Over the years, the Ohio State football program has changed some beloved traditions. Quite frankly, Ohio State is one of the most tradition-laden universities in the country. They stick close to a lot of the traditions that they have, which is what makes them special.
However, there are a few traditions that have gone by the wayside in the last few years. Ross Bjork is to blame for some of them, but not all of them. In fact, university presidents were the reason why one of the most beloved traditions for the students went away.
1. Mirror Lake jump
In my four years at Ohio State, the Mirror Lake Jump on the Tuesday before the Michigan game was the most fun I had on campus. In fact, I participated in the last one in 2015. That was my senior year, and that was the last time that the jump was allowed to happen.
Unfortunately, a person jumped in head-first, which led to him being found deceased. After that, the university drained the lake that week so that the jump couldn't take place. Fences were put up, as well. Now, the lake has been restored, but fences remain during the week of that game.
It would be great if the Buckeyes allowed this tradition to return. It was a lot of fun, and it would be cool if they could find a way to let that tradition return safely. It seems unlikely, though. That's a shame, because that tradition went back 30 years.
2. Hang on Sloopy to start the fourth quarter
This is a tradition that Ross Bjork recently ended. For years, the band would play Hang on Sloopy right before the start of the fourth quarter. It was a tradition that everyone loved. Bjork decided that it should end, and the song should be played at any time after the third quarter.
Bjork claims that the band should play the song when the Buckeyes need the juice. That doesn't make much sense, and last year was the first time that tradition ended. Fans did not take kindly to that change, but it seems to be one that Bjork wants to keep.
They did it for one year, and it was stupid. They should go back to playing it at the beginning of the fourth quarter so that the crowd is ready for the start of the most important quarter of the game. It's a good way to get the crowd engaged in blowouts, too.
3. Beating TTUN every year
During the 2000s and most of the 2010s, this was a yearly tradition. Every November, the Ohio State Buckeyes would crush the Wolverines, whether it was in Columbus or Ann Arbor. It became a tradition that Ohio State fans looked forward to every year.
That hasn't been the case in the Ryan Day era. Now that the Buckeyes beat them last year, fans would love to see this yearly tradition come back. Beating them this year in Columbus would go a long way to making sure it returns for the second half of the decade.
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