Laughing All the Way – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/23/2013 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 23, 2013
- Game Day Magazine Feature (Nov. 23, 2013) – Laughing All The Way
Nerves are an unwelcome emotion for long snappers. The position requires a player to manage his composure so he maintains consistency and a short memory for mistakes. Long snapper George Makridis manages his composure through humor, which spills over to his interactions with teammates.
“I like to have fun and ease the mood,” Makridis said. “When people are a little tense, I will come up and say a little joke to get their minds off things.”
The Warren, Ohio, native’s method has been paying off. During the undefeated 2012 season, Makridis notched 87 snaps, raising his career total to 205 successful snaps. Redshirting his first season, Makridis marked his third-consecutive season as the Buckeyes’ long snapper in 2013, although he has split responsibilities with Bryce Haynes for the last two campaigns.
The Makridis name is not new to the Ohio State roster. Demetrios Makridis played for the Buckeyes from 2003-07 and encouraged his younger brother to walk on the team as a long snapper like he did.
“Long snapping was just something I could come to Ohio State and do,” the younger Makridis said. “My brother was a long snapper and said what a great experience it was playing at OSU. He said it would be something good for me to think about. That’s why I started.”
Although the brothers shared a similar path as Buckeyes, they do not share the same relaxed manner on the field.
“My brother’s playing style was a littler similar, but he was more serious than I am,” Makridis said. “He would get very intense and zoned in. I don’t get too zoned into a situation. I like to stay loose.”
Despite George’s preference for fun, he does not lack ambition. His post-graduation plans include trying out for the National Football League, before potentially taking the LSAT and attending law school. His goals for the season are just as ambitious and align with the aspirations of many Buckeyes- to play for a national title.
“When I actually played, we played in the Gator Bowl,” Makridis said. “I was on the team for the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl but never on the field, so being able to play in a big- time bowl game would be cool.”
Nearing the end of the season with a 10-0 record, the pressure is mounting for Ohio State to maintain its excellence. Makridis’s laughing personality is just what the Buckeyes need to keep nerves low on their way to that big-time bowl game and national recognition.
