Ohio Basketball Topic
Topic: OT: Last two sports player
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OhioCatFan
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A question came up this evening at our game with Tennessee State that I'm sure someone on this board can answer. Someone in our group had a thought that some of our basketball players had football physiques. Then the question was asked when was the last time we had a player who played both football and basketball at OHIO. I remember a guy a number of years ago who did this, but I can't even remember who was the head coach. I think it might have been Larry Hunter in his early years. This guy was not a starter, but he got a good deal of playing time. He would miss the first few games because the football team was still playing, but we didn't have to worry MACCs back then or even bowl games, so the delay wasn't that great. OK does anyone remember who this last two sports guy was?

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mid70sbobcat
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Wasn't it Thomas Stephens back in early 2000's?
A-townBound
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OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
A question came up this evening at our game with Tennessee State that I'm sure someone on this board can answer. Someone in our group had a thought that some of our basketball players had football physiques. Then the question was asked when was the last time we had a player who played both football and basketball at OHIO. I remember a guy a number of years ago who did this, but I can't even remember who was the head coach. I think it might have been Larry Hunter in his early years. This guy was not a starter, but he got a good deal of playing time. He would miss the first few games because the football team was still playing, but we didn't have to worry MACCs back then or even bowl games, so the delay wasn't that great. OK does anyone remember who this last two sports guy was?
Chet Feldman under Larry Hunter (Trent era).

Bleed Green and GO OHIO!!

OUbobcat9092
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Jerry LeBold, 1990

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bigtillyoopsupsideurhead
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Wide Receiver Robert Mercer joined the Basketball team as a walk-on in 2006-2007.

http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mercer_rob...
mid70sbobcat
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Found an old piece on Stephens.

http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/03130...

Thomas Stephens, the student-athlete who came to Ohio University to play both football and basketball, seemed to be having little luck in either sport.

During the fall of 2001, Stephens played through a disappointing 1-10 football season. On the basketball court later that year, No. 22 found disappointment there as well. He stayed mostly in the coach's doghouse and he rarely got the chance to remove the shiny green Ohio warm-ups.

He may have not been the most recent one to play both sports though.
UpSan Bobcat
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I would think Stephens was the last one to do both football and basketball. I think during his time playing, in the 03-04 season, there were a couple of walk-ons to the basketball team from the football team to give the team some extra depth. I believe they played a handful of garbage-time minutes.
OhioCatFan
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I think that this was the guy I was thinking of:

"The early stages of the 2002-03 season had that question on the minds of many people but by the team's sixth game, Stephens had earned the starting job as Ohio?s point guard." I had remember him as a real contributor to the program, and not just a bench warmer.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org
UpSan Bobcat
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Stephens was the team's second-leading scorer his senior season in 03-04 and led the team in assists. I think he gave up football to concentrate on basketball, however. He only played football during the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

The football walk-on players were during the 02-03 season: Keyon Ingram and Hugh Grant.
OhioCatFan
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UpSan Bobcat wrote:expand_more
Stephens was the team's second-leading scorer his senior season in 03-04 and led the team in assists. I think he gave up football to concentrate on basketball, however. He only played football during the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

The football walk-on players were during the 02-03 season: Keyon Ingram and Hugh Grant.
OK, now it's all coming back. Stephens is exactly the guy I'm remembering. Thanks for the memory jog!

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org
mcbin
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Tunji
shabamon
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I don't recall Tunji ever getting football game action.
bshot44
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Basra Fakhir (late 90's) dabbled in a little football. Was from Cleveland. Freakish athlete that played power forward in hoops and a little DE for football

http://www.angelfire.com/yt/thebirk/RosterOhio.html
Last Edited: 11/17/2015 11:10:59 PM by bshot44
Andrew Ruck
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UpSan Bobcat wrote:expand_more
The football walk-on players were during the 02-03 season: Keyon Ingram and Hugh Grant.
Those are the 2 I remember, but I believe they weren't exactly walk-ons but moreso emergency adds because our roster only had only 9-10 able bodied healthy players by Christmas so O'Shea called upon the football team to help out as emergency bench options.

Andrew Ruck
B.B.A. 2003
OhioCatFan
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OhioCatFan
Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
The football walk-on players were during the 02-03 season: Keyon Ingram and Hugh Grant.
Those are the 2 I remember, but I believe they weren't exactly walk-ons but moreso emergency adds because our roster only had only 9-10 able bodied healthy players by Christmas so O'Shea called upon the football team to help out as emergency bench options.

Oh, I'd forgotten about those guys. They do qualify, but probably need an * (asterisk) because they were as you describe emergency roster fillers.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org
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