The Front Row

People keep getting the facts wrong on this guy. He beat out the returning starter at qb as a freshman, to start at qb and safety for three years; he went to OSU football camp and was told he was not big enough, so focused on getting a scholarship in hoops, winning three straight AAU championships with Sully, Payne, Sibert, Spoon, Staton (UD, now WVa) and others; he was All-Ohio safety as a soph, qb as a junior; he did not play football as a senior, practicing bball instead. When he arrived in Cbus, Matta said he was the best prepared freshman he ever coached.

In a spread offense, he completed 72 per cent of his passes over three years.