Nicknames.
Not everyone has one, and, certainly, not everyone has a good one. However, in college football, there have been a slew of really cool nicknames we still refer to today when talking about some of the best players to ever strap on the headgear and pads. The best ones aren’t forced and come about organically.
Thomas Neumann at Touchdown Wire went through what seems like a pretty extensive task of publishing a list of the greatest 101 names in football history. There are some pretty iconic ones on there like “The Minister of Defense,” “The Refrigerator” and many more.
For us though, we were interested to see which former Ohio State players made the list, and we’re happy to report that four have been enshrined with a glorious nickname. Can you guess the four that made it? I mean, this is the content we bring you in the offseason that you didn’t even know you yearned for.
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No. 99 – Chase Young, “The Predator”
What Neumann Says
“Chase Young earned his nickname in college with the Ohio State Buckeyes as a nod to his dreadlocks and his relentless pursuit of opposing quarterbacks. For those unfamiliar with the “Predator” film series, the antagonist is a ruthlessly intimidating, dreadlocked alien being. Young enjoyed an impressive rookie season with the Washington Football Team in 2020, recording 44 tackles, 7½ sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 15 games.”
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No. 92 – Howard “Hopalong” Cassady
What Neumann Says
“Howard ‘Hopalong’ Cassady received his nickname as a high school standout from a Columbus Dispatch sportswriter who described him hopping over defenders at the goal line. The moniker also played off the celebrity of the fictional movie cowboy Hopalong Cassidy. Cassady, the football player, went on to star at Ohio State, winning the 1955 Heisman Trophy. The No. 3 overall pick in the 1956 NFL draft, Cassady played eight pro seasons with the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles.”
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No. 76 – Lou “The Toe” Groza
What Neumann Says
“Before Greg the Leg, there was Lou ‘The Toe’ Groza, a standout lineman for the Cleveland Browns who also served as the team’s placekicker. Groza earned nine Pro Bowl invitations and four first-team All-Pro selections for his work on the offensive line, but it was his kicking that summoned a nickname. Groza played 21 seasons for the Browns, the last seven exclusively as a kicker. He scored 1,608 career points and booted the winning field goal in the final seconds of the 1950 NFL Championship Game.”
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No. 32 – Jack Tatum, “The Assassin”
What Neumann Says
Jack Tatum became known for applying vicious hits on opposing wide receivers during a decade-long NFL career. Not surprisingly, those devastating hits would earn him a notorious nickname. Tatum, who played nine seasons with the Oakland Raiders and one with the Houston Oilers, embraced the moniker — even writing a book titled ‘They Call Me Assassin.’ Tatum recorded 37 career interceptions. But he also infamously paralyzed New England Patriots wideout Darryl Stingley with a hit in a 1978 preseason game, an incident that stained Tatum’s legacy.”
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