Making Believers Out of Everyone – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/18/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
November 18, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio – by Patrick Chun OSU Athletic Communications
“Winfield is the best player I’ve ever seen on our field,” West Virginia head coach Don Nehlen said after OSU’s 34-17 win on Sept. 5.
Misquote?
No way.
Pro Bowlers Jeff Hostetler and Darryl Talley played for Nehlen at WVU. And what about some of the visiting teams? Over the past two decades, Penn State alone brought All-Americans Curt Warner, Michael Zordich, Shane Conlin, and Ki-Jana Carter into the unfriendly environment of Morgantown.
But on an early September evening, senior cornerback Antoine Winfield unleashed his whistle-to-whistle, sideline-to-sideline, relentless pursuit of the football. He simply dominated the game. While most players have critiques, Winfield has believers.
“Antoine Winfield is the best cornerback I’ve ever coached,” Ohio State head coach John Cooper said.
Misquote?
No way.
Shawn Springs finished his OSU career as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American.
But Winfield, himself a consensus All-American, is a special breed of player. At 5-9, 180 pounds, he produces results. Tell him he’s too small and watch him tackle an opponents fullback. Tell him he’s to short and watch him break up passes thrown to guys five inches taller. You get the picture.
“I used to say pound-for-pound, Antoine was the best player I’ve ever seen. Now I just say he’s THE best player,” OSU linebacker and fellow co-captain Jerry Rudzinski said.
Misquote?
No way.
Rudzinski has played with some of the greatest in Ohio State history. Eddie George, Orlando Pace, Terry Glenn, and Springs.
But Rudzinski has first hand knowledge on the type of difference maker Winfield is on defense. From his cornerback position, Winfield helps eliminate any mistakes by the front seven with his coverage and run support. His blinding speed and tenacity brings an aura to the Ohio State defense. “The kid keeps quiet and does his job everyday. He practices hard everyday, he prepares himself for every game, plays hard on every down and he plays with a vengeance,” OSU secondary coach Jon Tenuta said.
Winfield is a role model both on and off the field. On the field, his preparation and performance are second to none. He is a coaches dream. His relentless pursuit of excellence and dogged preparation make him the premier cornerback in the country.
His corner blitzes seem unfair with the blinding speed he is able to hit a quarterback with.
His “in your face” man-to-man coverage can eliminate a receiver from a game.
But ask any coach, scout, teammates or opponent, it is his tackling that sets him apart from other college cornerbacks.
“My tackling does set me apart.” Winfield said. “I have not seen a corner that tackles like me. There are some great cover corners out there, some speed guys but what sets me apart is my tackling.
“I’m always trying to make plays. If it’s a big running back, I’ll try to cut his legs out. I won’t go high – I’m only 180 pounds.”
Off the field, he and his longtime girlfriend Erniece Polk are raising three-month-old Antoine Duane Winfield Jr.
“My life has changed a lot,” Winfield said. “A son is a lot of responsibility. But there is nothing like going home to see him every night. When he was first born, he looked like my girlfriend. But now he’s starting to look like me. It’s just such a special feeling.”
“I was there when he was born, in the delivery room and it was such a great experience for me and my girlfriend.”
If anything, this has been a year of change for Winfield. When the season started, he was a father and a consensus All-American on the consensus No. 1 team in the country. With his final game in the Ohio Stadium on the horizon, he is still focused on the season regardless of the one game blemish on OSU’s record.
“It was hard,” Winfield said talking about the loss to Michigan State. “Being a senior, you want to go out a winner. We made too many mistakes, turnovers and gave up too many points. There were so many things that could have changed the outcome of the game. I was mad. It was a sick feeling. But we all came in the next day, watched the film, and tried to put it behind us.”
At the conclusion of this season, Winfield will take his game to the next level.
And at the conclusion of this season, he will take a bachelor’s degree in communications home to his family.
He will leave college as an All-American, graduate and a father. He does things the only way he knows how – the right way.
