As one of the bluebloods of the college football world, the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame is full of top former players. Each year, new inductees are honored along with a handful of non-football athletes.
Per a press release from the program, the Class of 2024 includes Christy Blough (men’s volleyball), Chase Buchanan (men’s tennis), Tiffany Cameron (women’s soccer), Michael Hartfield (men’s track and field), Jeff Logan (football), Marisa Main (women’s volleyball), Brian Mannino (baseball), Braxton Miller (football), Kathy Monard (women’s cross country/track), Greg Oden (men’s basketball), Tony Russo (men’s lacrosse), Kyle Snyder (wrestling), Gene Smith (administrator) and Matt Wilhelm (football).
Three Former Buckeye Football Players Head to Ohio State Hall of Fame
Jeff Logan (1974-77)
Being “the guy after the guy” will always be difficult. Logan’s experience was filling the shoes of quite possibly the greatest college football player of all time, two-time Heisman Trophy winner, Archie Griffin. Needless to say, Logan cemented his legacy and earned his place in the Ohio State Hall of Fame.
He had to wait his turn but when it was, he took advantage. In his first season as the starter, he ran the ball 204 times for 1,248 yards and five touchdowns. His rushing mark was fourth-best at the time and still remains a top-20 record. He was then selected as co-captain of the 1977 team.
In total, Logan ran for 1,890 yards and 11 touchdowns across 35 games. He added seven catches for 73 yards. He helped the Buckeyes win back-to-back Big Ten titles in his two years of significant playing time. Logan sits at 29th all-time in career rushing yards for the program.
He was later drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the seventh round of the 1978 NFL Draft.
Matt Wilhelm (1999-2002)
One of the stars of the 2002 BCS National Championship team, Wilhelm held down the middle linebacker role for Jon Tenuta‘s and then Mark Dantonio‘s defense. It was his consensus All-American season in 2002 that gave Wilhelm most of his notoriety.
For the Buckeyes that year, Wilhelm led the way with 121 tackles. In that BCS National Championship game against that Miami (FL) juggernaut, Wilhelm led the team with 11 tackles. His 2002 season saw him notch 19.5 tackles for loss which still stands as the ninth-most in a single season at Ohio State. Across his career, Wilhelm tallied 266 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, and eight sacks across 48 appearances. Those 34.5 tackles for loss are good for eight-most in program history.
The San Deigo Chargers drafted Wilhelm in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He was a member of the Super Bowl XLV-winning Green Bay Packers squad in 2010.
Braxton Miller (2011-15)
Finally, the most recent player to don the scarlet and gray, Miller was one of the most dynamic players to play for Ohio State. Miller started as a quarterback before eventually switching to receiver.
Miller came to Ohio State as a highly-touted recruit from Springfield, Ohio and only needed three games before he took over as QB1. As a true freshman, Miller threw for 1,159 yards and 13 touchdowns and added 715 yards and seven touchdowns. He truly was one of the few bright spots in that 2011 season that saw Ohio State finish 6-7. Then, in Urban Meyer‘s offense, Miller thrived. He led the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 mark with 2,039 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. On the ground, he notched a career-best 1,271 yards and 13 scores.
Miller’s 2013 season was more of the same. He amassed 2,094 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air and 1,068 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. However, he injured his shoulder in the Orange Bowl loss to Clemson. It was that injury that resulted in the end of his quarterbacking days because, on August 19, he reinjured his shoulder and missed the entire 2014 season and the College Football Playoff title.
Due to that injury and the logjam at quarterback, Miller switched to receiver for the 2015 season. He recorded 601 all-purpose yards and four total touchdowns. He immortalized himself with his iconic spin move in the win over Virginia Tech.
In total, Miller earned:
- Thompson-Randle-El Freshman of the Year (2011)
- Second-Team All-American (2012)
- Chicago Tribune Silver Football (2012, 2013)
- Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year (2012, 2013)
- Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year (2012, 2013)
- First-Team All-Big Ten (2012, 2013)
His 8,609 total offensive years are the third-most in program history. He’s seventh with 3,314 rushing yards and 12th with 5,292 passing yards. He set the school record with 88 total touchdowns and still sits second behind J.T. Barrett‘s 147.
Miller ended up as a third-round selection of the Houston Texans in the 2016 NFL Draft.
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