Mike Doss, College Football Hall of Famer

What's the strangest thing you're afraid of? Tails without fur on them, such as rats or opossums. I'm Larry Mullins, host of the podcast Your Weirdest Fears, where we dig into the crazy things you're afraid of. Everything from animal people hybrids, you know people who get surgeries to look like an animal, to giant statues.

If I ever saw one of those giant statues, I probably would poop my pants. Listen and subscribe on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown, and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams, pause or rewind your local sports and news, and add shows to your queue to catch up later.

There's a lot to listen to, so get started and download the free Odyssey app today. Now joining us is an absolute legend at Ohio State, and that is Mike Doss, who's actually going to be an honorary captain along with Champ Bailey, representing Georgia for Champ Bailey, and Mike obviously with the Ohio State, and now joining us is the 2002 BCS national champion from the Ohio State Buckeyes in Mike Doss. Mike, first off, congratulations on the Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Famer, and the class of 2022. Appreciate the time, and how you been? I'm doing great, man.

Appreciate that. Man, this is a blessing and an honor to be selected, you know, by the committee and just represent the Ohio State as truly an honor, man. When they told me I was the 27th player in Ohio State history to be named to the College Football Hall of Fame, I mean, that's just, that's just, I was floored and truly humbled, and then the reality of it is I'm only the second defensive back ever to be named next to Jack Tatum, and that's the lead company right there. When you look back at your time at Ohio State, and we all know what you did on the field, but how do you kind of reflect on your journey when you were Ohio State Buckeye?

It was great, man. This is my, you know, my journey there. I came in in 1999, you know, coming off the 98 season, finishing number two in the country. I come in, a two-time state champion, thinking, hey, I'm the Mr. Link, you know, we're one player away. That's me from winning a national championship, and, you know, we go six to six, you know, my second year, I think we go seven to five, and then I think we went eight to five with Trestle in 2001, but that win against that team up north, when Trestle called the shot when he got hired, he says in 323 days, or whatever the number was, he was going to be proud of our team when we traveled up to Ann Arbor, and we went up there and we beat them. First time since 1987 that Ohio State had won in the big house. I mean, I just changed the trajectory of our program and gave us a lot of momentum coming in in 2002, then I had a chance where I could have left early. My mom wanted me to be the first college graduate in our family to get a degree, and I said I will be staying only to get a degree and to win a national championship, because I had always been a winner and played at a high level, and I just wanted to leave our program better than when I came in, and we ran the table, man, so when you talk about my time at Ohio State with the ups and downs, those four years to go two and two against Michigan, you know, that team up north and split it with those guys, and then win a national championship and go 14 and 0, man, you know, that to me is third book, you know, Cinderella type stuff, and it was just an honor to be a part of that process and to help see, to truly see how our program has transcended since that year is phenomenal.

I'm just glad that I'm around to see it. It's really cool to hear you share that story about the decision on why you came back to Ohio State, and obviously it paid off for you. Not only you win the national championship, you get the degree, you also win the defensive MVP in that Fiesta Bowl where you guys win it all. Do you ever think back to yourself, man, what life would have been like if you actually did go to the pros a year earlier?

I do. You know, me and my buddies, you know, when we're hanging out, sipping on some bourbon and, you know, shooting, you know, just talking it out and hanging out, man, I kind of, you know, reflect a little bit and say, hey, what could have been, but I promise you to see the look and notes from our fan base and to see how the city and to see how the state has truly embraced us and supported us that whole season and then to actually go and beat the greatest college football team in history, the undefeated Hurricanes who were on a 35-game win streak. No one gave us a chance to upset those guys and to be the first national champion in Columbus, Ohio since, I believe, 1958.

I mean, I wouldn't trade it, I wouldn't trade it, you know, for anything else in the world. Columbus is a great city, great college town, and will always be remembered for us. Mike Doss here with us. Obviously, everyone remembers that national championship game up against Miami. When you relive it, what are the memories that come back to mind of what was a great game for not only you but obviously your entire team? Just the process, man. I think for us, you know, we focused on the process and Trusser was just great at getting us dialed in and being in the moment.

