year. The Buckeyes rallied to win 25-21 at Michigan for a share of the Big Ten title, then topped Notre Dame 34-20 in the Fiesta Bowl. Smith finished the year throwing for 2,282 yards and 16 TDs, while rushing for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns.
It all came together in 2006. Smith again led Ohio State to a Big Ten championship, a memorable 42-39 win over No. 2 Michigan, a perfect regular season and a date in college football’s national championship game.
The Cleveland Glenville alum claimed the Heisman after completing 67 percent of his passes for 2,507 yards and 30 touchdowns with 5 interceptions as a fifth-year senior.
A dreadful performance in the 41-14 blowout loss to Florida at the national championship game, continued off-field troubles, and a nondescript NFL career combined to dim the shine on Smith’s resume.
But his jersey is retired at Ohio Stadium for a reason.
4. Art Schlichter
History condemns Art Schlichter for the off-field behavior that destroyed his life. But that chapter came after he left Ohio State — and finished a career that had never been seen before in Columbus.
Woody Hayes recruited Schlichter by promising him the starting QB job as a true freshman, and insisting he would be the greatest Buckeye to ever play the position.
Schlichter had a rocky rookie year, but OSU still played Michigan for a conference crown in the 1978 regular season finale — which the Buckeyes lost 14-3. After Schlichter’s interception in the Gator Bowl triggered Woody’s famous punch and ensuing firing, Earle Bruce arrived to modernize the offense and Schlichter took full advantage.
As a sophomore in 1979, he became an All-American and finished fourth in the Heisman voting. Schlichter got the team rolling by leading OSU on a dramatic two-minute drive at UCLA and tossed the game-winning touchdown pass to Paul Campbell in the closing seconds.
For the season he hit 105-of-200 passes for 1,816 yards, 14 TDs and 6 INTs. He also ran for 430 yards and 9 more touchdowns. Schlichter led the Buckeyes to an undefeated regular season, Big Ten crown and the national championship game, where they lost a 17-16 heartbreaker in the final three minutes to USC in the Rose Bowl.
As a junior, he was sixth in the 1980 Heisman voting after leading Ohio State into the de facto Big Ten championship game, where Michigan earned a 9-3 victory to snap a 15-game Big Ten winning streak.
Schlcihter’s senior season resulted in a co-Big Ten championship capped by his two touchdown runs to spearhead a 14-9 upset of 7th-ranked Michigan. Schlichter won conference MVP honors and was fifth on the Heisman ballot.
The Buckeyes were 36-11-1 in his four years at Ohio State, giving him the second-most wins of any QB in school history, including a 2-2 mark against Michigan. Both of his wins in Ann Arbor clinched at least a share of the Big Ten title.
Three times Schlichter finished in the top six of the Heisman voting. In his career, the Miami Trade ace racked up 7,547 passing yards and 50 TDs. His running ability was always underrated, but he gained 1,303 yards and 35 more touchdowns.
Schlichter is still the highest drafted OSU quarterback ever. He went No. 4 overall in the first round of the 1982 NFL Draft to the Baltimore Colts.
3. Justin Fields
If this were a list of favorites, Justin Fields would be my number 1. He is the greatest Ohio State quarterback I’ve seen. He had it all, and we only saw him play 22 games for the Buckeyes.
It’s a shame, because what he showed when he did play was unprecedented, and eight of those games were played in the catastrophic COVID season that sideswiped what should’ve been an epic year for him.
As a first-year starter in 2019, the sophomore had the greatest season for a quarterback in school history while leading the Buckeyes to a Big Ten championship, a 13-1 record and a spot in the college football playoffs.
He was third in the Heisman Trophy voting after completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,273 yards while accounting for 51 touchdowns (41 passing, 10 rushing).
His 41-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2019 was the best in the country. He was MVP of the Big Ten championship game after throwing for 299 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-21 come-from-behind victory over No. 8 Wisconsin.
COVID-19 robbed us of a peak Justin Fields in 2020. Yet his outspoken leadership on social media was key to the Big Ten having a season at all that year.
