Ohio State football stars from Michigan
The Michigan to Ohio State football pipeline may not carry as much crude talent as the OSU to UM conduit, but that doesn’t mean it’s totally dry.
With the possibility of The Game II on the horizon – OSU needs to defeat Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal, while Michigan gets past TCU – what better time to select the best five players to cross the Ohio-Michigan border and swear allegiance to TTUN and TTDS?
The Buckeye State is known for having supplied the Wolverines with a world of riches, including two Heisman Trophy winners. But high school talent from Michigan has provided Ohio State with a handful of top-level starters, including a BCS national championship quarterback.
Best 5 Ohio State football players from Michigan
Craig Krenzel
Position: Quarterback. Years at OSU: 2000-2003. Hometown: Sterling Heights. High School: Henry Ford II.
The skinny: Fittingly, Krenzel got his first start against Michigan, when in 2001 he led the Buckeyes to their first win in Ann Arbor since 1987. In 2002 the two-time Academic All-American earned his spot in Buckeyes lore by guiding OSU to a 14-0 record and BCS national championship. In the 2003 Fiesta Bowl title game, Krenzel rushed for a team-high 81 yards and two touchdowns to be named offensive MVP.
Thomas “Pepper” Johnson
Position: Linebacker. Years at OSU: 1982-85. Hometown: Detroit. High school: Mackenzie.
The skinny: Johnson led Ohio State in tackles in 1984-85 and made the coaches All-America team in 1985, ending his career with 379 tackles, five sacks and 12 tackles for loss. A team captain in 1985, he remains one of the more underappreciated defensive players in school history. As a pro, Johnson won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. In 13 NFL seasons he recorded 983 tackles, 25½ sacks, 14 interceptions and 12 forced fumbles.
Vernon Gholston
Position: Defensive end. Years at OSU: 2005-07. Hometown: Detroit. High School: Cass Tech.
The skinny: Few Ohio State players have experienced the single-season success enjoyed by Gholston, who in 2007 set the school record with 14 sacks in 13 games, a feat that earned him the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award. In just two seasons of regular playing time for the Buckeyes, Gholston recorded 86 total tackles, 30½ tackles for loss and 22 ½ sacks. One of his biggest moments came on the biggest stage. In the 2007 Michigan game Gholston had three sacks and four tackles for loss in OSU’s 14-3 road win.
Johnathan Hankins
Position: Defensive tackle. Years at OSU: 2010-12. Hometown: Dearborn Heights. High school: Southeastern.
The skinny: Well, not exactly skinny. Hankins arrived at OSU weighing 355 pounds before shedding 30 pounds to become less large but still in charge of a defensive line that helped the 2012 Buckeyes go 12-0. Earning first team All-Big Ten honors as a junior, he completed his career with five sacks and 16½ tackles for loss. The New York Giants selected him in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.
![Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Demetrius Knox (78) and guard Michael Jordan (73) block Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive lineman Julius Turner (50) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Sept. 8, 2018. Ohio State won 52-3. [Adam Cairns / Dispatch]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/12/14/NCOD/5ace9270-9620-4dd3-9560-3678748728fd-1018276586_oh_col_osufbside.JPG?width=660&height=556&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Michael Jordan
Position: Guard/Center. Years at OSU: 2016-18. Hometown: Canton, Michigan. High school: Plymouth.
The skinny: Jordan was the first true OSU freshman to start on the offensive line in 23 years, since Orlando Pace in 1994, and went on to start all 41 games he played in before declaring for the draft after his junior year. During his career the Buckeyes won back-to-back Big Ten championships, led the conference in rushing three times and went 3-0 against Michigan. Ohio State also won the 2017 Cotton Bowl against Southern California and the 2019 Rose Bowl against Washington.
Honorable mention: Mike Weber, tailback, Detroit Cass Tech; Damon Webb, defensive back; Detroit Cass Tech
Best 5 Michigan football players from Ohio
Charles Woodson
Position: Cornerback. Years at UM: 1995-97. Hometown: Fremont: High school: Ross.
The skinny: The only defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy, Woodson not only is the best Ohioan to play for the Wolverines, but probably the best player ever to wear the Maize and Blue. Three plays stand out, all coming during Michigan’s 1997 national championship season: 1. A one-handed interception against Michigan State; 2. The punt return for a touchdown against Ohio State, which clinched the Heisman; 3. The interception in the back of the end zone against Washington State in the Rose Bowl that sealed UM’s win and national title.
Desmond Howard
Position: WR/Special teams. Years at UM: 1988-91. Hometown: Cleveland. High school: St. Joseph.
The skinny: Maybe you have heard of The Pose? Long before Howard angered Ohio State fans with his ESPN on-air antics, the northern Ohioan stuck it to Buckeye Nation in the 1991 OSU-UM game when he struck the Heisman pose after scoring on a 93-yard punt return in the Wolverines’ 31-3 win. Three weeks later he won the Heisman, having set or tied five NCAA and 12 UM records over his career. In 1991 he caught 62 passes for 985 yards, scored 23 touchdowns and rushed for 180 yards, while gaining 694…
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