You know, he called it being in the now and, you know, he said, you know, focus in the now. The most important play is the next play, you know, and, you know, Trusser was just great at just pulling talent out of players who probably were less talented, great college athletes, and obviously had a scholarship to earn their way to Ohio State. Again, piecing it together, you know, he was a magician, and then you just look at the talent that we did have on that team. The Maurice Fred, Michael Jenkins, the Will Smith, some defense, Kenny Peterson, you know, A.J.

Hawk and Bobby Carpenter. These guys were just freshmen, you know, on that team, but the reality of it, you know, when you think about that performance that we put on in Arizona, you know, double overtime against the greatest football team in college football, no one ever thought that we had a chance. I mean, you know, no one, we were double playing underdogs. I mean, double digit underdogs and, you know, to go out there and upset, you know, the great Miami Hurricane University, you know, it was phenomenal. And I just think about the process really just how we prepared, how we played that entire season, you know, four from one against Purdue, you know, going for the guts of going to win at all. Just instead of getting the place down, you know, surviving against that Cincinnati team early on in the season and Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, then this culminated into a 14-0 season. And I think we were the first college football team ever to go 14-0. So, just to know, you know, now that they're playing 14 games regularly, you know, almost with the playoffs, considering almost 15 games, 16 games now, but at the time, you know, the 14-0, it was a long haul, man, and it was a lot of fun. We all know when you play for Ohio State and you're a player, it's like being a, like, in a rock star band, probably on campus.

Absolutely, right, right. When you get back to campus after winning a national championship, what was that final semester like? Oh, man, it was, it was certainly for me because I had, I was preparing for the draft, you know, to the draft, you know, but I do remember they delayed the celebration because I played in the East West Shrine game for the Shriners, for the charity out there, and they delayed the celebration one week to make sure I would be back.

Wow. And, you know, the parade and how the city embraces, you know, Mary Coleman, you know, laid it out, you know, renamed the street after our team, and everywhere you, everywhere we went, man, it was like the red carpet got rolled out, man. It was just, you know, Cameron Mitchell restaurants, you know, he's a big brand in Central Hall, everywhere we went, and it was like, like you said, it was almost, like you said, we were rock stars.

We had the number one movie or something in the world, number one song. Columbus was crazy for that entire, entire, entire winter and spring, and, you know, I went on to Indianapolis, but every time I would come back in the off-season, people would just say to you, like, I remember where I was at, I was sitting in my living room, you know, I broke down and started crying in the tears, or I was in Arizona, I was at the game. I can't tell, I don't know, like, that stadium had to hold 250,000 people, because every time I saw somebody, they would tell me, hey, I was at the game, like, I was in the stadium, so, what was great too is that, you know, my wife, you know, now was my, you know, was my girlfriend in college, and she accepted all the role, so, you know, man, we just talk about that sometimes, just the experience that we had at the Ohio State was great and a lot of fun. It's funny now, you know, when you say that, because I have three daughters, they're 10, 8, and 5, and, you know, daddy would give me, you know, awards and recognition, or something he did 20 years ago, and they're just like, like, what did you do? Like, you know, I mean, I seen these little football girls in these helmets and stuff, but were you really that good, daddy? And then when the Hall of Fame came calling and saying daddy was the Hall of Famer, I think it kind of started to sink in that daddy was a big deal. That's just awesome.

That's great. Wrapping up with Mike Doss, the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame are going to be an honorary captain, representing Ohio State as they're in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. So, this is now a redemption kind of story, maybe brewing for Ohio State. They lose the game to Michigan this year, not sure if they're going to make the college football playoff. What type of Ohio State team do you think we're going to see on Saturday night up against the defending national champs in Georgia?

