Ohio State will honor one of its all-time greats in Week One against Akron, naming Archie Griffin as the person who will dot the “i” in Script Ohio when the marching band performs at halftime of the season opener.
“The opportunity, in Ohio Stadium, to dot the “i” is a very special honor,” Griffin said. “I know that Woody (Hayes) was proud to have had that opportunity, and I am following in his footsteps and am extremely proud of this opportunity.”
In the history of Script Ohio, only a few non-band members have been selected for the honor, including comedian Bob Hope (1978), Hayes (1983), professional golfer Jack Nicklaus (2006), Sen. John Glenn and Annie Glenn (2009), marching band director emeritus Jon. R. Woods (2011) and Earle Bruce (2016).
“When you see someone outside of the band dotting the “i”, you know that it is extraordinary. That is how I look at it,” Griffin said. “It is a big-time tradition for our band, university, fans and everyone who knows Ohio State. To give someone who is not part of the band the opportunity, it must be something special.”
“As a sousaphone player, dotting the “i” is the highest honor one can achieve,” said Nick Pisanelli, senior sousaphone player, who is dotting the “i” during the Ohio State vs. Nebraska game this year. “It’s a dream many of us have for years, one that we work hard for each day as a member of this band. It takes unrelenting dedication to finally be able to live that dream. Archie Griffin embodies that same spirit, and on the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy, we felt it was an easy decision to ask him to share this honor with us. He’s living proof that hard work, determination, and passion can take you anywhere, and we are so excited for him to join us as we all live out our dream.”
The Ohio State marching band director Christopher Hoch said Griffin’s selection is well-deserved because of what he has meant to the university as both a player and an administrator.
“We are super excited and honored to have him be a part of this tradition,” Hoch said. “While I didn’t have the opportunity to watch Archie play at Ohio State, I remember my dad talking about him as a legend and how great of a person he was. We are looking forward to August 31 and being able to watch Archie have his well-deserved moment with the band.”
Griffin was a running back at Ohio State for four years (1972-75), winning the Heisman Trophy two times and accumulating 5,589 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns. He is still the career leader at Ohio State in rushing yards.
He would go on to have a seven-year career in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals where he would run for 2,808 yards and seven touchdowns in 57 games played. The game against Akron is schedule for Aug. 31 at 3:30 p.m.