His off-field lobbying earned national attention and pressured the conference and specifically commissioner Kevin Warren into reversing course and approving a competitive season. That factoid is wildly underappreciated — and should never be forgotten.
In 2020, Fields again led the Buckeyes to an undefeated regular season, a Big Ten championship and this time a spot in the national title game. He was Big Ten MVP and seventh in the Heisman voting despite the inane abbreviated season. Although his last game was a blowout loss to Alabama in the national championship contest, Ohio State was 4-2 against Top 10 teams with Fields at the helm.
The transfer from Georgia could beat you with his arms, his legs, and his mind. He was built in a laboratory that put together all my favorite qualities in one quarterback. Now I just need someone to buy me a Bears’ jersey with Fields name and number on the back.
2. Rex Kern
This son of a Lancaster barber led the Buckeyes to the national title game all three years of his collegiate eligibility. In my research, no other college quarterback can make this claim. If you find one, email the information to me, I’d like to know.
Rex Kern’s passing statistics are not overwhelming by today’s standards. But his running ability, his ballhandling wizardry, and his leadership skills were difference-makers in his era.
In his first start as a sophomore, Kern famously waved off the punt team in a fourth-and-long situation against SMU. On the ensuing play his mad scramble for a first down triggered an epic three-year run in Columbus.
Ohio State went 27-2 in Kern’s career, won at least a share of three Big Ten championships, and he went 1-2 in those de facto national title games, winning MVP of the 1969 Rose Bowl, a memorable 27-16 victory over second-ranked USC and Heisman winner O.J. Simpson. Kern outshined The Juice that day, completing 9-of-15 passes for 101 yards and 2 TDs, while running for another 35 yards. Kern dazzled the national TV audience and the NBC cameramen with his brilliant fakes that left everyone wondering who had the ball.
In 1969, he completed 68-of-135 passes for 1,002 yards and 9 TDs in just nine games. Those numbers, and Ohio State’s season-long stint atop the polls (until the 24-12 loss at Michigan in the season finale), made Kern an All-American and third in the Heisman voting. In 1970, he was a team captain and fifth in the Heisman voting.
The fiery redhead finished his career 5-1 against Top 10 teams, the only loss was that miserable defeat at Michigan.
Kern was such a good athlete, he briefly suited up for the OSU basketball team, and played as a defensive back with the Baltimore Colts in the NFL.
So beloved was Rex Kern that in 2009, more than 1,400 members of the Ohio State University Alumni Association voted him the school’s greatest quarterback — nearly 40 years after he took his last snap.
1. Chic Harley
I wish I could have seen him. Renowned author James Thurber was mesmerized by Chic Harley.
“If you never saw him run with a football, I can’t describe it to you,” Thurber wrote. “It wasn’t like Red Grange or Tom Harmon or anybody else. It was kind of a cross between music and cannon fire, and it brought your heart up under your ears.”
Harley was a single-wing halfback, a QB today, and led his team in rushing, passing, scoring and kicking. According to Sports Illustrated, Harley projected to win two Heismans (1916 and 1919) and would have finished runner-up a third year (1917), but the Columbus East product predated the award by 20 years.
Ohio Stadium is the House that Harley built because he sparked the rabid following of fans that flooded old Ohio Field to see him, necessitating a bigger venue for the Buckeye Fever victims he created — and exist to this day.
Any QB list without Harley at No. 1 simply doesn’t understand how the sport was played in his era.
Harley scored 23 touchdowns in 23 career games and the Buckeyes were 21-1-1 in his three-year career (which was interrupted in 1918 by his World War I service) with two Big Ten championships.
In 1919, Harley gave OSU its first win over hated Michigan, a 13-3 triumph in Ann Arbor. In that game, Chic merely picked off four interceptions and ran for a 42-yard TD, a play coach John Wilce termed Harley’s greatest ever. Wolverines coach Fielding Yost was so impressed he made a rare appearance in the Ohio State locker room to find the diminutive star.
“And you, Mr. Harley, I believe you are one of the finest little machines I have ever seen,” Yost said.