Man, you don't see a hungry team, man. I mean, they've had 30 days to count them all over that loss and prepare for this opportunity. You know, we had to wait the extra week to see what would happen in the comprehensive games. You know, Utah took care of business for us against USC, and we knew we had a shot. And, you know, the CFP called us and, you know, here we are.

You know, as the old saying is, to be the champ, you have to beat the champ. And what better way to have to travel down to Georgia, play against the great Georgia Bulldogs, you know, in their home state and play their home crowd, and have the opportunity to beat them and have a berth in the national championship with the other team, that team up north on the other side, and you know that there's a potential opportunity for a rematch. I mean, these guys got to be ready to go to get to Saturday night, man. I mean, they said it was 19 million people watching the Ohio State versus that team up north game a month ago. How many people do you think will be watching if we're able to upset Georgia and then play against that team up north in the game and the national championship?

It would really be something. So you can't call Michigan, you got to call them that team up north after they kicked your ass twice? That team up north, man. Woody Hayes coined them that team up north, and that's how they'll always be.

I respect them. I went two on two against those guys, and they got the last two W's against us, but it's always an opportunity, and our team has a chance to, you know, fight for another opportunity to play in the national championship, and we got to beat the Bulldogs first, but we get a shot at those guys again, I think we'll definitely see a different outcome. It would really be something we get to see Michigan and Ohio State in the national championship game. What would you say, you'd be an honorary captain, what would you say with how much you love the university to the team, assuming you get to speak to them before the game? Man, I would just tell them, you know, you're hearing the moment that you are dreamed about, you know, regardless who the opponent is, you wanted your goal in the beginning of the season was to be in the college football playoffs to have this opportunity.

Now you're here, you're in the moment, you know, living the now. Understand that it's going to take everyone believing that, you know, we can get this done. Do not come out this locker room if you have any doubt and you are not willing to lay it out on the field because the players who believe, the players that want this are going to perform and to be on the biggest stage in the world, you have to embrace that. You want to truly soak that in and know that I want my number calm and I want to be the guy that makes the play for my team and I want to be the guy that, you know, gives us a chance to a victory. And that's what's important. You know, pray for each other, you know, coaches, coach players play, you know, I'm an alumni, I'm not playing the game, but what matters is you look your brothers in the face, look into her and I, and know that you're paying for each other, but you're paying for the opportunity to play for a national championship. Where else would you rather be in here in this moment right now? And that would be it. Let's go.

Where's your belief level? Last thing last year, Mike Doss in the quarterback and CJ Stroud going up against Georgia. We know how great that defense is. He's a very talented young man. You know, he's, you know, he's kind of getting overlooked just from truly in the fear of fact of some of the numbers he's put up over the last two years, man. I mean, you got to think he followed the great Justin Fields, you know, he's followed Dwayne Haskins numbers and, you know, God rest his soul, Dwayne and, you know, people kind of underestimate his talent. I think he has a chip on his shoulder where he wants to go and prove all the doubters wrong. He wants to go and showcase that, you know, he cares about winning. He's going to fight for it, fight for it on the field.

And I think he'll have a good showing for us. Mike Doss and Champ Bailey will be honorary captains with respect to all my monitors at this year's college football playoff semifinals at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between No. 4 Ohio State and No.

1 Georgia. The two will join the team captains at midfield for pregame coin toss prior to the 8 p.m. kickoff on December 31st in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He is Mike Doss. Mike, have fun this weekend. We appreciate it. Thank you.

I appreciate it, man, and go Bucks. Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm in a rush to making money.

I'm not in a rush to hurt people. 15 years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio. Season 2, The Dixie Mafia.

Available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. What makes your skin crawl? No matter how absurd.

I want to know. Tales without fur on them, such as rats or opossums. I'm Larry Mullins, the host of a new podcast called Your Weirdest Fears. You send me your fear.

I'm just so weirded out about the texture and how they can just move around and flop. And then I go to the experts to learn how to overcome them. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app, your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams. Pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today.