Everyone knows that the best part of being a sports fan is discussing and analyzing the most important (and least important) issues in the sports world with your friends. So we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL employees take different viewpoints on an issue and argue passionately. At the end, it’s up to you to decide who’s right and who’s crazy.
This week’s topic: Selecting a fifth Ohio State captain for the 2024 squad
Josh’s opinion
The Ohio State University football team named four captains this past weekend. TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, Jack Sawyer and Cody Simon were honored for the 2024-25 season. The latter also received OSU’s ceremonial “Block O” jersey, designed in memory of Bill Willis.
Simon will be the fifth Buckeye to wear No. 0, following in the footsteps of (other) inspirational leaders such as Jonathon Cooper, Thayer Munford, Kamryn Babb and Xavier Johnson.
All four of the above players have undoubtedly deserved to be captains for many seasons, not least because they were voted for by their teammates and colleagues.
Sawyer seemed like a no-brainer after convincing several draft-eligible players to return to Columbus and pursue a championship, while Simon embodies hard work, dedication and perseverance (among other strong character traits). Henderson and Egbuka are two of the most talented players on Ohio State’s roster, both of whom have postponed or delayed individual opportunities to team Goals.
That being said, there seem to be (at least) a few other deserving captains on this OSU team… mine and my opinion. Which doesn’t count for much. Or anything, really. But when we’re 12 days away from the Buckeyes’ opening game and preseason discussions seem redundant, these opinions inspire world-renowned You’re crazy “Debates”.
Again, no one asked or would ask, but my writing partner and I decided to share or discuss who we think could have – or should have? – been named Ohio State’s fifth and/or sixth captain. And I’ll keep it brief, because I wrote about this player just last week.
In my opinion, Gee Scott Jr. would make a great captain. Not only has he been a Buckeye for five years, but he has worked his ass off and made a ton of sacrifices in his OSU career. Originally recruited as a wide receiver, Scott Jr. was asked or encouraged to move to the tight end position and did so willingly. Rather than leaving or even giving up at the first sign of adversity, he instead put his team first and made a selfless decision.
In today’s world of college football, most people wouldn’t have done that. Especially if they knew they would likely be behind the rest for three seasons and barely catch a pass. But Scott Jr. put his ego aside and went for it. And he believed in both his coaches and the Ohio State fraternity.
But most of all, Scott Jr. believed in God’s plan, something the Buckeye fifth-grader was very vocal about. And his words seem to have truly impacted the “real” lives of many, including several of his OSU teammates. There is perhaps no better proof of this than the fact that Scott Jr. personally baptized seven of them on July 14.
Whether you believe in a higher power or not, it seems impossible to deny that Gee Scott Jr. displays leadership qualities both on and off the field, regardless of position, role or stats. That makes him a great captain candidate in my eyes.
Gene’s opinion
Ohio State has done a great job of splitting their captains between two offensive and two defensive players, and as Josh said, all four players receiving this honor are more than deserving. To keep that balance, I’ll look to name my captain on the defensive side while my You’re Nuts partner reinforces the offense.
My choice for an additional captain for the Buckeyes is a no-brainer in my eyes: cornerback Denzel Burke.
The senior, like many of the talented players around him, could have opted for the NFL Draft at the end of last season, but decided to return to Columbus for another year in pursuit of a national title. Burke has started 35 games for Ohio State over the past three years, recording 95 total tackles, two interceptions and 26 pass breakups. The DB had a slightly downer year as a sophomore, but regained his cornerback skills as a junior and is looking to parlay that into a dominant senior season.
Ohio State has a good group of captains who will lead the team in 2024, but almost all of them are a bit quieter – at least in public. While I’m sure guys like Egbuka and Henderson are vocal leaders behind closed doors, the Buckeyes could use a player to cheer the team on when it’s needed on the field.
Burke has never been afraid to speak his mind. He is by far the most entertaining interview of any player on the current roster as he is not afraid to say exactly how he feels rather than sugarcoating things for the media or giving a standard answer. Burke is also a player who gets visibly pumped up after big plays from him and his teammates and is not afraid to talk to opposing players as he knows he can back it up.
The cornerback will be an incredibly important player for Ohio State this season, even if he is not officially a captain. He brings a ton of experience and leadership to a defensive unit that is expected to be one of the best in the country, and he will be a great motivator when the team needs a little extra momentum. In my opinion, Burke would be the perfect captain for the 2024 Buckeyes.
