OSU column: Boeckman exits on high note

COLUMBUS - Todd Boeckman took the letdown stoically when he lost the Ohio State starting quarterback job to freshman Terrelle Pryor nine games ago.

But he admits he let a little concern show when he was picked up again during OSU's 42-7 win over arch-rival Michigan on Saturday.

The senior from St. Henry threw his first touchdown pass since the Minnesota game in late September when he connected with Brian Hartline on an 18-yard scoring play in the fourth quarter.

Obviously, this played well with his teammates, who had watched Boeckman play the role of team player to the hilt when he lost his starting job less than a year after quarterbacking Ohio State to the national championship game.

In the celebration after the TD throw, offensive lineman Jim Cordle tried to lift Boeckman off the ground.

Let's just say the judges wouldn't give it a perfect 10 if this were a weight-lifting competition.

"I was getting a little worried when Jimmy picked me up. I didn't know if he was going to drop me or what," Boeckman said, with a smile.

Boeckman, who is several months older than Cleveland Browns starter Brady Quinn, is in his sixth season at Ohio State - including a redshirt season and a "grayshirt" season in which he paid his own way - so OSU had an extra scholarship to use.

If anyone would seem to have a reason to not be smiling after losing his starting job, it would be him.

Not only did he lose his starting job, he lost almost all of his playing time. Before completing 3 of 3 passes for 64 yards on Saturday, he had thrown the ball only twice in OSU's previous six games.

But Boeckman said he made a conscious decision not to let his disappointment show, or spread throughout the team.

"I've been excited for this team, but it was tough for me not being out there on the field with them and not doing the things we did last year and the beginning of this year," he said.

"You can't divide a team, separate a team when something like that happens. I didn't want to go out there and make something happen where somebody wanted me to be the guy out there.

"I had to do what was best for the football team," he said. 

Boeckman started 16 games over the last two seasons before he was replaced after OSU was beaten 35-3 at Southern California the third game of this season.

The next weekend, against Troy University, he was sent into the game for two plays, one a handoff and the other an incomplete pass. After the incompletion, a portion of the crowd at Ohio Stadium booed.

Saturday, during the pregame introduction of the seniors, he drew one of the biggest cheers among the players in their final home game. And the crowd cheered his touchdown throw loudly.

Maybe it just shows the fickleness of fans. Maybe there were some in the crowd who felt bad about the previous booing.

Whatever the reason, Boeckman took it all in gracefully.

"It felt pretty good to get back out there and kind of throw the football around," he said. "It was a pretty emotional time for me, all the years I've been here."

Hartline talked about Boeckman's popularity with his teammates and expressed his admiration.

"Obviously, it felt good to see Todd in there. He handled his situation better than anyone could have imagined. I know I couldn't have done it as well," Hartline said.

Give the final word to Boeckman as he said good-bye to Ohio State on a high note, though not as high as he might have imagined at the beginning of the season.

"There were more ups than downs," he said about his career. "It's tough when anybody loses their job to somebody else. But if this is one of the worst things that happens to me in my life, I'll feel pretty good about myself."